What Paint To Choose

[stollo770]

Hello,

I have a 1979 H27 and before I launch it this coming spring I would like to repaint the hull above the waterline (my marina is doing the bottom paint under the water line). I plan on changing the color from the dull white it currently is, to a rich, dark blue and I am currently looking at two different paints. The first is interlux perfection two part polyurethane and the other one is interlux brightside single part polyurethane.

I'm looking for any feedback from anyone who has used these paints in the past and I have some questions.

My first question is the perfection paint advertises itself as self leveling and the brightside does not. However, in videos and reviews people say that brightside does have some self leveling abilities. So does the brightside self level (after tipping), like the perfection does? I would prefer to use brightside as it is less then half the cost of perfection, but it needs to be able to level itself because I plan to do the job myself and I don't have a sprayer.

My second question concerns durability. I have not been able to get a straight answer on how long brightside or perfection will last or how durable they will be when faced with bumpers, or light scratching (basically dock stuff). Does anyone have a good guess on this? The paint needs to last at least 5 years for me to consider it a good value.

My last question is concerning tipping. I get what tipping is, but brightside and perfection both say that you need to tip with a wet edge. I have no idea what that means. Does this mean that the edge of the brush needs to be kept wet? If so wet with what, paint or water? Also, do you need to lightly sand the paint between coats?

Any help on this will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[thisoldspouse]

I can't speak to the type of paint to use, I used Easypoxy on my boat almost ten years ago.
The roll and tip method worked great and gave a beautiful 6 ft finish (looks great at 6ft). To keep a "wet" edge, you roll on a section and tip it then begin the next section before the last section is dry. My wife and I worked together, one rolling the other tipping and it went perfect. Always had a wet edge.
They are old pics, however I have some before and after on my profile.

 

[malyea]

http://www.signaturefinish.com/index.php?topic=Signature+Finish

This paint has my attention. I've not used it but online research makes me think it's a top contender for painting my topsides next year.....

Any thoughts on this paint?

 

[Ed Schenck]

Perfection will give you a really durable finish but at a cost. Two-part paints set up quickly making it very difficult to keep a wet edge when the edge is so long(wide?). I did my mast with Perfection and could only do ten inches at a time, crawl under to the other side and do that ten inches. Back and forth quickly so that it wouldn't set. And you must work in the shade, warm but no sun on the side.

I did my decks and cabin top with Toplac when I had trouble with Brightside. But I think that Brightside is now the old Toplac. That paint went on nicely and has held up for more than ten years. But I don't roll, I only brush.

 

[stollo770]

Thanks for the information, especially about what keeping a wet edge means. I think I'll use the interlux brightside paint in combination with the interlux pre-kote primer. I can get the four quarts I need, plus a gallon of the primer, all for under $250 at amazon. Talk about a good deal.

One last question, I've been seeing information on thinning agents for the paint, specifically Interlux Brushing Reducer 333. Is this something that I need? It says it slows drying time for brushing applications but I plan on rolling and tipping everything. Do you think its necessary for maximum paint coverage or is mostly redundant? How much of it would I need to mix into a quart of paint if I did use it? Thanks for your help.

 

[sandpiper10471]

Talk to the technicians at Interlux. The Perfection will way outlast the Brightside. I found badger hair brushes the best for tipping. You need two. Keep one in a pot of thinners and use it when the other one gets sticky. Perfection you will likely need about three coats as it goes on super thin, sanding and solvent washing between coats. Both cover well considering the thinness of the coats and both self level well. Both are full of nasty chemicals so buy a really good respirator.

 

[rardiH36]

What is the condition of your current topside gelcoat? I ask because unless it is considerably degraded or damaged and unless you really really really want your color, the absolute best course of action is to not paint. I don't know your ownership history or DIY experiences. So I risk giving unnecessary advice. But here goes: Instead use an oxilic acid product to remove tannin stains and dissolve embedded mineral deposits from your existing gelcoat. If this hasn't been done for a while, you will be amazed at how clean and white your topsides will become after just a few hours of very easy work. Spot fill any dings/scratches with a gelcoat repair kit. Then follow Maine Sail's tutorial about compounding/waxing for a much improved look. Just my two cents.

 

[stollo770]

@sandpiper10471, thanks for the info about the paint and what brush to use. I'll get some badger hair brushes to do the job and keep them in thinner until I need them. Thanks for also clarifying the paint's leveling abilities.

