Painting hint using interlux brightside

Nov 8, 2014
151
MacGregor 26S Chateauguay
The weather is finally good enough to start painting the boats so I decided to practice on Puffin, our 30 year old 16 ft micro mini tiny cruiser before attempting to paint Egret, our 26C. I bought a couple of cans of Interlux Brightside, sanded her down and tried a small area using the roll and tip method... It looked nice but I wasn't satisfied, it still looked hand painted, so I tried spraying. Using a gravity fed sprayer I set the line pressure at 50 lbs and diluted the paint with 10% 216 thinner as specified by Yacht Paint. At my first attempt the paint came out way too fast and soon I had a regular tsunami rolling down the hull. I gradually decreased the flow but it didn't help, the paint was just too thin. So I reverted to my past experience acquired applying spar paint on my cedar strip canoes. I set the flow pressure to 30 and did not dilute the paint. I also narrowed the spread a little and decreased the flow. It worked perfectly! Now I will have to paint the top because in comparison it looks like crap :) needless to say it was not in the plan! after that.... The Mac, or I'll just sail her and paint her next year :) I'm all painted out!
 
Apr 8, 2015
90
Macgregor Venture 22 Charlotte NC
I'm interested in your experience! I have a 1970 venture 22. Everyone here seems to think that a total refurbishment is a lost cause so I'm looking for a backyard low cost solution to getting a fresh look.

I'm new to boats so assume I don't know anything.
it seems to have been repainted before and it does not look like a gel coat, at least on the hull.
So if its a lost cause boat and I can't really make it worse per say.. Do you have any ideas for a real shade tree boat-wright approach that will give me a decent paint job? It may be worth mentioning that I want to change the new color from yellow to blue.
 
Nov 8, 2014
151
MacGregor 26S Chateauguay
I'm interested in your experience! I have a 1970 venture 22. Everyone here seems to think that a total refurbishment is a lost cause so I'm looking for a backyard low cost solution to getting a fresh look.

I'm new to boats so assume I don't know anything.
it seems to have been repainted before and it does not look like a gel coat, at least on the hull.
So if its a lost cause boat and I can't really make it worse per say.. Do you have any ideas for a real shade tree boat-wright approach that will give me a decent paint job? It may be worth mentioning that I want to change the new color from yellow to blue.
Our 16' Puffin is almost as old as yours and, after I bought it I discovered from cracks inside and a messy repair job on the hull, that it must have been T-boned really hard. Regardless, the hull is in good condition and I faired it using a paste of West System epoxy with microbeads and for the finer part of the fairing, good automotive filler (not too thick!!max 1/16"!!) As far as painting is concerned I used a gravity fed gun and an inexpensive compressor (mine is a 15 gal DeWalt 5CFSM@90PSI bought for under $350 CAD) and NO SOLVENT, use it 'neat' at 30 to 40 PSI.
I also tried the roll and tip method and, though it looks good, it requires a lot of patience and its better with two people.
Naturally, like all body work, preparation is everything especially if you have old paint to even out (no need to remove it, old paint is what holds these old boats together :)) Just sand it smooth and clean, no need to be religious about it. Its not a Corvette if you excuse the pun!

I am not familiar with the shade tree boat-wright term but, if it means what I think it means, I do all my work under my car port or in my yard under two huge maples.
Biggest challenge was getting her off the trailer, so I am not looking forward to refurbishing Egret, our 26' Mac 26S... its a lot of boat and I may have to build a gantry out of 4x4's and then my neighbors will really believe that I'm crazy!
 
Nov 8, 2014
151
MacGregor 26S Chateauguay
Another note... if you are painting the deck as well as the hull, remove all through hull fittings, chains, winches, fair leads etc. and fill the screw holes temporarily with cheap household silicone to keep the paint from dripping inside. you can then pick the silicone plug out after painting.
 
Sep 25, 2008
961
Macgregor & Island Packet VENTURE 25 & IP-38 NORTH EAST, MD
ABSOLUTELY don't fill the holes with silicone! Silacone leaves a residue that paint and bedding compound will not stick to. Fill holes with marine sealant or butyl tape or put painters tape on the inside. Silacone has few uses on a boat. Do so reasearch on this site,, there are plenty of discussions about silacone sealers.
 
Aug 1, 2011
3,972
Catalina 270 255 Wabamun. Welcome to the marina
Hole plugs are available from a variety of sources, I get them from Eastwood.com for use with powder coating. Chemical based products if allowed to cure properly will work, but stuff like silicone can react to the paint, if not fully cured, and who wants to wait around for a day (or more) while the stuff dries, and then dig it out after. Plugs are already dry, and pop out easily.
 
Aug 7, 2011
496
MacGregor 26S Lakeland, FL
Bfranchini, Shade-tree mechanic, shade-tree boatwright, etc. is just a figure of speech that means you aren't a professional, nor were professionally trained, but learned the craft or practice the craft "out in the backyard under a tree"...
 
Nov 8, 2014
151
MacGregor 26S Chateauguay
Hole plugs are available from a variety of sources, I get them from Eastwood.com for use with powder coating. Chemical based products if allowed to cure properly will work, but stuff like silicone can react to the paint, if not fully cured, and who wants to wait around for a day (or more) while the stuff dries, and then dig it out after. Plugs are already dry, and pop out easily.
Thank you for the update on the use of silicone. The practice was suggested in one of those U Tube videos to temporarily plug any deck holes. It was never meant to be a permanent solution to seal any leaks, hence the use of cheap household silicone. Having used the method myself, I must admit that in a couple of cases where I hadn't been careful, I had to wipe it off the rim of the hole with acetone and mineral spirits, not fun since it tends to spread and leave an almost invisible layer that you will notice only after painting. In any case, I have always hated the stuff :)
 
Nov 8, 2014
151
MacGregor 26S Chateauguay
Bfranchini, Shade-tree mechanic, shade-tree boatwright, etc. is just a figure of speech that means you aren't a professional, nor were professionally trained, but learned the craft or practice the craft "out in the backyard under a tree"...
Absolutely, that's me! I We should update the saying to "Google Mechanic" :)