73 lucraft fiberglass deck painting

[Steelguitarman]

Hello everyone. I first off want to apologize for if this post is too crazy. But I really need an understanding and am having somewhat trouble finding it.

To start out, let me explain what I'm doing. Last summer I began restoring my 73 fiberglass lucraft boat. Really heavy and well build, just abused and wood was rotten. So I began a full rebuild. The only thing that concerned me was the inside deck. It had a zolatone/splatter paint look. It was a blue green backing with white and bright blue splatter. Looked good imo and provide enough traction while still being easy to clean and durable. I would really like to have that redone in the same fashion.

Near end of summer, I had to put the boat on pause. I was doing it with epoxy, and the 75 degree mornings with 95 degree afternoons didn't make working with it enjoyable or doable.
All that is truly left is for me to put the last piece of flooring in and I chose to relaminate the skin because first, its in great shape, and secound, its so heavy. And with using epoxy I have no concern with it not laminating. So all that leaves are the edges where I needed to glass in. And a problem.

I have been unable to find zolatone paint. Or atleast colors I like. I've been reading alot about using webbing in smaller concentrations to give it that splatter look. Ive read of using reg paint to splatter with say a brush, but i know thats not going to be as durable especially and since im trying to blend it.. There are just a few things I want to clear up.
1. Is it true you can get the splatter look with the webbing solution if you put less in the paint? I've read if you put alot in it will give it a more web/connected look. So if I experiment with less is it plausible to get that?

2. Can you mix webbing solution with say an oil base paint instead of gel coat. Ill be honest, im alittle intimidated by gel coat, not sure how it will stick, prep wise, ect. I believe I read somewhere you can get webbing solution and add a pigment to it, then put it in an oil paint. By doing that, you can spray the backdrop(or beneath) the splatter, and the webbing on top. It will not mix, therfore, it will keep the colors separate, and the inert paint will be the background color with the webbing mostly contrasted will remain on top. Maybe I just thought of this myself but I swear I read it.

Lastly, if the above idea doesn't work. I plan to paint the whole interior, then splatter on top. Will the splatter/webbing adhere to any paint, or must it be gel coat.

Thanks everyone, here are a few pictures just in case you are curious. I used to have better ones that had more post teardown but the new transoms is in there with the splahgauard I decided to do instead of the aluminum ones it had. The others must have been on my old phone

Agains, thanks alot. I'm sure I have more questions, but just wanted to clear things up

 

[gm280]

I see what I am expecting is the "splatter" paint in the pictures, but not sure what you are referring to as the "web" idea... exactly!

Years ago I was experimenting with such ideas and a web paint over a solid base was pretty easy to do. But it takes a spray gun to accomplish both ideas. Use the paint with no, or almost no, thinner and low pressure. The paint will come out in a more of a string fashion and thicker then normally thinned paint will. Same idea for splattered spot paint. I use to paint model RC aircraft and web effect was really easy to do that way. And contrasting colors made it stand out nicely. If that is what you want to do, get a cheap Harbor Freight spray gun and experiment until you like what you can do. JMHO

 

[Steelguitarman]

The web idea, was just because of the product is called webbing solution. And i believe it is commonly mixed with a gel coat and sprayed on at a lower psi, but has more of a stringy look. But what I read you can do, is you put the web in solution at a lower concentration, and it blobs/splatters more, instead of being stringy. My idea is since the webbing solution is resin based, it will hold up better than regular paint.

So are you saying I will need to paint the whole thing and then spray the splatter on top?
Thanks for the reply!

 

[gm280]

The web idea, was just because of the product is called webbing solution. And i believe it is commonly mixed with a gel coat and sprayed on at a lower psi, but has more of a stringy look. But what I read you can do, is you put the web in solution at a lower concentration, and it blobs/splatters more, instead of being stringy. My idea is since the webbing solution is resin based, it will hold up better than regular paint.

So are you saying I will need to paint the whole thing and then spray the splatter on top?
Thanks for the reply!

Yes, paint the base color of your choosing and then use whatever paint you like without thinning it and at low air pressures spray that web design however you like. The paint will come out of the gun in a stringy fashion, because it isn't thinned, and you can apply as much or as little as you like. Practice on some cardboard surfaces until you get the pattern you like. Then do the boat. I think you will get the hang of it near instantly.