Boat Painting Help

Dank Xploidz

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Nov 4, 2008
Messages
34
Can someone list the process of painting a fiberglass boat, and what materials and kind of paints. Going to paint a fiberglass boat camo. Thanks
 

5150abf

Vice Admiral
Joined
Aug 12, 2007
Messages
5,808
Re: Boat Painting Help

Do you have any experience with painting?

Will you be spraying or doing roll and tip, never done the latter but hear it works really well and doesn't require alot of skill like spraying.

As far as paint you can use anything from rustoleum roll on paint or something like a purpose made marine paint that you spray on and get your wallet out, paint is pretty expensive.

I have been in and around body shops and have painted alot of things, spray painting can be alittle technical and requires a compressor and spray gun and doing a complex pattern like camo is not easy, you would almost need an air brush for that.

Te first step regardless of what paint tou use is to scuff the old paint, you don't need to strip it, just ruff it up with some 320-400 sandpaper to get the new paint to adhere then decide what paint you want and go.

You may try practicing on something else first to get a technique down before you do the boat.
 

Starcraftguy1

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Sep 6, 2008
Messages
327
Re: Boat Painting Help

Gelcoat is what they use on fiberglass boats,but it is a very labor intense thing to do.It is about $60.00 a gallon,it comes with hardner,but it gets rock hard.I use the stuff.You can make any color,but you need to spray it for a camo pattern,then when you are finished spraying,you have this rough finish that you have to colorsand and buff for hours so that you don't get brush burned everytime that you rub against it.You are in for a lot of work.Think about it a lot before you start.
 

salty87

Commander
Joined
Aug 12, 2003
Messages
2,327
Re: Boat Painting Help

if you're looking for any decent sort of finish, as opposed to a hunting boat or something, you might check into getting a wrap....vinyl graphics with camo pattern.

i can't imagine how you'd get any sort of consistent finish with multiple colors of paint.
 

5150abf

Vice Admiral
Joined
Aug 12, 2007
Messages
5,808
Re: Boat Painting Help

Do no use gel coat, unless you have used it before, way to hard to learn.

If you want a camo job, that is a 3 step proccess, you have to put on your base color then mask off the first color of camo and paint that then mask off the 3rd color of camo and paint that.

No matter what paint you use it is going to be difficult to do but it is dooable just time consuming.
 

a70eliminator

Captain
Joined
Sep 9, 2007
Messages
3,762
Re: Boat Painting Help

I've seen quite a few backyard cammo jobs and have even done one myself although it was more a job of function rather than looks dull no gloss.
I have a friend who did a really nice free hand print like viet-nam cammo, he used a brush and quart size paint in gloss it was an 67 dodge van with plenty of rust it really looked good afterwards. I helped cammo a shed with rattle cans, we made a few different carboard leaf patterns traced out from the oak tree and the back yard, then just kinda held the leaf against the wall and sprayed the outlineing edges overlapping each one haphazardly then threw in the complete outline here and there, luckily the shed was a beige color to start with and blendid well with earthly colors.
I clear coat overall mignt look well.
 
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