Painting A Canal Boat

[FORTUNATA]

I'm currently working furiously rubbing down my boat with wet and dry, getting it ready for painting later on in the year. The last person who painted it didn't do a very good job at all, either because it was the wrong paint or water had gotten into the paint.

The existing paint is flaked over in sections and cracked.

I wondered if any people have any tips as to painting a fibre glass boat. Once I finish preparation, I'll be ready to go out and buy some marine paint from a shop. I'm still not sure which colours to pick but I'll probably combine 2 main colours.

The original paint job had a large rectangle of a different colour painted on the roof, surrounded by the main body colour. I assume if I decide to duplicate that plan, I'll need to use masking tape, correct. It will be a matter of getting perfectly straight lines as the 2 paints merge.

Anyone painted a fibre glass boat before and is it easy?

[Pat]

Anyone painted a fibre glass boat before and is it easy?

 

I recently painted my now ex-boat Lulama, and it was really easy. Just make sure its clean, get rid of all the flakey bits, then get a cloth and dampen it with white spirit, whipe off all the dust and off you go. I used International Interdeck for the deck, and Toplac for the rest .Brightside is good too I think. The paint isn't cheap, but its worth it. Specially Interdeck is amazing stuff. You can just slap it on, and it dries really quickly.

[FORTUNATA]

The interdeck seems interesting. Do you need undercoat before applying it?

I'm paying particular attention to rubbing down at this point. I also plan to use some filler to plug one or two holes around the railings that run along the roof, so the wood appears smooth and intact. The rubbing down is hard work, though.

I'll find out about about the interdeck you recommend, as a quicker drying paint could be handy. What I fear above all is rain. I plan to wait till the height of summer and check forecasts before painting outdoors.

 

Anyone painted a fibre glass boat before and is it easy?

I recently painted my now ex-boat Lulama, and it was really easy. Just make sure its clean, get rid of all the flakey bits, then get a cloth and dampen it with white spirit, whipe off all the dust and off you go. I used International Interdeck for the deck, and Toplac for the rest .Brightside is good too I think. The paint isn't cheap, but its worth it. Specially Interdeck is amazing stuff. You can just slap it on, and it dries really quickly.

[Pat]

The interdeck seems interesting. Do you need undercoat before applying it?

I'm paying particular attention to rubbing down at this point. I also plan to use some filler to plug one or two holes around the railings that run along the roof, so the wood appears smooth and intact. The rubbing down is hard work, though.

I'll find out about about the interdeck you recommend, as a quicker drying paint could be handy. What I fear above all is rain. I plan to wait till the height of summer and check forecasts before painting outdoors.

Interdeck was fantastic. It started raining whilst I was painting, and even though some of the surface got wet, it just dried when the sun came out and left no bubbles at all. If you are painting on GRP, you don't need an undercoat. Fill in any holes with gel coat filler, sand it down and that's it.

[DHutch]

Ive in briton if you pick you day right you should have no problems with rain.

 

We use toplac on our mirror, and last time it got caught by the rain twice, due to the fact i was trying to get it all done in a missrable w/end at the back end of december. (dont ask why)

 

The first coat got it worse, i was acctaully in the middle of washing the brush out when it started heavly raining on it, then it stoped after about 10mins.

- When dry about half of the boat had a mildly mat surface, and the other half very slight droplet patterns. But after a gentle rub down it was fine.

 

Second coat was touch dry when it started to rain that time, and you would never know, its as good as ever.

 

Not recomented practice im sure, but its supprising how resilent the paint is.

- Unlike the time it rained halfway though paint in the old wheelhouse roof on the boat. Water-based "easyclean" paint, hammer it down for 50mins, what a mess. and not jsut the roof, the back end of the boat where the paint had all run. doh!

 

 

Daniel

[Sir Nibble]

What I fear above all is rain.

There is a bridge at Bradford on Avon where folks go to paint their boats undercover. They're not in the way and no-one seems to mind, maybe there is somewhere suitable near you?

[Richard Bustens]

"in briton if you pick you day right you should have no problems with rain."

