painting pros please help

[steveo]

i am filling a few holes in the hull and am going to paint it , its a delta force with white gel coat what is proper procedure to paint on this surface

[Flying Scotsman]

Is the boat new? and what are you using to fill the holes....under normal conditions if the boat is new.....wet sand the hull with 400 grit wet/dry sand paper...apply primer...you may have to wet sand again depending on your paint finish...then apply top coats and wait for the paint to flash before applying each coat.....use paint from the same manuacturer and read their instructions.....I suggest you do not apply clearcoat.....just my 1.5 cents and I am not a paint pro but I have been happy with my results

Douggie

[steveo]

its a newer hull not brand new but still a good finish, i am filling with epoxy then i'll use putty to fill as needed- what type of paint i have used krylon in the past

[JIM MARCUM]

Surface prep is mandatory. Thouroughly sand the hole/ding with 200-400 grit wet/dry sandpaper & let it dry. You won't need any "putty". Pickup some glass beads or similar epoxy thickening powder & mix it with the epoxy until it's almost as thick as putty. Apply the epoxy mix with a toothpick or popsicle stick or tool of your choice into the dent/hole & smoothe it out with a squegie(SP?) or other soft straight edge. After it dries, wetsand it with 400 grit untill smoothe, and repeat with epoxy filler until the hull is smoothe.

Alot of people use Bondo for dings & hole repairs. It's OK but I prefer using Snow White - a pink colored filler similar to Bondo, but made specifically for full sized wood/fiberglass boats. It's designed for use in/under water. Your local boat dealer/marine supplier should stock it.

Lots of ways to paint your boat, from Krylon to automotive primers & paints. If you use epoxy don't use gelcoat - it won't stick to epoxy. Good luck. JIM