Painting Fiberglass boat

saxrulez

saxrulez

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So I've bought my first boat a 1975 Wellcraft Airslot 165. I really want to paint the hull as it is really showing its age. I'm not looking for anything show quality, I just want it to not look terrible from 10' away! I'm probably going to have to do this on stands, as I don't think I'm going to be flipping the boat over anytime soon.

Anyone have any tips for this? Paint, sanding, techniques, etc.
 
saxrulez

saxrulez

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Re: Painting Fiberglass boat

Just a little more information.

The boat is only in the water for at the MOST 8 hours a time. It spends the rest of the time on a trailer. I've read in a few places that top coat paint isn't such a bad idea for boats like this. Any truth to this?

Anyone have any recommendations for a less expensive top coat to use on the whole boat?
 
G

geedubcpa

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Re: Painting Fiberglass boat

As long as you are just in the water a few hours at a time you are open to alot of different paints including rustoleum.
 
Bondo

Bondo

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Re: Painting Fiberglass boat

Anyone have any tips for this? Paint, sanding, techniques, etc.
Click to expand...

Ayuh,... Rustoleum fits the criteria you state,...
It has to be sanded, SMOOTH to the touch, say with 240 or 320grt...
Technique is up to you, I Spray Everything...
Alotta guys here have Great Luck with the Roll,+ Tip method...
 
FJ_Russo

FJ_Russo

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Re: Painting Fiberglass boat

I have painted two fiberglass boats with rustoleum. First off I sanded the boat with 60grit then sanded with 150grit. I used the cheap ole grey primer found at meijer in a spray can gave it a good coat of primer, then rolled on the rustoleum nice and thick and give it plenty of time to dry. One of the boats is 3 years old and still looking good. Its not perfect but it comes out looking better than a 30 yr old boats finish.
 
M

mortaz

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Jun 3, 2009
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Re: Painting Fiberglass boat

I do agree with the others about the rust oleum, I paint my boat too
If you want to use it by brush, roll or spray
Its good and shiny
 
saxrulez

saxrulez

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Re: Painting Fiberglass boat

Thank you all for the advice. Anyone have a ROUGH idea of how much paint I'm going to need to do the hull(16ft Trihull Bowrider)?



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Thats what I'm starting with, so there is MUCH room for improvement. :)
 
FJ_Russo

FJ_Russo

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Re: Painting Fiberglass boat

LOL we practically have the same boat 16ft tri hull 1972, star craft just about a whole gallon I was just a bit shy of using a gallon and bought a quart had plenty extra but I just figured it would be used for touch ups if necessary.
 
saxrulez

saxrulez

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Re: Painting Fiberglass boat

What kind of primer did you guys use that went with the rustoleum marine paint?

I'm finding tons of pictures of aluminum boats done with rustoleum, but haven't found any of fiberglass yet!

Any of you that have done this on a fiberglass boat mind posting some pictures?
 
83mulligan

83mulligan

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Re: Painting Fiberglass boat

search for the thread

"pics of work so far"

By jcercsa. he did a beautiful job with his boat and used rustoleum
 
ezmobee

ezmobee

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Re: Painting Fiberglass boat

The blue is 1 coat! The gray (white) is 2

DSCF2281.jpg
 
S

SBTOM

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Jul 22, 2009
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Re: Painting Fiberglass boat

I also used the EasyPoxy. I bought a gallon of bright white and a quart of off-white. I used the whole quart of off white and only about a quart and a half of the white. This was for a 19 footer:
Bottompaint-complete.jpg
 
saxrulez

saxrulez

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Re: Painting Fiberglass boat

Are either of those fiberglass? Hard to tell in the pictures!
 
ezmobee

ezmobee

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Re: Painting Fiberglass boat

Tom's is glass. Mine's a tinny.
 
C

chrismarion

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Apr 12, 2006
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Re: Painting Fiberglass boat

Ondarvr,

When spraying do you use a standard automotive gravity fed spray gun with a different tip? Or something else. I am looking at spraying possibly the Petit EasyPoxy, unless it is going to be harder than painting a car/truck. Im used to enamels and urethanes.
 
solar7647

solar7647

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Apr 23, 2009
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Re: Painting Fiberglass boat

saxrulez said:
So I've bought my first boat a 1975 Wellcraft Airslot 165. I really want to paint the hull as it is really showing its age. I'm not looking for anything show quality, I just want it to not look terrible from 10' away! I'm probably going to have to do this on stands, as I don't think I'm going to be flipping the boat over anytime soon.

Anyone have any tips for this? Paint, sanding, techniques, etc.
Click to expand...

I just did my 22ft FourWinns. I used Rustolium topside and bottom paint. I was able to cover the hole boat in 4 coats of white with four qrts and all the black in less then one qrt. I sprayed the topside using a cheap gravity feed auto spry gun at 30psi and thinning with mineral spirits. I rolled the bottom paint on using a 4" roller.

You need to sand everything. If you dont the paint will peel off. I used 3m Marine body filler for all the dings in the gel coat and sanded starting with 40grit and ending with 120grit. If you use any filler I would recommend the 3m marine filler, it covers very well with paint and dosnt absorb liquids like Bondo does.

I am super happy with the results and the Rustolium paint was by far the best price I could fine. I got it off of Amazon. They do have limited colors though.

It came out pretty smooth but after a lite wet sand its super smooth.

Some photos to show how it looks
after sanding
picture.php


After 1 coat white
picture.php


4 coats of white
picture.php


one coat black
picture.php


Top side done
picture.php


All done with one coat of bottom paint
IMG00389-20100508-2010.jpg
 
C

chrismarion

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Apr 12, 2006
Messages
115
Re: Painting Fiberglass boat

What is the life expectancy of the Rustoleum ? Im rebuilding my boat and will be doing the hull after i get the transom and stringers in. I only fish salt water, at the max twice a month and back on the trailer. Does it require you to spray a clear coat for extra protection or is it similar to a single stage urethane automotive paint?
 
F

findinghomer

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Nov 7, 2009
Messages
271
Re: Painting Fiberglass boat

solar7647 said:
I just did my 22ft FourWinns. I used Rustolium topside and bottom paint. I was able to cover the hole boat in 4 coats of white with four qrts and all the black in less then one qrt. I sprayed the topside using a cheap gravity feed auto spry gun at 30psi and thinning with mineral spirits. I rolled the bottom paint on using a 4" roller.

You need to sand everything. If you dont the paint will peel off. I used 3m Marine body filler for all the dings in the gel coat and sanded starting with 40grit and ending with 120grit. If you use any filler I would recommend the 3m marine filler, it covers very well with paint and dosnt absorb liquids like Bondo does.

I am super happy with the results and the Rustolium paint was by far the best price I could fine. I got it off of Amazon. They do have limited colors though.

It came out pretty smooth but after a lite wet sand its super smooth.
Click to expand...

http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=4 is this what you used? did you use a clear once it was painted?
 
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