What to use to cover multiple finishes

Time to refinish the old girl. Starting with a 1993 250 CR Crownline. Black in color. At some point in her life she had been hit on one side and repaired with a real crappy I think paint job. The gel coat side is spider cracking and severely chalked. Well beyond buffing. And it wouldn't matter if it could be brought back there are enough scratches and dings that a redo is in order. The boat is moored so spends a good portion of time in the water. We are not looking at putting her in a boat show just trying to bring her back to a half way descent condition and have her look nice once again or at least all one colorm and fix the previous work.

My painter has done a lot of glass work on Vettes etc but little experieince with what works best on boats.

So with not knowing what this boat has been refinished in previously and short of bringing it back down to the fiberglass I am looking for what would be the best route to take in sealing the old and painting the new. After the fiberglass damage is repaired what is the best product to seal it in prep for paint? With the reading I have been doing it seems paint is preferred to re-gel coating for a boat kept in the water. Not sure if that is true.

Edited to add: The area being worked on is above the water line.
Any advise is appreciated.

Re: What to use to cover multiple finishes

so.. are you just painting the area above the water line, or the entire hull?

Re: What to use to cover multiple finishes

Woodonglass said:

so.. are you just painting the area above the water line, or the entire hull?

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Just the area above the water line and below the upper deck. The bottom hull is mint of course it is white and above is in great shape again being white it hides a lot. The black in between the two looks terrible so its not a rea big area.

Re: What to use to cover multiple finishes

A quick test to see if it's painted is to place an acetone soaked rag on it for 10 mins. If it's paint it will wrinkle and peel. If it's gelcoat nothing will happen. If it's paint, you'll need to strip it with paint stripper, sand, prime and paint. If its gelcoat you just need to sand, prime and paint.

Re: What to use to cover multiple finishes

Got pics ? ..

Those Crownlines had some serious meat on the gelcoat. Could sand out most of them scratches.

You might be able to use some Jet black ( or just pure black ) gelcoat on the repairs.

I would hate to see someone having to prime and paint the whole hull for a few blemishes.

But if you need to .. you could use some Jet black Imron or some other Thane 2 part black and cover it with possibly a Nasson Clear.

It could minimize your repairs doing the clearcoat over black and not have to prime.

Again .. pics ?

YD.

Re: What to use to cover multiple finishes

I will do the acetone test tonight, I was hoping to avoid stripping it. My painter took a good look at it last night and was thinking along the lines of sanding with a 220 or 300 to get the spots that are damaged back to see what repairs where made and straighten them out and then an epoxy primer to cover everything before paint and clear.

Thanks for the help.

Re: What to use to cover multiple finishes

Yacht Dr. said:

Got pics ? ..

Those Crownlines had some serious meat on the gelcoat. Could sand out most of them scratches.

You might be able to use some Jet black ( or just pure black ) gelcoat on the repairs.

I would hate to see someone having to prime and paint the whole hull for a few blemishes.

But if you need to .. you could use some Jet black Imron or some other Thane 2 part black and cover it with possibly a Nasson Clear.

It could minimize your repairs doing the clearcoat over black and not have to prime.

Again .. pics ?

YD.

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Its suppose to rain tonight but I will try to post some pictures. But the port side has to be fixed and repainted there is no getting out of that side. It drives me crazy looking at the shoddy work everytime I go near it. The starboard gelcoat I have brought back several times but it lasts only a short time. I used to own a detail shop so know my way around a buffer. The work it takes to bring it back and still have the scratches and dings not to mention the spider cracks really only makes it look good from a distance. My painter is more or less doing it for materials and beer (all though that might cost me more than labor, lol). I have access to a heated garage for the winter also so while I have the resources it seems like the time to get it done. She's a great boat, she deserves to look nice again. I will talk to my painter about the Imron and Nasson clear. I know he was thinking along those lines maybe not those exact products.

Thanksfor the help.

Re: What to use to cover multiple finishes

I understand ..

I will be here if you want to use anything from a basecoat/clearcoat or just a thane only..or a thane with clear over it.

Im liking the Clearcoats the more I use them for blending repairs. I can make a clear blend seamless ( where some paints are still noticeable in different lighting if you know what I mean ).

Post away with them pics when ever you get the chance.

YD.

Re: What to use to cover multiple finishes

YD, Here are some pics not the best but these kinds of things do not really show well in pictures.

Re: What to use to cover multiple finishes

nasdaqsam said:

YD, Here are some pics not the best but these kinds of things do not really show well in pictures.

Click to expand...

After seeing the pics ..

You have two choices.

1. Remove the paint back down to gelcoat ( I would do this ) .. then prime and paint.
2. pussyfoot around trying to sand/feather the old paint to where its still adheared to then prime and paint.

I personally would take 120 grit with a 6" DA sander ( honestly I would take an 8" soft pad rotary to it first..but its kinda dangerous in the wrong hands dont get me wrong please ) and sand the paint off and prep the remaining gel. Then prime it with some 2 part epoxy primer ( I like the US paint 545 as its a sealer primer ).. then prep the primer with some 400 DA ( hand sand with 400 as needed ) .. then shoot some black Awlcraft2000/Imron type paint product and be done with it.

I know this stuff is expensive .. but it is sooo much better to sand on and spray on. ( Yes you need to spray this stuff ).

YD.