Imron vs Awkgrip

[Bob]

I"m considering painting our 1987 Catalina 34. Anyone have an opinion on Awlgri vs Imron? I know the properties of both but I am really interested in hearing how they hold up. Thanks in advance, Bob from Stonington

 

[Mike Vaccaro]

Paint

Both are hiqh quality polyurathane finishes, but the AWLGRIP is engineered for application and use in a marine environment, making application somewhat easier in a yard environment. AWLGRIP may be rolled and tipped, but best results are obtained by spraying over an epoxy primer. Either finish should provide 10-15 years of good service. We recently painted our hull with AWLGRIP because I was tired of waxing and buffing the old gel coat. Couldn't be happier with the results. The only downside to the entire project was writing the check!If you do some research on the web, you'll find tons of information about painting boats.Best of luck,Mike

 

[nvonstaden]

rolled awlgrip black

I have a Awlriped H-28 I did in 1996..rolled an tipped color black ..could comb your hair in the reflection still looks good today..never touched it since.. might give it a coat of wax this year...prep IS the secret.. prime and two coats with 1000 grit or HIGHER after each stuffs like water .when it drys it seems to strech to glass like finish...note i used Sterling for first two coats in flag blue but never would cover (differemt color depths in tone) brushing, made for spray in the dark colors I guess...then went to black for final coat....

 

[Gerry, GMJ Marine]

Awlgrip vs. Imron

Bob, Both are good coatings and hold up really well. A lot of the coatings longevity come from how they are treated. Unlike Imron, Awlgrip doesn't like waxing or abrasive solutions such as buffing compounds etc. U.S. Paint has only recently come out with their own protective coating for their Awlgrip. It's really the only thing that I would recommend. As far as Imron, DuPont developed it years ago for the auto industry so buffing and waxing don't denegrate the finish. If you're thinking of rolling and tipping I'd say use Awlgrip. I like the finish that's possible with the right prep and care. I've sprayed Awlgrip, Imron And Sterling over the years and I have to say that the Awlgrip works best for me. There's also Interlux Products, but I've never had the opportunity to use them yet so I can't really comment on them. My customers usually look for Awlgrip. What ever you choose, the prep is the same. Don't skip on it and your finish should come out alright. Good luck.