 

Problen is Dan you dont know if it was the right day till it is over

[FORTUNATA]

How fast drying is the Interdeck? My experience has been if paint is very very fast drying (such as model paint), you can get into trouble unless you're really quick applying it.

I simply can't risk rain so all I can do is really choose a day I'm sure will be dry.

I should stress nobody in the past has made a decent job of painting my boat. The last bright spark used blue emulsion and I'm having a real tough time getting it off with wet and dry. I'm spending 3 hours a day sanding it off but maybe I'll be getting closer to buying my paint in a month's time.

Apparently I have unwelcome guests too. I think I have a nest of bumble bees where my boat is moored as they were buzzing all around me today. It's a good thing bumble bees are not an aggressive bee and I just have to hope they don't fly into my paint.

 

Interdeck was fantastic. It started raining whilst I was painting, and even though some of the surface got wet, it just dried when the sun came out and left no bubbles at all. If you are painting on GRP, you don't need an undercoat. Fill in any holes with gel coat filler, sand it down and that's it.

 

 

Have you noticed that most fibre glass boats are painted in rectangles and lines that merge? I don't know whether to be kind of adventurous and try and duplicate the old pattern.

I mean, originally my boat had this green rectangle on the roof, surrounded by cream. The lines seemed perfectly straight as paint colour merged with another.

Then halfway down the sides, colours would also switch from cream to green again.

The easiest way would be to stick to just 2 colours, That is, simply paint all the roof and sides on colour but then paint maybe the stern and bow another colour.

I'm far from being a skilled painter and, in fact, I kind of dislike painting as I find it hard. This is why I'm seeking the easiest paint I can find that will give me least problems but allow me to feel satisfied over having done a decent job.

Anyone tried merging colours before and, if so, any tips?

 

 

Good idea. Yes, there is a bridge I could use and it's a pretty big one.

 

There is a bridge at Bradford on Avon where folks go to paint their boats undercover. They're not in the way and no-one seems to mind, maybe there is somewhere suitable near you?

[DHutch]

How fast drying is the Interdeck? My experience has been if paint is very very fast drying (such as model paint), you can get into trouble unless you're really quick applying it.

Never used interdeck, but ive never had a problem keeping a wet edge with toplac.

 

The two-pack polyurethene stuff we use is a bloody mare tho! the first 10 mins its a stupidly sloppy, then 10mins after that its almost hard enough to walk on.

- And beeing two pack you need to keep mixing up a new batch. And the more you mix up at a time, the faster it cures as its exothermic!

- So to keep a wet edge is a full time threeman job! One 'edging' with a 2" brush, One 'rollering' with the little 4" foam things, which incdently fall a part all the dam time with this stupid stuff. (used 7 bloody rollers doing the roof of our boat)

- And the there third mug has to rush round mesureing out syrup'y mess and mixing it in an incresingly messy mess, before the other two run out, which would lose all hope of a wet edge.

 

Its a dam good job it lasts a good time time!!

 

 

 

Daniel

[FORTUNATA]

My original plan was to paint the whole thing by hand - as in the old days. I should clarify, though, that I'm basically painting a boat I'm restoring. Tomorrow I'll be carrying on with the wet and dry which is damned hard work as I'm fetching off all the old house paint that someone tried to use last time.

I estimate it will take a whole month to complete this rubbing down process.

There are a few things I'll have to look out for: I need to be sure my new marine paint isn't going to react with the former paints used in the past and I'll have to make sure the surface is totally dry.

It will be a basic brush and bucket job, I imagine, as opposed to rollers or sprays. Hand painting is also a bit of an art form seeing as you have to avoid runs and visible brush strokes.

If I want to be clever, I can try masking off some straight lines along the roof and then merging a new colour to match the line the following day.

I suppose I couldn't go wrong if I simply paint the whole damned area one colour from the roof downwards and then use another colour for entirely separate areas such as the stern.

 

Never used interdeck, but ive never had a problem keeping a wet edge with toplac.

