I want to refurbish the old and oddly sized cowl vents on my H-34 which will include cleaning up the heavily weathered surface and painting them. What kind of paint is appropriate for this? How should I go about this?
What kind of paint for H-34 Cowl Vents?
- Thread starter markwbird
- Start date
I painted mine with a Captain Phab product for painting plastic several years ago. I just repainted with a Rustoleum product ( Painter's Touch I think) which it said would cover plastic. I would also try Krylon
Like Dick I've done mine with Krylon. Lasts about 4 to 5 years (Canadian summer seasons) before it needs to be done over.
Mark,
How timely. I just painted one of mine here at home yesterday. I am using Rust-Oleum Flexidip Removable Rubber Coating. Except, I am not going to remove it. Its very flexible. Four coats. I bought it in Home Depot.
Previously, I used a vinyl paint available from Kragen's (now O'Reilly). That was ok, but it wasn't as flexible as this new stuff seems to be. I did find it was completely removed when I wiped the cowl down with an acetone soaked rag. That got all the black stuff off inside as well, so the red interior looks ok.
The original white skin layer on the rubber cowls is cracked (and has been). That telegraphed through to the vinyl paint I used earlier but they still looked ok for a few years. Following a good sanding with some 180 grit paper, this rubber paint mostly filled the cracks. As I deflect the cowl it seems to stretch and not break again. Adhesion seems good. But, then I only painted yesterday afternoon, so its not been the recommended 24 hours dry time. I'll leave it out in the sun again today to bake.
I can't say how easy it is going to be clean in the future, but as long as its not heavily abraded it should be ok.
Good luck.
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Notice, as with my cowls, that yours are not holding a nice shape. I noticed a recessed line inside the opening of my cowls and decided they needed a support bracket. Fond a heavy piece of copper wire about 1/8 inch in diameter and formed a shape with it so that it just fit within the inner recess. Now, I'm most impressed with the shape of the opening and it won't flex as easily now in the wind.
Forever Faithful, I took your suggestion and made my own copper frames for the cowl vents after I finished painting my second one this past week. They look great now. Thanks again for the tip.
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In other news, Defender carries the very nice Sea Dog Line ones with plates that can easily be swapped into your old one's locations. I got the short flat one for 27.99; the tall oval one is like 31.99. These are 3" (for my boat).
If you insist on the AFI or old Nicro ones, you can easily pay twice this.
I figure 30-odd years is long enough for flexible vinyl cowl vents on a boat you want to look nice!
If you insist on the AFI or old Nicro ones, you can easily pay twice this.
I figure 30-odd years is long enough for flexible vinyl cowl vents on a boat you want to look nice!
HAPPY NEW YEAR
On the smaller Hunter daysailors made out of ACP, following repair, I used a specific Krylon exterior paint formulated for plastics when painting back which Hunter recommended but learned from the individual who first built the boats. It worked well. I believe in the Krylon as it words. I am not a chemist but is vinyl in a sense plastic related. I did use Krylon on vents before and it worked.
On the smaller Hunter daysailors made out of ACP, following repair, I used a specific Krylon exterior paint formulated for plastics when painting back which Hunter recommended but learned from the individual who first built the boats. It worked well. I believe in the Krylon as it words. I am not a chemist but is vinyl in a sense plastic related. I did use Krylon on vents before and it worked.