Topside paint repair

[malyea]

Casting a wider net...

Got some very bad scrapes on my '82 Hunter 30 starboard topside - the photos are worth a million aw s#*ts....

After a fair amount of research/conversations/etc here's what I plan to do (unless someone can convince me otherwise)....

- feather/sand the paint edges
- apply primer
- roll and tip with white imron, probably two coats to help 'fill' the scrape
- wet sand with 600-800 grit (rubbing compound if needed)
- wax

I don't want to pay for a haul-out (too expensive on Lake Allatoona) and don't want to pay to re-paint stem to stern. I hope to achieve a decent result (it has to improve the eyesore it is now!) - something that looks good/OK from 10-15' and really good/great from 50'.

Thoughts, warnings, suggestions, cautions, disclaimers....encouragement...

Any advice appreciated but would prefer no 'second hand hear say' at this point...or at least label it as such ;-)

Thanks!

 

[finding41]

Hey you must have got your boat from the same guy that I got mine from!

But seriously; Why paint? Isn't that gelcoat the has come off? Why not fix it with gelcoat?
Its about the same work as you have described above.
There are some good instructional videos on youtube.
I think you could do the repair right at the dock if they will let you.
Here is a link to a manufactures how to video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWEE6SFUdpg&feature=related
It is a good start. There are other Half Baked ones out there but I'm confident that if you use the Tap Plastic videos as guides you will be able to tell the difference.
Don't paint it.

 

[malyea]

Sorry, I forgot to clarify...the PO had the topsides painted in 2004 with what appears to be white Imron paint so what you see is actually scraped off paint...

...so I'm just going to do the best 'paint repair' that I can...

 

[Barnacle Bill]

It is obviously paint that is scratched and not gelcoat. Make sure you know it is Imron. Imron is usually used on autos while Awlgrip is used on boats. But either is a polyurethane paint and very aggressive, so that if you paint it on top of a different kind of paint, like an enamel, or alkyd, etc. it might lift the paint below and then you have more of a repair to do. So, find out who painted it, or ask the previous owner.
If it is Awlgrip, then consider using Awlcraft, which is a 2nd generation paint that is softer than Awlgrip. They are both linear polyurethane products, but Awlcraft is softer and hence more repairable. You will need to wet sand your paint job to make it smooth and so you will be using up to 1500 grit W/D sandpaper and then use a compound designed for paint and not gelcoat to get the shine. 3M makes a product called Finesette II for one (and many others usually found in professional paint shops). Of course read the instructions. If Awlgrip, Awlcraft, you will need to use Awlcat #2 for spray and Awlcat #3 for brush or rolling and their ratios are different. You also need to use the correct primer for the paint you choose. Don't use Interlux Prime Coat, for example with Awlgrip. Use 545 epoxy primer which is a two part paint too. If Imron, then check their instructions. I am not familiar with Imron as I don't paint cars. Only boats. Whatever paint you find out it is on your hull, stick with the recommended products and you can't go wrong.

 

[KD3PC]

While I admire the desire to DIY, you will need considerable activators, hardeners/additives/chemicals and industrial style respirators and jump suits...

I would suggest that you read the MSDS sheets and become very familiar with the various IMRON paint and supplies...there is more than one IMRON, and each has it's own suite of prep, primer, base, color and clear, if needed. Knowing what you have on the boat now, is quite important for the new work to flash and adhere

the edges can not simply be sanded and then primed...those edges need to be softened, chemically so that the paint can meld...you already have primer layer, and if you prime again, you will have significant thickness in the "scrape" that should be imron, not primer.

this is some serious stuff, you should not breathe it, especially when/if brushing. Brushing requires specific additives different than spraying and such. Brushing is a whole nother can of worms...weather, mix, flash time, mix time, etc...all work against you

IMRON is not meant to be sanded. It will be a lot like polishing granite, and you will need to use 1000-1200 at least and a machine and the experience to use both....most start at 2000 or 3000...remember the original stuff is already set up and may scuff, as compared to the newly painted stuff.

forget the wax for at least 60 days...and then use mequiars or collinite, if you must.

TBS, it is Your boat and your lungs...please be careful.

 

[malyea]

Well...unless someone has a better idea ...(which I'm always open to...) here's the plan...

This is a normal repair for a car. Virtually all automotive paints are repairable and most are blendable.
Check some autobody forums to learn more about these types of repairs, but here are the basics.
Clean the entire area with wax, grease, and silicone remover.
Sand down the gouge with 80 grit, keep it feathered out.
Fill the gouge.
Sand down the repair with 40 and then 80 keeping all your scratches in a small area.
Sand the entire abraded area with 150 and then sand a couple inches farther out with 320.
Prime over all of the 80/150 scratches keeping ALL of the primer inside the area of the 320 scratches.
Sand the primer and the 320 scratches with 400 wet.
Sand 6-8" around the 400 with 1000.
Clean again with wax and grease remover.
Tack rag.
Paint, keeping all of the paint inside of the 1000 grit scratches. When you paint, put the first coat covering just the primered area, the second an inch farther out, the third another inch farther out, tapering the edges on each coat.
Let the paint dry for 24 hours.
If it's really rough sand first with 1000, then 1200, then 1500 and polish.
Any decent autobody store will have a dupont camera that they can bring out to your boat and take a picture of the paint and the computer will match it for you.
You'll be doing all of your shopping at the autobody store here, the boat stores won't have all of what you need.

Thanks to all - we'll see how it goes...

 

[KD3PC]

Well...unless someone has a better idea ...(which I'm always open to...) here's the plan...


Thanks to all - we'll see how it goes...

many have posted here and there giving you the experience of years, you have made your decision. Let us know how it works and pics please.