How to paint a boat

[dddmx3]

I friend asked to me to put this up for him because he doesn't have an account here yet.

RC Fiberglass boat painting tutorial

Intro
I
Do you have a remote controlled boat that you would like to paint? Well, you found the perfect tutorial. In this article I will show you step-by-step tutorial on how I paint my R/C boats. I am not a professional painter, just a hobbyist.

Process
II
First, you need to know the procedure. It's actually pretty simple process, the hard part is perfecting it... Think of it as a formula. The formula is SP3. Simple right? Now we need to know what is really stands for... Here it is:

Sand, Primer, Sand, Paint, Sand, Protect

Now that you know the formula you can change it around to fit your needs, Like I did:

Sand, Primer, Sand, Paint, Sand, Decals, Sparkles, Clear Coat

The clear coat acts as protection that's why in the first original formula I wrote "Protect"

Supplies
III
Second, you will need supplies... I will list out the supplies I use, but this does not mean you necessarily have to use what I use.
Here's my list:
Primer
Paint (red)
Sparkle Effex
Lacquer
Sand Paper (200, 400, 800, 1000 grits)

Procedure
IV
Now that we've got the basics down it's time to get it going. Here's the procedure:
1. Sand your boat with 200 grit sand paper
2. Apply the primer (I use spray)
3. Sand the primer with 400 grit sand paper
4. Apply about five light coats of paint and the sixth should be the final heavier coat of paint
5. Sand with 800 grit sand paper
Note: Steps 6-7 are optional
6. Apply on your vinyl decals
7. Apply on your Sparkle Effex
8. Use about 2 cans of clear coat (lacquer) on your hull for protection

Your Done!

[JohnZ]

How about an example of your work?
Very well written. I' ve seen and have committed some pretty bad paint mistakes in the past.
My last effort was BBY O.M. 26 painted with Krylon Fusion yellow. Did exactly as you. A little scuffing on ABS with 400 or 600 wet/dry helps too. I leveled the paint and used Fusion clear over top. Leveled and polished with auto clear coat polish and WOW! I didn't think it would come out this well.
Just goes to show what a little time and effort can accomplish.

[dddmx3]

View my albums, I used my own painting guide for my own boats!

[Jlitz]

Just wondering can you use createx waterbase paint and clear over it ?
This is for FG hull that will be electric. Thanks

[Jeff Wohlt]

Sure you can...you almost have to to get a nice gloss.

I use a gun...so much better finish to begin with.

[dddmx3]

You know, I think you'll be fine as long as you put enough clear coats on...

But I'm not sure!

[egneg]

Createx was made for textiles ... Autoair, Faskolor, or Wicked Colors would be a better choice.

Just my .02

Edit: Water based paints need to be heat set with a hair dryer or heat gun (careful with the heat gun).

[dddmx3]

Thanks for answering the question!

[sailr]

If the clearcoat over the water based paint gets chipped, then the water base will probably start coming off. I wouldn't recommend using it.

[dana]

screw primer i dont use it on boats unless its really rough. i spray waterbourne ppg paint and urethane clear. waterbase paint uses air to dry, NOT heat. simple air flow will dry it whether or not you use heat, a common misconception. most people prime everything.... when in fact some primers dont adhere well to certain substances, and actually become a weak point for the paint to fail. jmo but i paint 3 to 4 cars a day for the last 5 years.... ive screwed up more paint than all of you lol, and pushed the limits of what certain paints will do, what works and what doesnt. i find that if the finish on the boat is smooth.. no matter what it is, its best to just sand and go straight to paint. the more products you slap on there the more things to go wrong. K.I.S.S. keep it simple stupid!

[sailr]

Hmmm, I always thought primer gave the paint a better sub base for the finish coat to adhere to? No?

[dana]

Hmmm, I always thought primer gave the paint a better sub base for the finish coat to adhere to? No?

not really. especially those spraycan primers... they're garbage, and dont always stick well to everything. primer is over-rated

[Jlitz]

Thanks for all of your imput, I will take all of this info and put it to good use. thanks again.

[JohnZ]

I used Krylon Fusion directly over the ABS hull of my BBY O.S. 26 without any problems. sanded it down with 400 and 600 wet/dry and then clear coated it. After the clear coat dried I wet sanded it and then used auto clear coat polish. Came out better than I expected.

[bwells]

I vote for Krylon Fusion as well. Quick and easy as long as you're not looking for a showroom finish. They have a decent color selection.