Hull Painting

Steve Lang

There are several good methods to paint your boat - but I will only explain the one I use myself.

I prefer acrylic lacquer - because it is the easiest to apply, provides the best finish for the novice, and takes the punishment of sailing as well as any other finish. AND, it is easier to repair dings - something many other surfaces do not offer.

Specifically, I use Krylon spray paint, their basic general purpose paint. (See note on Krylon Fusion at end of article). Sounds kind of cheap doesn't it? Well, it certainly is not an expensive paint, but the results you get are what counts. And I have had very good success with this particular brand.

You can buy Krylon sprays in almost any hardware store - I get mine at a local Walmart. Krylon maintains a color chart on line at http://www.thb.com.au/Krylon/chart5ball.htm to help you make up your mind. One can is all you need to do your boat and have plenty left over.

Materials needed - 1)Masking tape 3/4" 2) Sand paper: one sheet dry 100 grit; one sheet each wet/dry 400,600,1500 3) Foam rubber sanding block 4) Rubbing compound - 3M, Body Repair Rubbing Compound - Fine Cut. 8oz 5) One can Krylon spray paint.

What follows is my specific step-by-step for applying a high gloss color finish to your boat.

1) Sand your boat smooth using 100 grit dry sand paper. I actually use an orbital sander, but you can do by hand as long as you use a block to hold the paper flat. On the bows you will find your biggest challenge.

In the area of the mold clamp marks on the bows, the plastic is plenty thick and, with careful sanding, you can sand the grooves completely out without making the hull too thin. Obviously, you need to sand around the area at the same time, not just at the groove locations, spo that you maintain the proper hull lines.

NOTE: If you chicken out, you can fill some of the grooves in the bow with a body putty/glaze that you can find in a automotive or hardware store. (Again, I buy at Walmart - Bondo toothpaste sized tube)

The rest of the hull may have lines and dimples throughout. But just a light sanding will bring them to the same dull smooth finish that you are looking for.

2) Paint prep sanding - When you have sanded the hull completely with 100 grit, you need to finish with wet sanding up to 600 grit. I use 400, and finally 600, grit to prepare my hull for color coating. I do this in my regular bathroom sink but you may find more room to do in the kitchen sink. Do this sanding well, as it influences the whole rest of the job. Hold to light often after drying to see if you have removed all scratches bigger than 600. You will see what I mean.

3) Mask the deck - I use regular masking tape, but I have also used vinyl tape with success. Tape the deck right to the edge with one strip of tape. Then cut out a piece of newspaper to be smaller than the deck dimensions and run another strip of tape to hold the paper in place so that the entire deck is covered.

4) Ye Ol' Coat hanger trick - I have found that if you suspend your boat with the bow up, that you will have far greater success with good paint depth at the sheer and a far less chance of runs or sags.

Stick the end of the coat hanger through the masking paper on deck and down through the keel tube (you should have installed your tubes and electronics platform in your boat before painting). When the wire comes out the bottom, put a right angle in the last 3/4" of the wire with a pair of pliers. Then pull the end back up into the keel trunk until it stops. Next, bend the wire forward along the foredeck of your boat, and tape it to the masking paper. You need to bend the wire at the top of the keel tube rather sharply to make it lie along the deck. Fashion a hook at the end of the hanger so you can hang up.

5) Hang 'er up! - Hang your boat in an area of good lighting, out of the wind and dusty conditions. Wipe the hull with a clean slightly damp cloth (I have found tack rags and solvents cause problems with this paint).

6) Squirt 'er - After shaking can as instructed, lightly coat the entire boat the first time over - using up and down strokes. Then do a second coat that will fill in the color pretty well. You do not need to wait between coats. Then do a third pass keeping your hand moving smoothly up and down on the boat until you get the paint to gloss. A word of caution. Never stop your hand from moving as a little extra paint in one place will cause the paint to sag. Better to make an entire new coating than to spray it on thick at one time.

It is important that you get a good depth of paint on your boat - I usually go over it 4 times - all in one session. Pay particular attention to spraying the sheer line of the boat (top of hull where it meets the deck). You want a good paint depth in this area.

Hey - Don't be concerned about all that HEAVY paint on your boat. Don't be skimping on paint just because you want your boat to be light and fast. My own boat has been painted twice, as I outlined above, and it weighs a whooping 100.4 oz. 100 oz is the legal minimum!

7) Dust and sags - Yes, unless your are the luckiest, and most skilled painter in the world, you will invariably get a hair in the finish, or a sag somewhere - but don't have a phit. What follows will take care of all that.

8) No Primer - You noticed? - I have used primer for a couple of years and finally have abandoned it. This acrylic lacquer paint sticks extremely well to ABS plastic. Besides, many claim that the gloss coats stick better than primers do. I have also found that sometimes it is hard to see the scratches in primer just as much as looking at the white sanded hull. So I vote for shooting the color coat on first - and, if you have done a good job prepping your surface, that will be the last coat.

9) Wait - Let your boat sit for a couple of days before handling. Look it over well to see if there are any serious boo boos. If not, you can go on and strip your masking off and clear the masking tape off the deck.

10) It Ain't Perfect - YET What comes next is based on what you see. If you just have hairs and minor scratches showing through the paint, then sand the surface with 1500 grit wet sandpaper. The surface should be at least 2 days old. Sand until you have a smooth finish. It is easy to see with 1500 grit paper because it leaves no distinguishing scratches of its own. "But now my beautiful glossy surface is all dull?! L" Cool yer jets - next step.

11) Decision Time - At this point you have a decision to make - if you have not sanded through the color coat anywhere and the surface is nice and smooth, the color is consistent, then you are ready for the final finish.

I use 3M Rubbing Compound, and a small buffer to finish my boats, but you could easily do it by hand. This compound says right on the bottle that it will remove scratches of 1500 or less - and it does. You will be able to quickly restore a glass-like finish to your paint using this compound. The finish you will get is unbelievably beautiful.

I didn't mention painting the keel and rudder, but that goes the same way, except that I usually don't find need to do a final sand and buff. I also paint all keels and rudders white so that you can see if you have picked up any grass just by sailing by.

I highly recommend AGAINST painting the deck - there is too much detail and you will be easily frustrated.

If you get into trouble anywhere, please feel free to call me. I have done everything wrong that you could possibly do, and have found a way out of it. So I will be glad to help you. Steve

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