@rardiH36, Thanks for your two cents and information. The gelcoat is essentially fine and it can be easily brought back to its full luster with some elbow grease. I've done that whole process to the gelcoat above the rub rail and it looks great. However, I really want to change the color below the rub rail on the main hull. While I enjoy having a stereotypical white sailboat, I want mine to be different in color; specifically a rich dark blue. Also, I'm just coming off a major restoration project where I largely rebuilt/restored my interior, engine, replaced my hatches, replaced my port lights, cushions, etc. I think that changing the hull to a snazzy new color will be a nice cherry on top and will make the boat look totally new. Members of my family/friends have not seen this boat in over a year, and the last time they saw the boat it was in desperate need of repair. When people lay eyes on her again I want their jaws to drop in disbelief that it is the same boat. The effects of this will be minimal if the outside still largely looks the same. <Not that I'm doing this for them.

 

[Capt jgw]

The Mauritius Blue Perfection is absolutely beautiful. The chips in the catalog really don't do it justice. About a month after painting my boat with the Jade Green, I saw another one in the blue and thought, "I just painted my boat the wrong color"!
One thing I notice after going to a dark color is that the boat is noticeably hotter, especially late in the day when the lower sun angle strikes the sides. At the same time, at least around here, the humidity goes up as well and out can get quite uncomfortable.
Another down side to changing colors is any scratches that go through the paint will be very obvious as the white gelcoat shows through. The Perfection or any other two part polyurethane paints are much harder and abrasion resistant so this will be less of a problem with them. Keeping the wet edge with two part paint is very challenging and really requires two people working side by side. If you can get the boat indoors at least for the last coat that will help a lot. You'll need scaffolding set up all around the boat if you can't reach the topsides from the ground. Working from ladders is too slow and you'll lose the edge. With the previous version of Perfection in white or off white they advertised that you could actually omit the tipping step. Just roll the paint out very thin and it will dry with a very slight orange peel texture that looks like a less than perfect spray job. I've seen new cars that looked worse. I did a 30 footer that way and rolled it all on from the ground with a roller on a long handle. Came out very nice and you really couldn't tell it wasn't sprayed. I don't know for sure if that would work with the new version though.
With two parts surface prep is much more critical. The paint goes on so thin and is so shiny that any blemishes in the surface will be amplified. With darker colors, any waviness or unfairness in the hull will also become more visible.
One part paints are more forgiving of surface prep. They go on thicker and aren't quite as shiny so imperfections are harder to see. Application is easier as well, the paint dries slower so the edge is easier to keep. I did my 36 footer from the ground using a roller and "paint pad" on long handles. Used the pad to tip instead of a brush. Also came out very nice but with a few brush marks. One part paint isn't self leveling per se, but all paints shrink somewhat as the solvents evaporate, and this has a leveling effect. Just isn't as prominent in the one parts as there isn't as much solvent. One part paint is not as hard or abrasion resistant so you'll be touching up and repainting sooner.

 

[rardiH36]

stollo770: Thanks for your acknowledgement of my 2cents. I can certainly appreciate the aesthetic motivation to change the color. Just this past week a new boat arrived into a vacant slip several away from mine. An Islander 36 which had just been professionally restored. Everything was done. Not a square inch was missed. Spars restored to new condition and gloss white > new standing rigging > SS ports > hull/deck painted > SS anchor > new teak >> and on and on. Even the aluminum toe rail was removed and painted a rich red. Hull is navy blue. All the running rigging was selected to compliment the red/navy blue/white color scheme. Red fenders. Got to be the most visually stunning boat on SF Bay. http://islander36.org/

 

[braol]

Perfection lasts forever but it is much more labor intensive to get a good result...more pouring and measuring because you dont want the two-part paint to dry. The stuff is also like painting with 10$ bills. I think that Brightside can be made to work well; it's all about getting the consistency right so that you can roll and then tip before it drys. It's best to have one person roll and another tip. You could do a whole side in a relatively short amount of time once you get the hang of it. Oh...ONLY PAINT THE SIDE IN THE SHADE! (Especially two-part...)

Honestly, what I would do is this: do the bottom yourself and get someone else to do the pretty work. Anyone can do a bottom job and it doesn't have to look good, it just has to be smooth. The only problem I see with a top job is that a yard will most likely spray and then charge you for all the masking, etc...making a top paint maybe more expensive than a yard bottom job?

 

[DianaOfBurlington]

I agree with Braol

...what I would do is this: do the bottom yourself and get someone else to do the pretty work.

