painting the hull

[ALEXANDER]

I want to paint the outside hull between the boot strip and the rub rail.   I do not know how to use a spray gun so I am confined to a brush or roller or foam brush.  What brand of hull paint should I use that will leave a good shine?  Will I be able to wax it later?  Any tips on the application ?    Will the paint require much care (other than wax) a few years down the road?
I guess this info is on the site somewhere tho I could not locate.
Thanks for the help,
Alex

[Salty19]

I would suggest buying one of those hull painting how-to books, or doing a lot of research online on the subject. Don't recall seeing a lot of info here on that.  Check out awlgrip too.

Seems like something easy to screw up if you're not familiar with the tricks.  Doesn't appear to be like painting your kitchen!

[wes]

There's an excellent article on p. 28 of the Nov/Dec issue of Good Old Boat by Randy Baker, who used a roller to apply Awlgrip with spectacular results. Very worthwhile reading, especially his tips for proper thinning of the paint. Final result looks like a professional spray job and it doesn't sound all that difficult as long as you have some experience with paint rolling.

The other good option, based on my research, is Interlux "Perfection" applied using the roll-and-tip method (roller followed quickly by brush). There's a good tutorial video on Interlux's web site about how to do this.

Not that I have actually done either of these myself; it's way too cold and snowy and NC but I am feverishly researching with the hope of doing my 19 when the weather warms up.

- Wes

[BobK]

I have used a product called Easypoxy made by pettit with good results on fiberglass.  It flows out smooth after rolling it on and looks sprayed.  If you use this for best results use their primer first.

[breeze]

Alex I painted my 23 with Awlgrip, rolled about a 2ft area then used a good natural bristle brush to tip,
the results were very good.
I had some trouble at first, found out that I was sold the wrong thinner, make sure that the thinner is for brushing not spraying
The boat looks great, after 3 years
You can't make a mess out of this project, if you get some spots that you don't like just let dry, sand and reapply
Remember the painting is the easy part, the job is only as good as the finish of the hull
I was in a dirty marina in a windy spot and I did get some dust in the paint
If possible pick a spot that will have a minimum of dust and dirt.
Be sure you have a high end mask for chemicals, the fumes are almost as dangerous as spraying.

I did spray a boat about 15 yrs ago with Easypoxy.
The boat looked great but the paint is not an Epoxy paint it was soft and didn't last long

David

[crazycarl]

i painted our last boat with interlux topsides.  i sprayed the deck because i thought that would be easiest.  the hull i rolled with a 4" foam roller from ace hardware.  i would apply it over a 2 square foot area and then roll it until all the little bubbles were gone. then move on and DO NOT touch it again.  i picked up an interlux booklet from west marine (free) and it has all the directions in it.  i tried the roll and tip method but just could not get it to smooth out.  even with the $40 brush.

ok, here goes. i'll attempt to post a pic of the boat.  the paint is completely dry and has not been buffed in this pic.

[peterg]

I had a boat that was rolled and tipped with automotive acrylic enamel with hardener and brightener added, and the finish looked great after twelve years. It can be touched up easily, polished, and waxed just like a car, and is very resistant to the marine environment. This automotive paint is also easily sprayed on the hull, but does require an investment in a decent gun and compressor.