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Ericson 38 Deck Paint

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
My new dock neighbor, Hank Toles*, is refinishing his decks with two-part paint. He had some minor gelcoat wear.

As usual the effect is new-boat shiny, and a reminder that old boats can gleam again.

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*Update September, 2023: Hank Toles died a few weeks ago and I don't think anybody has visited his E38 since.
 
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steven

Sustaining Member
Christian, I will be painting at least part of the deck where I have quite a bit of wear in a couple of weeks. Any idea what paint is being used, or otherwise recommended ? (pictures look nice) --Steve
 

supersailor

Contributing Partner
On my 26 I used Awlgrip from US Paints. It is a multi part marine polyurethane that's designed to be flexible. It is wonderful stuff that looks stunning. It is slow drying so it is difficult to spray. I did the spraying myself. The job came out good but it took a lot of patience and work to keep it from running. Awlgrip must be sprayed.
 

Tin Kicker

Sustaining Member
Moderator
Andy on Boatworks Today did several videos about AlexSeal, including:

He's compared it to AwlGrip and the type of epoxy is similar (both being aliphatic iirc), with the difference being that AlexSeal is formulated to be better for roll/tip. When hardened, they are both hard epoxies.

On the 1985 32-3, I'm repairing my rub rails, transom and other areas and about to put an order in so pulled the whites of their color chart (https://www.alexseal.com/resources/color-selection/topcoat) up on the iPad and laid that in different places on the boat. The original gel coat varies in shading in different places so nothing will be 100% but T9132 cloud white was closest.

In the sun protected area beneath a locker door:
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On the foredeck:
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Ford cloud white happens to be the color of my F150 in the background:
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racushman

O34 - Los Angeles
Christian - thanks for sharing. Awlgrip? Assume roll and tip application since boat is in the water and overspray would be an issue with slip neighbors?
 

supersailor

Contributing Partner
I have sprayed gelcoat at the dock using a HVLP touchup gun and a small compressor below. The HVLP has virtually no overspray. I put plastic on the lifelines to protect against mis-aiming. I had no troubles with the Marina here. You might or might not have troubles where you are. Brush on is never as satisfactory as spray on unless the spray job is botched. Do not use AWLGRIP if brushing.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
I talked to the painter today. He's using Awlgrip, which he says is his choice for roll and tip. He's painting the bulwarks brush only, and they look perfect. His price range for the deck and cockpit, including all nonskid and all prep: Between 2k and 3K.

It really is looking spectacular. I have the painter's name for any Angelinos who want it.
 

supersailor

Contributing Partner
That's great Christian. I tried rolling and tipping with poor results. I sprayed with spectacular results. My recommendation would be to leave the rolling and tipping of AWLGRIP to a really good pro. This painting is really a high level skill.
 

supersailor

Contributing Partner
Oh! I should add that I'm a pretty good painter having sprayed several classic cars as well as everyday cars. If I were a novice, I would stay away from AWLGRIP. It is a difficult paint to apply and the results can be disasterous. The beauty of AWLGRIP is the paint is long lasting, flexible and gorgeous.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
You bet, I've never had the guts to try it. My transom was painted by a well liked dockside freelancer. Dew (I think) turned it bad, he had to sand it off and start over. Total cost: $300 flat. Anyhow, 2K+ plus to prep and paint an entire 38-foot deck seems to me like a real bargain for what this customer is getting.

Tech note: as I watched the painter refill his can he was adding "Awlgrip Reducer."
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
If I could get an expert LPU paint job on our deck at even 3K, I would sign that guy up in an instant.
 

supersailor

Contributing Partner
AWLGRIP is a 3 part paint. The base, the catalyst and the reducer. There are different reducers based on temperature and humidity. It gets kind of complicated. Be sure to check out the bonifieds of anyone you are thinking of using. Look at previous jobs.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
IMG_5618.JPG

First coat on the nonskid. The painter's using a 3" brush, no roller, working very small areas. Beside him are two paint pots. When one side is finished he sprinkles on some sort of non-skid product, using fingers. I'd like to grill him further on technique, but I have sorta worn out my welcome already. :)
 

Farlander

Member II
I am getting ready for deck paint on the 35-2.

I was considering Alex paint with brush / roller but looking for advice from those who have done it. Sprayer better? Better to pay the pros? I prefer the budget method as I'd like to save money for new port windows and a wind vane, an engine refit, hull stripping and repair, steering pedastal rebuild, rudder bearing replacement, compression post keel step replacement, etc. etc. etc.
 

Tin Kicker

Sustaining Member
Moderator
There are a number of threads comparing paints on Cruisersforum such as:


I can not spray where my boat is, so it came down to Alexseal and Awlgrip. While it sounds like Alexseal was formulated for more R&T and more forgiving for me not being a pro, I know of a number of great jobs done in Awlgrip too. Aleseal was the direction I was leaning but I've got so much going on in the rest of life that I just hired a repair guy to re-do my transom. He wants to use Awlgrip rather than Alexseal since he has lots of experience with Awlgrip, we are going with that.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Just about finished now.... The nonskid looks a bit funky in these low-sun-angle shots, but in real life look fine. I imagine the slight "sandy" quality will quickly reduce over time, and is apparently the "stuff" he sprinkled on. The detail, especially around the corner of hatches and so on where gel coat typically develops hairline cracks, really is flawless. Click on the photos to enlarge them.

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1911tex

Sustaining Member
I don't see any non-skid that looks "funky"? Looks like you have a new Thelonious III !!! I am jealous ! Looks terrific...I think you are ready for a Panama Canal and Atlantic crossing to the old country!
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
This is the boat next to mine. I've just been watching the progress of the Awlgrip job. Painter has been at it two weeks nearly every day.
 
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