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Gels Par

Painting Your Boat The Inexpensive Way

When buying a used trawler or motor yacht, it’s very easy to be disappointed by the cosmetics of the yacht. However, I'm not proposing that it be dismissed. I inform boat buyers to judge how well the used trawler or motor yachts been kept up by how she presents herself. If the exterior finish is all beat up and the brightwork is in bad condition, I normally find everything else in the engine room the same way. It's simply an indicator.

But a dull outside isn't a bad matter either. The exterior gel coat on a used trawler or motor yacht is there for a single purpose, to make the yacht look beautifull. It has no other function. The gel coats worst enemy is the ultraviolet rays of the sun. After 5-10 years exposed to in the Florida sun, almost all gel coats begin to dull and chalk up. Not even extreme buffing will bring the gel coat back to the luster when it was new. So when you find a used trawler or motor yacht that has a lack luster outside but everything else is up to par, there is a way to bring her back to her factory-fresh appearance with a little work. How you ask, by painting her?

Hatteras and Huckins are but two boats that are painted at the factory.  When we purchased our trawler the Patricia Ann, she was in Excellent Condition, but her gel coat was dulled and there were a few cosmetic fiberglass dings here and there. Professional painting of a used trawler or motor yacht is very expensive. You can count on about $1000 a foot to have it painted professionally so that was unthinkable.

I started to explore the procedure of performing the painting myself and learn as much as I could about what paint to choose and how to do it.  At the Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show, I talked with spokespeople from Interlux.  The rep explained to me that both the Interlux brand of topside paints and the Awlgrip brand are very synonymous in formulation and practical application. Interlux, however, is formulated for the do-it-yourselfer. So my choice was made, Interlux Perfection, 2 part paint was the way to go.

Without going into detail about what the directions state, I'll just say that even though working with two-part paints seems intimidating, it’s really very easy to do. Just follow the directions supplied with each container and you'll get the technique right away.

I selected the roll and tip technique of application as spraying in a crowded marina was impossible. It’s simple to do once you practice. I practiced on a scrap piece of glass until I had it perfect.  Directions are provided by Interlux.

Here are a few pointers.

• Start your project by dividing the used trawler or motor yacht into manageable divisions; that way the task will not overcome you. I selected the port cap rail on the Patricia Ann to begin my project.

• Preparing the surface to be painted consumes about 3/4 of the time you will spend on your plan. A bad surface will produce a bad paint job. Start by wiping the gel coat with thinner. This will rid the gel coat of any silicon that may have been applied that will make the paint lift after its been applied.

• The next step, take a little mallet and check the entire area to be painted, taping lightly to locate any pockets below the gel coat. When you find them and you will, dig them out with a Dremel tool. You do not want to spend the money and time to do a good paint job and have voids open up later on.

• I utilized the West System epoxy with the fairing filler to repair the voids I found. Follow the directions supplied to make the resin simple to use.  Sand them flat after the repaired spots have cured. Wash the dust off with fresh water.

The hard part is not over yet?  

• Next,  tape the region that's going to be painted and take off any hardware to cause it go faster. I used the 14 day painter's tape available at Lowe's or Home Depot for masking.

• Now we are ready to paint. I like to use a 4" foam roller and a 2" brush, also available at Lowe's. Mix just enough paint that you can use in 2 hours, for me its 1/2 quart. The paint is expensive, about $85.00 a quart and you don't need to be throwing any out.

• Only use paint when the relative humidity is 75% or less. Be sure there is no risk of rainfall.

• The paint takes about 5 hours to fully harden. Be certain to complete your painting before noon to provide complete drying. If dew settles on your paint, the moisture will turn the gloss to a flat finish.  I use a window between 10 AM and high noon to paint.

When it was over, it took at least 600 hours to prepare and paint the Patricia Ann. We used about 1 gallon of West System resin and 12 quarts of Interlux Perfection to paint two coats on her.

Was it worth it?

Absolutely! She looks great!

If you have been contemplating the painting of your used trawler or motor yacht and would like to ask me some specific questions, feel free to ask.

About the Author

Mike Dickens, the author, is a boat owner and owner/Broker of Paradise Yachts. Paradise Yachts is a Yacht Brokerage offering used yachts to customers worldwide. Visit our website to view our selection of Used Trawlers, Used Motor Yachts, and Used Sailboats . National and international sales. We ship Used Yachts and Used Boats worldwide. Located in Florida, USA. 904/556-9431

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