I used Brightside on my boat and enjoyed it-- it went on very well and the coverage was incredible. I did notice one or two of its few drawbacks. For one thing, it does not cover imperfections. While painting I noticed a couple of divots in the filler that I had forgotten and as an experiment went over them, knowing in all probability I'd have to address them later, which I do. Also it does not hide darker color very well. Owing to several extensive cracks in gelcoat I had carried the barrier coating (gray) above the waterline in some places. We carried the Epoxy Primekote (Perfection primer) down to the waterline to cover these; but one coat of Brightside did not hide what I call the 'thin white panties problem'. But due to the divots and a few other places I will be taking down the second coat with 220/320 this spring and laying on two more coats; and that should do it well.

The thing that recommends Brightside above everything else is the blindingly beautiful gloss you get for such an inexpensive paint. Everyone came out of the shop and marveled at the fact that I have a shiny boat now. As with any paint application is key. I had a good helper (whom I will not have this spring) who knew this stuff well. As for me I'd rather do riggiing and toilet installations than paint anything any day

I can't speak to the longevity; but the only advantage gelcoat has over something like Brightside is that it allows you to touch up small places and fair them in, something you cannot do with Brightside (the poor man's Perfection), Perfection (the poor man's Awlgrip), or Awlgrip. So, aware that I will most likely smack every dock with this boat from Burlington to Amelia Island, I chose something that is cheap and reasonably able to be touched up-- visibility of the repairs notwithstanding.

This is the blog entry about the paint-- http://dianaofburlington.blogspot.com/2014/11/interlux-brightside.html

 

[Capt jgw]

I just picked up a quart of Rustoleum Topside paint for $11.50 on Amazon, and they have it at Menards for a few cents less. Some reports say it's as good as Brightside, some say not. I painted an old freezer with it, and in that application it looks really good. I'm going to do some touch up work on the boat with it this spring and we'll see how good it is. At 1/3 the cost of Brightside or EasyPoxy it looks good for those who like to do things on the cheap (like me).

 

[rardiH36]

I just picked up a quart of Rustoleum Topside paint for $11.50 on Amazon, and they have it at Menards for a few cents less.

Also available at our local HomeDepot. In the most common colors only.

 

[karoulia]

I'm restoring a 1963 Seafarer Meridian 25'. Used Awlgrip Flag Blue on hull above waterline. Gelcoat had never been painted before. Worked with professional to roll and tip three coats. Promises to be more durable and lower maintenance.

 

[stollo770]

Thanks everyone for the more info about the different paints and comparisons between brightside and perfection. I went and ordered four quarts of brightside, plus primer, to paint my hull. I also am amazed that rustoleum makes topside paint, and I was shocked by how it cheap it is, but I am weary of it. I don't see rustoleum as a brand that is credible for marine applications and I think I'll just stick to interlux for now.

@Braol, I agree that perfection is very expensive, which is why I went with brightside. Plus, as you pointed out, I don't want to be worried with constant measuring and quick drying times. It seems like the application process for perfection is very complicated and easy to mess up, which is not optimal when painting with $10 bills. As for my marina doing the painting, I'd rather they do the bottom because where I am for the winter (Townsends in Lacey, NJ) they include fiberglass work. Its not cheap by any standards but I hate hate hate dealing with hull blisters/divots/scratches/softspots/etc and if the marina can do all that crap for me as an included service before painting then that's ideal for me. Plus my hull in paint is in really bad shape so who knows what the hell they will find once they blast the paint off.

@DianaOfBurlington thanks for the info on the brightside. I read your blog post and it was very insightful. Your boat looks great from the pictures I saw. Out of curiosity, how much primer and paint did your boat need? I am planning on one gallon on primer and four quarts of brightside and I want to be sure that's enough. I figure I won't need that much more paint then you, as I am only two feet longer. Also, what temperature did you paint your boat at? Your blog says you did it in November, which is cold, but brightside recommends a minimum of 50 degrees. I ask because I want to paint my boat sometime next week, where it will be low 50's during the day, but will dip into the low 40's at night. Do you think that will be a problem for the paint, or will it be okay so long as it has sufficient time to cure during the day?

Thanks for all the help everyone, I really appreciate it.

 

[braol]

I have a bit of hull work to do also. My 27 is getting a dark blue transom this spring and I thought of trying Perfection on this (relatively) small area...just to see how it goes. But I think I'll go Brightside and leave it at that. I'd like to spend my time (and money) on new line, new anchor rode/chain, another new battery, LED lights, and those pesky drains that I need to replace....oh, and a second, high-flow bilge pump for safety....but that is a story for another post!

 

[tehsailor]

I repainted my topsides with rustoleum on my Cal 27 T/2. It looks pretty snazzy for $8bux a quart. But I'm going to use Perfection on my Hunter 30