Repainting a Glass Boat

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atcq
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Repainting a Glass Boat

Post by atcq »

Wondering if anyone has any experience repainting an old glass C1 or OC1 and if they'd have any wisdom to pass on.

Thanks in advance
ezwater
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Re: Repainting a Glass Boat

Post by ezwater »

Krylon Fusion is an affordable spray paint, claimed to stick well. I painted the deck of my old Phoenix c-1 with regular Krylon, and it stood up pretty well. Clean, light sanding, clean again, mask off, and follow spray painting directions. I think two or three light coats will be less likely to peel (or orange peel) than one heavy coat.

It's going to scrape off here and there, but is easily touched up.

I wouldn't paint a hull. Waste of paint and of your effort. And you need the hull to be bare for spotting damage and making repairs.
dwinchester
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Re: Repainting a Glass Boat

Post by dwinchester »

I repainted an extensively repaired wenonah sundowner using a two part epoxy based paint. After a lot sanding and fairing I mixed and sprayed on the paint. Looked like a brand new boat! (Just a few lbs heavier). The epoxy paint cures very hard and holds up well. Automotive paint would work well too. Good luck!
Peter K.
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Re: Repainting a Glass Boat

Post by Peter K. »

I have used both Krylon and the two-part marine epoxies on boats. It is a push-me/pull-you choice. The Krylon is very easy to use, doesn't need any special skills, isn't especially toxic, looks good -- but it is just a coat of paint and isn't especially durable. The two-part epoxy is highly toxic (wear a mask that filters vapour) and I found it hard to handle outside of a controlled, spraybooth type environment. On the other hand, done right, the boat will look brand new and the finish is extremely durable. If you overspray an epoxy paint and get sags and runs you will need a sander to correct your mistakes!

Good luck with the project.
pblanc
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Re: Repainting a Glass Boat

Post by pblanc »

For whitewater boats I have generally used spray paint for ease of touch up, most often Krylon Fusion. Yes, any paint will scrape off.

The two part marine polyurethanes are probably the most durable, but I have used one part marine polyurethane (Interlux Brightsides) to paint two wooden sea kayak hulls I built. Although these were "wooden boats" in essence they were equivalent to painting a 'glass boat since the exterior of the hulls were completely fiberglassed over.

The Interlux Brightside goes on easily with a foam roller and then you "tip it out" with a foam brush. Usually at least two coats are needed. With a little care you can easily achieve a sprayed-on appearance and it looks good, at least for a little while.

Although it can certainly be scraped off, my impression is that the one part marine polyurethane is a bit more durable than spray paint, although harder to touch up.
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Mike W.
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Re: Repainting a Glass Boat

Post by Mike W. »

Do NOT roll on house paint like the previous owner did. SOME of it will peel off. :roll:

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milkman
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Re: Repainting a Glass Boat

Post by milkman »

I think a lot depends on what this canoe is and how important to you it is how it looks. I would check out sailboat forums to see what they recommend.

One piece of advice I got for a Navarro Loon with scratches is that you can do all the prep work--sanding, taping, etc.--and then take it to an autobody shop and have it expertly painted there. I'm not sure what that would cost, but I'm sure that by doing all the surface prep, you could really reduce it. How hard can it be to spray a prepped and taped canoe compared to an entire car?
Pierre LaPaddelle
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Re: Repainting a Glass Boat

Post by Pierre LaPaddelle »

ezwater wrote:. . . I wouldn't paint a hull. Waste of paint and of your effort. And you need the hull to be bare for spotting damage and making repairs.
Interesting thread, folks. Thanks for the input.

I have a couple of good ol' hulls which were ordered without gel-coat -- just a light skin-coat of resin, to save weight. The elements (UV?) have caused the resin to disintegrate, and blow away, leaving the fabric largely exposed.

Rather than "paint," I'm thinking of adding a new layer of resin, of some kind, to re-seal the fabric. I'd be grateful for comments, advice. . .

Thanks
Rick
C'est l'aviron. . . !
dwinchester
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Re: Repainting a Glass Boat

Post by dwinchester »

Pierre:

I've used West Systems epoxy with good success. You can order the jugs with pre-calibrated pumps for easy measuring. Just pump, mix, and roll it on. Wait till it dries tacky and rolln another coat. Repeat until you fill the weave of the fabric. just be sure to put on some paint or varnish for UV protection. Like I said, I'm a fan of the two part marine paint. It's very hard and very durable.
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Re: Repainting a Glass Boat

Post by kaz »

If you're looking to seal the hull because it's showing fabric or making your arms itch, brushing on a very thin coat of epoxy works well, without adding weight.
JKaz......
Bob P
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Re: Repainting a Glass Boat

Post by Bob P »

I hate adding weight :o , so instead of brushing the epoxy onto the (sand first!) surface, I use a squeegee to spread it. Start at one end and work the epoxy down to the other end. I've done a whole hull with less than 4oz of epoxy. If you do it carefully, it's also smoother than brushing.
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Re: Repainting a Glass Boat

Post by clt_capt »

Pierre LaPaddelle wrote: Rather than "paint," I'm thinking of adding a new layer of resin, of some kind, to re-seal the fabric. I'd be grateful for comments, advice. . .
Assuming the outside skin is fiberglass (not Kevlar) you can sand the surface and apply epoxy to seal. But epoxy is not going to add UV protection. Once you have the hull sealed, then use Krylon Fusion to add some UV protection - and you can always touch it up when you want to - very easily. You wouldn't add much weight.
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KNeal
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Re: Repainting a Glass Boat

Post by KNeal »

I did a thin resin coat to my Fanatic 2 last summer and am very glad I did it. One thing I would do different is to prep the fiberglass hull by (lightly) sanding it smooth first. Without doing that first, I got a very abrasive surface that I had to sand after the resin coat cured. I also used a squeegee to work the resin around and to keep the layer thin. Have fun with your project.
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Re: Repainting a Glass Boat

Post by Pierre LaPaddelle »

KNeal wrote:. . .Have fun with your project.
(Not bloody likely!) :wink:

But THANKS for all the tips. Light sand, followed by epoxy, squeegee'd smooth. . . sounds like the way to go.

Got an ol' composite Viper 12, and a Merganser, to refurbish. Might submit pix, whenever I get 'em done.

Rick
C'est l'aviron. . . !
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