Paint v's Gel coat ???

[gsbuickman]

Hi everybody,

My buddy Lance Lopaz is going to help me with the glass work on my Miss Budweiser build. Lance is a professional fiberglass and composite man. He is one of the guys who built hull's and sponsons for the real Miss Bud in Portland. I was discussing the build and paint plan with him

Lance suggested I look into getting some gel coat to finish it with, as opposed to paint, because paint is porous. He don't want to see water get in and ruin the glass job. Where can I pickup smaller quantities of gel coat ?, or is their a certain method of painting a hull that will hold up and last ?.


Thanks alot everybody !!!

[iamandrew]

you usually end up painting over gel coat anyway :P
Most 2 pack car paint is fine, remember that gelcoat is fairly thick, and if you end up brushing it on, you could end up with streaks.

[tiqueman]

Yeah id paint it as well. Easiest and best adhesion to previous gelled boats is polyurethane. It sticks really well. marine stores always have small cans in stock. gel has to be put on kinda thick in order not to 'alligator". By the time you lay it on you will loses any edges or detail in the hull. its not sitting in the water for months at a time. you will NEVER have issues because the paint is porous.

[HTVboats]

Paint does not work well over fiberglass. I try to never paint any hull especially on the running surface. Paint has a mechanical bond only. Meaning it holds with little fingers in pours and sanding grouves. Gel coat actually chemically bonds, fusing itself into the layer of polyester material being coated. Gel coat unlike paint is thicker and has no self leveling properties. So after application you have to physically finish by sanding and polishing. You can thin and spray gel coat by adding liquid styrene and you get somewhat a matt finish that still needs wet sanding and polishing. Do not use acetone or lacquer thinner. Much more labor intensive than painting. There are some 2 part hardened paint and certain primers that will somewhat bond to polyesters. That said a two part automotive enamel will give a model a finish that will hold up well. Your not keeping it in the water 24/7. I just prefer to use gel coat and use vinyl stripes on the deck side.Here is a link for fiberglass supplies in small amounts at good prices shipped in a day or so.
Mic

http://www.shopmaninc.com/polyesters.html