 

The two-pack polyurethene stuff we use is a bloody mare tho! the first 10 mins its a stupidly sloppy, then 10mins after that its almost hard enough to walk on.

- And beeing two pack you need to keep mixing up a new batch. And the more you mix up at a time, the faster it cures as its exothermic!

- So to keep a wet edge is a full time threeman job! One 'edging' with a 2" brush, One 'rollering' with the little 4" foam things, which incdently fall a part all the dam time with this stupid stuff. (used 7 bloody rollers doing the roof of our boat)

- And the there third mug has to rush round mesureing out syrup'y mess and mixing it in an incresingly messy mess, before the other two run out, which would lose all hope of a wet edge.

 

Its a dam good job it lasts a good time time!!

Daniel

[Pat]

If you have an old GRP boat, I personally woudn't bother being too anal about getting all the paint off. Just make sure there are no loose bits, get a big roler and slap it on. Use masking tape if you want different colours. Just be very careful with the masking tape, if you leave it on too long, it will damage your paint job.

Here's a picture of Lulama after I painted her. I spent half a day scraping off the loose bits and another day painting. Roler for the wide areas, a little brush to touch up the difficult bits like the blue strip.

[John Orentas]

I found paint outside is possible as long as the weather is dry, I did it during a very warm spell in midsummer. You can get a coat on in the morning after any dew has dried up and then another early evening when the sun has gone down but you must stop an hour before there is any chance of dew settling.

 

For really good results though there is no substitute for being under cover, dust and suicidal insects are a problem.

[FORTUNATA]

That's a nice paint job. I guess I'd be happy if my own attempt comes out as well.

My own boat hasn't been painted properly in years. None of the former owners seemed to have much idea. Someone even made this wooden shelter over the cockpit I keep bumping my head on and I plan to tear the whole thing down - it's been nailed on.

At the moment I have a whole blend of former colours showing now that I got the blue off. This blue was the coat that originally flaked like crazy so I decided to remove it totally. I'm using wet and dry with a touch of fairy liquid which I find gets the stuff off and leaves the surface smooth.

Do you guys have anything against using a brush for the whole job? I understand that was how they did it in the old days but, sure, it takes more practice as brushes leave drips if you're not careful.

By the way, I figured I'd go for cream and some other colour.

 

 

If you have an old GRP boat, I personally woudn't bother being too anal about getting all the paint off. Just make sure there are no loose bits, get a big roler and slap it on. Use masking tape if you want different colours. Just be very careful with the masking tape, if you leave it on too long, it will damage your paint job.

Here's a picture of Lulama after I painted her. I spent half a day scraping off the loose bits and another day painting. Roler for the wide areas, a little brush to touch up the difficult bits like the blue strip.

 

 

Someone suggested a bridge could be an option. There is one just a few feet from where I'm moored. Of course, they tend to be a bit shady.

 

 

I found paint outside is possible as long as the weather is dry, I did it during a very warm spell in midsummer. You can get a coat on in the morning after any dew has dried up and then another early evening when the sun has gone down but you must stop an hour before there is any chance of dew settling.

 

For really good results though there is no substitute for being under cover, dust and suicidal insects are a problem.

[nichimyo]

Brushes are fine as long as:

You don't use one that's too small - be bold with the sizes, using the smally one just for edging and pointy bits (to get a fine enough edge);

You use not exactly the cheapest available, but ones with a reasonably smooth feel to them (rough feeling ones are difficult to get a decent finish with, i.e. one that doesn't show the brush marks too much);

If you're using new brushes, you thoroughly check them first for loose bristles - e.g. by wetting them and rubbing them about in a bowl of water, then drying them carefully before using them;

Before using, check that no bristles are sticking out, and if there are, snip them off to get smooth sides to the brush.

 

When using the brushes, have at least a couple the same size. When one has got bound up with paint, i.e. there is paint all the way upi the brisltes, swap to another brush and leave the bound-up one in solvent or washing-up liquid until you get around to cleaning both brushes.

