Is my boat polyester or epoxy?

[cyrano138]

I know, I know. Dumb question. It's a key west 2001 sportsman, and I realize it's almost certainly polyester, but I'm doing a few repairs for a buddy so I wanted to make sure. I would just use epoxy regardless, but two part pain for the epoxy is crazy expensive and so if I can I'd rather use polyester and gel coat (they're not structural repairs).

Thanks for any help!

Jack

 

[chevymaher]

It is crazy expensive and nothing will stick to it, Gel coat or even more epoxy.
People talk dirt about waxed polyester like it is the dumbest thing on earth.
But use something that is worse.

The boat is poly,

Before the its stronger starts watch the actual test they did on boatworks. It was more brittle and broke first under a load test.

Poly stink but there is a reason they make boats out of it, Not the patch test types,

 

[GSPLures]

Welcome. No dumb questions, I would rather ask a question then do a repair without knowing. As far as I know which is not much is almost every boat if not every fiberglass boat is poly. I am restoring my boat with poly and I cannot imagine it can get much stronger for boating unless you are planning on doubling it as a bomb shelter.

 

[tank1949]

Try Ebond epoxies out of S Florida. Cheap and good stuff. I layered on top of old poly.

 

[Chris1956]

Polyester resin/cloth is fine for most repairs. If you have a serious structural repair, and the bonding area is small, epoxy is probably a better idea.

 

[Lectro88]

I'm in the category of "not know too much also", or that's my story...
If you think epoxy is crazy expensive, I say you are buying it wrong, or have not looked enough places.
I bought 6 gallons for around or under $400.
I bought 3 gallons for $180. (twice)
and I Have yet to use any of the poly That was $50-$70 for a single gallon.
Those numbers per gallon are pretty close. Not extreme in either case.
They both have their place and special characteristics.
How you work them and how difficult you make working with them is up to you.
To me,.. epoxy Isn't expensive. (new boats ARE)
Didn't mean that ugly as it could be taken,... Just my .02 cents.
Time line of 2020 In 2025 who knows what prices will be.
or maybe a new product that is Really expensive, compared to...

 

[GSPLures]

Last time I went to my local place I got 5 gallons of poly a bottle of mekp 10yds of 1708 and 1.5oz CSM a gallon of fumed silica and a new roller for about $420. In comparison a lot cheaper than the same amount for just resin.

 

[cyrano138]

It's not the epoxy that's expensive, it's a decent (two part) paint to cover it. I have plenty of epoxy resin, but no paint, because I'm also refitting a small sailboat and all the epoxy repairs to that are being covered by bottom paint. But the boat in question is a friend's powerboat and these are small, cosmetic repairs to the gel coat, and I'd rather not have to spend 50 bucks for a small can of paint if the boat is polyester.

I appreciate everyone's responses though.

 

[Chris1956]

Why exactly do you need an expensive two part paint to cover epoxy?

 

[cyrano138]

I don't know of any others that look quite as good save us a cosmetic repair. I'm all ears, though. ..

 

[Chris1956]

OK, so your paint choice is not required by the epoxy, but by your standards. That part of your post was confusing to me.

There are some real nice 1 part marine polyurethane topside paints. They are not cheap, but work and look quite good. Some swear by marine enamel as well, which is significantly cheaper. Home despot carries inexpensive Marine polyurethane paint. It is worth a look as well.

 

[cyrano138]

I'll check home depot for that marine polyurethane. I can use it if I have any left over for repairs to my windsurfing/paddleboarding boards. Ice just been painting over those repairs with white krylon since I don't care how they look.

 

[GSPLures]

OK, so your paint choice is not required by the epoxy, but by your standards. That part of your post was confusing to me.

There are some real nice 1 part marine polyurethane topside paints. They are not cheap, but work and look quite good. Some swear by marine enamel as well, which is significantly cheaper. Home despot carries inexpensive Marine polyurethane paint. It is worth a look as well.

By chance do you know the brand of paint? I have only seen rustolem topside at depot or lowes

 

[Scott Danforth]

Home depot does not sell proper marine coatings.

Neither does rustoleum

 

[Chris1956]

The polyurethane I saw at the Home Despot looks to be made by rustoleum. I have not used it. The price was $16/qt, and they had many colors.

Brightside is a good Marine Polyurethane paint that I have used. It is expensive, but a qt goes a long way. I have sprayed it and rolled and tipped it. The difference between those methods is small, at least in white. Roll and tip is real good for the sides and bottom of the hull, as it doesn't run.

I have used polyester resin (about $35/gal) I bought at HD. It worked as well as the stuff I bought from West Marine, which was twice the price.

 

[GSPLures]

The polyurethane I saw at the Home Despot looks to be made by rustoleum. I have not used it. The price was $16/qt, and they had many colors.

Brightside is a good Marine Polyurethane paint that I have used. It is expensive, but a qt goes a long way. I have sprayed it and rolled and tipped it. The difference between those methods is small, at least in white. Roll and tip is real good for the sides and bottom of the hull, as it doesn't run.

I have used polyester resin (about $35/gal) I bought at HD. It worked as well as the stuff I bought from West Marine, which was twice the price.

The rustoleum is an enamel at least the ones I have seen. I also looked at their resin but could not get a definitive answer if it was waxed or not.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Axalta and Awlgrip is $200 a gallon for white and $800 a gallon for red. not including hardener and thinner


Gel is about $60 per gallon and the 904 additive is about $100 per gallon

Gel is about 1/3 the cost to do a boat, just a slight bit more sanding and buffing after.

 

[tank1949]

I don't know of any others that look quite as good save us a cosmetic repair. I'm all ears, though. ..

I don't knew any marine paint that will not stick to poly or epoxy resins. Good marine paints will be 2 parts. Automotive acrylic or polyurethanes will work good too, but poly or epoxy surfaces must be prepped to mfg's recommendations. "Wax on and wax off!"