Bass boat paint peeling

[Bigboytroy]

I bought a 1990 bass boat and it looks like the paint is peeling like this everywhere. I tried wet sanding it down and only 200 grit was working and it looks like I went too hard in some spots because it's silver.

Both pictures are of same spot

What's the best way to remove the old peeling paint so I can buff the gel coat to look nice? Is there a chemical or mechanical way?

 

[mickyryan]

you could try brake fluid and see if it lifts it , it shouldnt harm the boat

 

[Chris1956]

A lot of bassboats with metalflake finishes are just paint over solid color gelcoat.
The brown/tan stuff that peeks through is primer.

It will be difficult to salvage the finish of the gelcoat after sanding or stripping with chemicals. You will probably need to paint the entire hull to make it look good, after stripping off the loose paint.

 

[gm280]

If you understand how such fiberglass boats are built, they spray the clear coat first in the mold. Then they follow that with flake and then color resin. Once all that is applied, then they start with the hull structure. In other words, such type boats are reverse built to what you see. That is the reason you are having peeling. The initial clear resin coat is coming off. So when you sand at it, you are removing the clear coat and getting into the flakes, and further sanding will get to the color resin coats.

Sorry to say, but there is no getting back to what was original now. Your options are to either sand until you have the surface as smooth as can be and then shoot quality paint and then clear coat, OR... live with it!

The fact that the boat was in a mold for the first clear resin coat, means you can't get that flat smooth finish back unless you want to shoot a lot of clear coat and block sand it to the original flat surface. And that is a heck of a lot of work... JMHO

 

[Bigboytroy]

What do

If you understand how such fiberglass boats are built, they spray the clear coat first in the mold. Then they follow that with flake and then color resin. Once all that is applied, then they start with the hull structure. In other words, such type boats are reverse built to what you see. That is the reason you are having peeling. The initial clear resin coat is coming off. So when you sand at it, you are removing the clear coat and getting into the flakes, and further sanding will get to the color resin coats.

Sorry to say, but there is no getting back to what was original now. Your options are to either sand until you have the surface as smooth as can be and then shoot quality paint and then clear coat, OR... live with it!

The fact that the boat was in a mold for the first clear resin coat, means you can't get that flat smooth finish back unless you want to shoot a lot of clear coat and block sand it to the original flat surface. And that is a heck of a lot of work... JMHO

What do you think the best solution would be for a whole weekend project and $100. Any paint/clear you would recommend. Spray or roll?

 

[Faztbullet]

Someone sprayed it with a automotive clear coat...that's what's peeling. Strip er down but no matter whats put back it will never be shiny.

 

[jhande]

What do

What do you think the best solution would be for a whole weekend project and $100. Any paint/clear you would recommend. Spray or roll?

A whole weekend hah? Hopefully you have some good friends and a few power sanders.

$100 - Is that total cost, sand paper and paint or is that beer money?
You might want to look at paint prices and you will need a few different grits and sheets of sand paper.

If you have a dust free place to spray and you've done it before that will give the best finish. If not you're stuck with roller & brush.

 

[gm280]

I guess the above posts sum up what a $100 dollars can do.

I realize everyone wants their boat to look amazing and pretty much like new. However there comes a time when you either put the hard work and effort (and of course the money) to get something that looks good when the boat is UV deteriorated to the point that it will never ever again look like new. But it can look amazing "IF" you are willing to do the very tedious elbow grease work and pay the cost to make it look good again.

Your real options are sanding and repainting. No, there isn't going to be metal flake in it unless you want to endure that cost. But cleaver quality paint schemes can make it a very nice useable boat again that you can be proud of. But it won't come over night or cheap. You have to first sand down everything to a flat level surface that removes all the defects you presently have. Then quality primers and sanding again until it looks as perfect as you can get it. Then and only then can you start applying color coats and clear coats. But that is a lot of serious work and reasonably costly. It all depends on what YOU want... JMHO

 

[Scott Danforth]

What do

What do you think the best solution would be for a whole weekend project and $100. Any paint/clear you would recommend. Spray or roll?

no way to replace that for $1000. you may want to multiply that number by 20 to get realistic

most good metal-flake automotive paint jobs alone have $600 worth of sand paper, $500 worth of primers and about $2000 worth of paint and clear

for gel, you are looking at 3x the work and about $1500 worth of materials

fiberglass boats are designed to last 15 years and be replaced. your boat is 32 years old

here is some light reading on re-gel coating a metal flake bass boat and the work it takes

gelcoating the whole boat down to the waterline

Well I’m looking for new info on this process of gelcoating the whole boat down to the waterline. I have purchased 2 gal of 180 clear gelcoat and 2...

www.boatdesign.net

 

[Chris1956]

Is that about a 16 footer? If so, a solid color marine urethane could be rolled and tipped, and look pretty good for about $80 for the paint. The sandpaper, putty and elbow grease are additional.

Brightside marine polyurethane paint doesn't even need a primer over fiberglass.