 

Make sure you clean the brushes thoroughly and get ALL the paint out from between the bristles. Carefully smooth the bristles together and then wrap the brisltes in a strip of rag or non-fluffy paper to dry, then the bristles won't stick out at the sides and hopefully, you won't have to cut any more off the next time you use it. (That's assuming you aren't of the "use it once, naker it, and throw it away" school of thought )

 

Hope I'm not teaching grandmothers to suck eggs

[DHutch]

It is easy to be "to anal" with the rubbing down, however if the prevous paint isnt well attached, or is of a poor grade, you really do need to get it all off down to somthing thats solid.

- So i think you right to take off the all the emusion. But not much more.

 

In term of what to applie it with, its totaly upto, and a brush will be fine. Thats what i use on the mirror, and you really cant the the brush strokes at all. I use a 2" brush usally, as theres a certain bit of edging to do, and also often areas that need the paint 'working into them' more, and partly becuase we done have many 3" brushs, and 4's geting at bit silly for the size of job.

- For doing a largish boat such as pats i would deffornatly use atleast a 4" brush, most likly a 4" But which would depend on the surface/shape/etc of the boat

 

And also i agree with nichimyo about selecting decent brush.

- You dot have to got mad, but a decent no-frills brandname brush makes huge diffrence compaired to some of the bottem end 43p tat thats now so widely avalable at places like homebase/focus/B&Q/etc.

- And again, make sure you clean the right back with whitesprit (or polycell, if you that way inclinded) followed be fairy liquid, a good rince, and loose electic band (or otherwise) to hold the brissles in just a little pased straight.

- I never done the swaping brush half way tho, except with two-part paints, where they cure (rather than dry) in the heart of the brush. The brush is then useless, and need binning. (this is a great get rid of a few brushes to make room for new ones)

 

Im the past my grandad has always done emilyanne with brushes, however this time we (I) used 4" foam rollers. Which i seam to have left a slightly better finsh, and where also quicker.

 

 

Daniel

[FORTUNATA]

Yes, I'm pretty sure I'm right to spend time getting that blue paint off. What's underneath seems pretty smooth and O.K. to paint on top of but the blue stuff is half-peeled in many areas.

Thanks for the advice on brushes and I'll take it all into account. I guess I'll buy myself one or two large brushes of really good quality so I don't get bristles coming out. But perhaps I also need to be aware of any possible reaction between some of those former paints and my latest application? I mean, I hope nothing reacts. Probably it won't.

I can tell you all this is really tough work. I spent 3 hours today kneeling on the roof and scrubbing the paint down with wet and dry, a bucket of canal water and a little fairy liquid. Dozens of narrowboats passed me by and greeted me - most reckoned I have one hell of a job ahead. Sometimes I feel like panicking as I now realise that I simply can't rush all the sanding down and that it needs to be done before I buy the paints. I reckon that at this rate, I won't be able to buy my paint till maybe early June.

 

 

 

 

 

It is easy to be "to anal" with the rubbing down, however if the prevous paint isnt well attached, or is of a poor grade, you really do need to get it all off down to somthing thats solid.

- So i think you right to take off the all the emusion. But not much more.

 

In term of what to applie it with, its totaly upto, and a brush will be fine. Thats what i use on the mirror, and you really cant the the brush strokes at all. I use a 2" brush usally, as theres a certain bit of edging to do, and also often areas that need the paint 'working into them' more, and partly becuase we done have many 3" brushs, and 4's geting at bit silly for the size of job.

- For doing a largish boat such as pats i would deffornatly use atleast a 4" brush, most likly a 4" But which would depend on the surface/shape/etc of the boat

 

And also i agree with nichimyo about selecting decent brush.

- You dot have to got mad, but a decent no-frills brandname brush makes huge diffrence compaired to some of the bottem end 43p tat thats now so widely avalable at places like homebase/focus/B&Q/etc.

- And again, make sure you clean the right back with whitesprit (or polycell, if you that way inclinded) followed be fairy liquid, a good rince, and loose electic band (or otherwise) to hold the brissles in just a little pased straight.

