Advice on painting

[gringogordo]

Hi,

 

I finally painted the (fibreglass) top of my boat at the weekend. Fantastic, compared to waht it was anyway.

 

I need to paint the top part of the black (steel) now. Gunwales down to the runner (?) Anyway I am completely ignorant about this activity and I wondored if anyone could give me some advice.

 

Firstly I should point out it is an undermaintened 36' cruiser stern from 1978. The black above the waterline is very out of condition going down to rusty metal at places and being thick in other places. The metal below is quite pockmarked.

 

I was wondoring

 

a, if it needs to be expensive blacking paint as it's above the waterline.

 

b, if anyone knows what the non grip 'sand' is called which you add to the paint for the gunwales (thus covering up their pockmarked nature) (this was recommended by a passing boat owner yestarday - any negative views!)

 

c, what the best preperation for steel is (eg is normal sandpaper okay or should I use wet n dry (sorry I really am ignorant!)

 

d, what is the red undercoat stuff that seems to be used a lot

 

e, what the best cheap way to deal with the rust is

 

Anyway thanks for any advice you can offer!

 

Ben.

[stuart]

b, if anyone knows what the non grip 'sand' is called which you add to the paint for the gunwales (thus covering up their pockmarked nature) (this was recommended by a passing boat owner yestarday - any negative views!)

 

I brought a packet of granules (looks like icing powder!) from the swindlers for about £3. You add it to a litre of paint and mix it in. Paint as normal and you get little no slip lumps in the paint. Seems to work okay and painted my roof in it!

 

 

Wet&Dry is usually used on steel, but you might need something a bit rougher (like a metal wheel) if its really bad. Probably not worth trying to get the steel too shiny as the paint wont stick so well, also consider a rust killer if its light rust.

Edited September 11, 2006 by stuart

[gaggle]

looking to just paint over scratches on black above water line i stopped and watched a man doing his and the product

BLACK SHEEN ENAMAL FD1416

3D PAINT COMPANY

HALLAM MILL

HALLAM STREET

STOCKPORT

061-480 1233

is what was being used.

it was going on easy enough with not much preperation needed and it looked good.

have not used it myself just seen it used and the look of it.

others may know more

[stuart]

d, what is the red undercoat stuff that seems to be used a lot

e, what the best cheap way to deal with the rust is

 

Its red oxide primer, used on bare steel. If your doing the blacking on the bottom of the boat I dont think many people bother with a primer.

 

Rust killer is a fav. topic on here, do a search for Vactan !

[FORTUNATA]

I found paintingh my fibreglass roof tricky. At the time, I thought the second coat was going to be a disaster as I was applying by brush. I seemed to be seeing little layers that I then tried to drag out smooth.

In the end, it dried O.K.

The only thing I'm not sure about is tree sap as I get lots of it from trees. I used Brightside and I'm hoping the sap can be cleaned off with washing up liquid and water.

As a primer I used pre-kote - 2 layers of it.

 

Its red oxide primer, used on bare steel. If your doing the blacking on the bottom of the boat I dont think many people bother with a primer.

 

Rust killer is a fav. topic on here, do a search for Vactan !