We followed makers instructions for surface preparation, priming, and application. (See “A Primer on Prep” on page 29 for specifics.) To properly prepare the hull for painting, much sanding, filling, and fairing was required, as were multiple coats of primer. Her gelcoat was crazed in places bare fiberglass showed through in other spots, and others still had deep gauges, pin holes, and scratches. The 1974, never-painted Jelly was in pretty sad shape. And we raided the Practical Sailor archives for past tests and how-tos. We browsed paint manufacturers websites and marketing literature for instructions and any helpful advice. We searched for application tips on the Internet, surveyed boatyard “experts,” and consulted our library of how-to books, the most helpful of which were “Boat Maintenance” by William Burr Jr. See page 29 for more on primers and preparation techniques, and look for reports on our brush and fairing compounds test in upcoming issues.īefore getting started on any first-time boat project, its a good idea to do some homework. We also tested several fairing compounds, natural-bristle brushes, high-density foam rollers, and two-part epoxy primers. (Both paints can be sprayed on, but different thinners are required.) 800 white thinned with Epifanes poly-urethane thinner, and on her starboard side and transom, we painted Interluxs Perfection Mediterranean White and used 2333N brushing reducer. On Jellys port side, we applied Epifanes Poly-urethane No. While Interluxs Perfection was released after our last test, its predecessor, Interthane Plus, took top honors for two-part white polyurethanes, and Epifanes Poly-urethane was named the best red or blue LPU in our four-year test published in the May 2006 issue. Testers selected two-part polyurethanes from manufacturers that historically have done well in Practical Sailors topside paint durability tests: Interlux and Epifanes. It is less hazardous and requires less skill than spraying on the paint, but it does call for more deftness than brushing alone. We chose to use the roll-and-tip painting method. That in turn meant settling for a less-than-perfect finish, but it also ensured a true test of the products and techniques user-friendliness. That meant trusting Jelly’s paint job to Practical Sailor s “amateur” staff, rather than banking on the talent of editors like technical guru and former boatyard manager Ralph Naranjo (who can handle a spray gun as easily as the rest of us handle fingerpaints). While our panel test ( Practical Sailor August 2008) seeks out the most durable topside paint, this Jelly test was to determine which two-part LPU is the most user-friendly for the amateur painter and whether the project is manageable for the average do-it-yourselfer. The mission was neither swift nor painless, but in the end, Jelly shined with a glossy new paint job, we tucked another project under our DIY toolbelts, and our readers (hopefully) will benefit from our hard-learned lessons. Our duty to answer our readers oft-asked questions and our addiction to product testing-and perhaps an underlying masochistic tendency-won out, and we decided to mount an amateur encounter of the polyurethane kind. So when it came time to freshen up the topsides of our long-neglected Catalina 22, Jelly, we weighed the pros and cons of doing it ourselves versus paying a yard to spray on some Awlgrip. But the trick is accurately assessing one’s own skill level and the difficulty of the task at hand. The key is to only take on those projects that most realistically match our skills, budget, and schedule. However, most of us lack the tools, time, and know-how to tackle all of the repairs and maintenance our boats require. With the right tools, research, and enough time and patience, any boat project is a manageable do-it-yourself endeavor. Our answer? That depends on the painter and the paint. Is painting a boat’s hull a job for an amateur painter? Should a mono-urethane or two-part linear polyurethane (LPU) be used? Practical Sailor is often asked these questions.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |