Topside gel coat/paint?
- Thread starter Captnemo8
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- coat or paint gel topside topsideg
tenders
Innocent Bystander
I sanded, primed, and painted my nonskid with one-part Brightsides polyurethane in the mid-90s and it lasted nicely. I didn't add walnut shells or other traction-inspiring material, and it wasn't any slipperier than the original.
Another option is to use a product called Treadmaster. But to me this is like hitting your boat with the Ugly Stick...and this coming from a person who revels in Starboard.
Another option is to use a product called Treadmaster. But to me this is like hitting your boat with the Ugly Stick...and this coming from a person who revels in Starboard.
Yes, there are options besides paint. The topsides can be regelcoated, there are several threads on the topic out on the net. The prep time is almost the same as painting. I would not use Brightside by Interlux, I did not get great results, I would use a two part paint like iron, or Awlgrip, but there is a cost to using the correct paint.
treilley
Sustaining Partner
Let first clarify that by topsides you mean the area between the waterline and the gunwhale. This area is supposed to be a uniform color and shiny.
Before applying paint and possibly lowering the value of your boat, try wet sanding and polishing. You would be amazed what can be down to bring back gelcoat that is relatively thick. If you have no experience here you may want to have a professional(who is not interested in painting your boat) take a look and tell you if it can be brought back.
Here is some motivation:
http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?t=7567&highlight=helping
There are complete DIY instructions on the site here if you want to tackle this yourself.
Before applying paint and possibly lowering the value of your boat, try wet sanding and polishing. You would be amazed what can be down to bring back gelcoat that is relatively thick. If you have no experience here you may want to have a professional(who is not interested in painting your boat) take a look and tell you if it can be brought back.
Here is some motivation:
http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?t=7567&highlight=helping
There are complete DIY instructions on the site here if you want to tackle this yourself.
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-maintenance/52772-tips-compound-polish-wax.html
Here is THE buffing out thread with great info on polishing technique.
I would also advocate a careful buffing out of the present gel coat, unless the UV degradation over the decades has worn it through... which I have observed on decks and cabins of some other 40-year-old boats.
Sometimes, tho, you just have to re-cover/re-coat the surface.
good luck,
Loren
Here is THE buffing out thread with great info on polishing technique.
I would also advocate a careful buffing out of the present gel coat, unless the UV degradation over the decades has worn it through... which I have observed on decks and cabins of some other 40-year-old boats.
Sometimes, tho, you just have to re-cover/re-coat the surface.
good luck,
Loren
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Captnemo8
Captnemo8
Gelcoat/paint
Thanks for the advice guy's & gals. To clarify "Topsides" I'm talking about the house and cockpit everything above the gunnels. My hull from the gunnels to the waterline look great. My non-skid (tread) is in good shape.
It's my deck's, house and cockpit that need help......
Thanks for the advice guy's & gals. To clarify "Topsides" I'm talking about the house and cockpit everything above the gunnels. My hull from the gunnels to the waterline look great. My non-skid (tread) is in good shape.
It's my deck's, house and cockpit that need help......
treilley
Sustaining Partner
Well then I offer the same advice. It may seem like a lot of work to sand, buff and polish but so will the prep and masking for a decent paint job that will last.
If I were you I would remove and rebed all the deck hardware while potting the holes with thickened epoxy and repairing any core. While the HW is removed deal with the gelcoat.
If I were you I would remove and rebed all the deck hardware while potting the holes with thickened epoxy and repairing any core. While the HW is removed deal with the gelcoat.
Time, Labor, Money...
There are 5 or 6 + boats in the last few years around our little club that have had a complete refinish of their hulls and decks. This involves removing (tagging, bagging, and pictures...) all of the hardware. All. Yup, all.
:nerd:
As previously mentioned all holes are over-drilled & filled with thickened epoxy. Then any hardware relocations or upgrades are done. Windows and all exterior wood removed. Toe rails are normally removed, too. Many hours of fairing and sanding follow. Many.
LPU is applied after all prep work, followed by clear coating. Non skid done separate with "grit" applied. Finally all the removed parts are reattached with new sealant/adhesive. It's quite a process.
Basically the boat is restored to new or near-new.
Even with the owner doing hundreds of hours of labor, it's still easy to have 60K into the final accounting. Budgets also rise every time you utter the phrase "while we're at it..."
These were all boats over 30 feet long, with owners that plan to keep them and use 'em for at least another decade... or until they get out of sailing.
Two were Cascade 36's that are now cruising Mexico, and then there is Raindrop!
Another is a Jason 35 just home from a summer trip to Hawaii and back.
What with new boats in the mid-30's costing over 300K for quality ocean-capable design and construction, all these owners considered the rebuild a cost effective way to "start over."
Between the personal labor and the $ cost, you just have to be real sure of what you want for your future. In all these cases the spouse was 100% on board with the idea and is an active sailing partner (and did a lot of the sanding, too).
If we decide to keep the Olson another 15 years... we may yet do something like that... depending on how long it takes to recover from our $$ current home remodel. :rolleyes_d:
Regards,
LB
There are 5 or 6 + boats in the last few years around our little club that have had a complete refinish of their hulls and decks. This involves removing (tagging, bagging, and pictures...) all of the hardware. All. Yup, all.
:nerd:
As previously mentioned all holes are over-drilled & filled with thickened epoxy. Then any hardware relocations or upgrades are done. Windows and all exterior wood removed. Toe rails are normally removed, too. Many hours of fairing and sanding follow. Many.
LPU is applied after all prep work, followed by clear coating. Non skid done separate with "grit" applied. Finally all the removed parts are reattached with new sealant/adhesive. It's quite a process.
Basically the boat is restored to new or near-new.
Even with the owner doing hundreds of hours of labor, it's still easy to have 60K into the final accounting. Budgets also rise every time you utter the phrase "while we're at it..."
These were all boats over 30 feet long, with owners that plan to keep them and use 'em for at least another decade... or until they get out of sailing.
Two were Cascade 36's that are now cruising Mexico, and then there is Raindrop!
Another is a Jason 35 just home from a summer trip to Hawaii and back.
What with new boats in the mid-30's costing over 300K for quality ocean-capable design and construction, all these owners considered the rebuild a cost effective way to "start over."
Between the personal labor and the $ cost, you just have to be real sure of what you want for your future. In all these cases the spouse was 100% on board with the idea and is an active sailing partner (and did a lot of the sanding, too).
If we decide to keep the Olson another 15 years... we may yet do something like that... depending on how long it takes to recover from our $$ current home remodel. :rolleyes_d:
Regards,
LB
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Or you have to be completely ignorant about the realities of sailboat restoration like I was 2 years ago when I started this project!
Uh, I added a coat of gelcoat over the existing deck by taping all of the hardware off, cleaning the deck with ascetone, color matching the existing gelcoat, then applying new gelcoat in sections and spraying over with PVA. It lasted 3 years shiny new till I sold the boat, and I am sure its still good today. Sections were 5x7 and took me 3 minunites. Per section. You have to get the surface clean, gelcoat will have a mechanical and chemical bond to the existing gelcoat. Properly lauded out I could do the deck on our 33 in 2 hours with a cost of 120.00 for 3 cans of gelcoat. Another 30 in color, 30 in tape.
It was so shiny I wanted to sand it to reduce the glare. Personally I like to spend my time sailing......
It was so shiny I wanted to sand it to reduce the glare. Personally I like to spend my time sailing......