- I never done the swaping brush half way tho, except with two-part paints, where they cure (rather than dry) in the heart of the brush. The brush is then useless, and need binning. (this is a great get rid of a few brushes to make room for new ones)

 

Im the past my grandad has always done emilyanne with brushes, however this time we (I) used 4" foam rollers. Which i seam to have left a slightly better finsh, and where also quicker.

Daniel

[FORTUNATA]

I agree cheap brushes are simply no good - you get bristles in the paint. Likewise chaep paint is useless so I'm going to buy some really good quality paint - designed for fibre glass, as I've been advised (brand names e.t.c.).

I guess I feel optimistic, although my only doubt is over lines and borders. How do you get that perfect straight line of one colour meeting another colour? I know masking tape is used but has anyone had any snags with the tape? I mean, does it ever drag paint off with it, for example?

I can paint reasonably O.K. but this will be the first time I paint fibre glass. I guess the fun will be in learning how to do it well.

 

Brushes are fine as long as:

You don't use one that's too small - be bold with the sizes, using the smally one just for edging and pointy bits (to get a fine enough edge);

You use not exactly the cheapest available, but ones with a reasonably smooth feel to them (rough feeling ones are difficult to get a decent finish with, i.e. one that doesn't show the brush marks too much);

If you're using new brushes, you thoroughly check them first for loose bristles - e.g. by wetting them and rubbing them about in a bowl of water, then drying them carefully before using them;

Before using, check that no bristles are sticking out, and if there are, snip them off to get smooth sides to the brush.

 

When using the brushes, have at least a couple the same size. When one has got bound up with paint, i.e. there is paint all the way upi the brisltes, swap to another brush and leave the bound-up one in solvent or washing-up liquid until you get around to cleaning both brushes.

 

Make sure you clean the brushes thoroughly and get ALL the paint out from between the bristles. Carefully smooth the bristles together and then wrap the brisltes in a strip of rag or non-fluffy paper to dry, then the bristles won't stick out at the sides and hopefully, you won't have to cut any more off the next time you use it. (That's assuming you aren't of the "use it once, naker it, and throw it away" school of thought )

 

Hope I'm not teaching grandmothers to suck eggs

[Alec Gatherer]

Don't use the usual paper masking tape if you're wanting a sharp line - buy the low-tack polythene masking tape. Bit hard to get in some areas; a Riley Register member sells it and I buy from him at about £2-50 per roll.

[jayjayranger]

has anyone used a spraygun for there paint jobs using just marine made paints. instead of those highly toxic car paints. maybe just to lay down undercoat and then top coat .and then finish off the fine detail work with brushes or am i lazy. ps has anyone used artextd on there boat very durable non slip and can be touched up with good results

[Wobbly Dick]

Interesting comments!

 

The thought of rubbing down a 57 footer is daunting! Why not use a good set of electic sanders; one larger circular and one for fine detail, you then just need to hand finish the bits you can't get to. You can use various grades of paper to get the desired finish. Doing it by hand, doesn't mean it is better! That's what I think anyway.

[FORTUNATA]

I'm doing all my rubbing down by hand and, yes, it's a hell of a job. I have to try and keep up a steady pace since my plan is to be finished by June so I can get on with the painting. All I have is a bit of fairy liquid and medium grade wet and dry.

This is an old boat too so it takes ages to get the surface smoothed down sufficiently.

Still, I do appear to be winning. I've now completed the roof and one side of the boat. I'm now off back down there to continue work.

 

 

Interesting comments!

 

The thought of rubbing down a 57 footer is daunting! Why not use a good set of electic sanders; one larger circular and one for fine detail, you then just need to hand finish the bits you can't get to. You can use various grades of paper to get the desired finish. Doing it by hand, doesn't mean it is better! That's what I think anyway.

[FORTUNATA]

Seems like the weather really is going to be a hitch. Here it in the Midlands it doesn't just rain - it floods. Looks like I'll have to haul my boat out of the canal and paint it indoors. No way would I risk painting outdoors in the current climate.