Recolour?

[samsharp99]

So as I've posted about before - I'm soon to take ownership of my first boat and I've now had the survey done and everything in the boat was in good condition (e.g. hull, engine etc.) so I'm planning to go ahead with the purchase.

 

The only problem is - I don't really like the colour! Maybe it will grow on me over time but I definitely need to change the name so removing the old signwork and putting something new on will be needed but I'd also like to change the colour if I can.

 

What is the minimum amount of painting required to re-colour the cabin exterior of a boat? I looked up some guide prices for a full professional repaint and at £80-120/ft it's a hell of a lot of money with a 50ft boat. The survey report said that the paintwork on the cabin roof and sides were fairly intact apart from minor blistering so I'm hoping that I might be able to get away with not needing a full repaint. The boat is being re-blacked following the survey.

 

It's not something I really want to do myself because of limited time available with working full-time, but I also can't justify the sort of costs of a full repaint.

 

My options are:

- See if I can get quotes for a 'partial' repaint...just to re-colour the boat (rather than a full sanding to metal, priming, u/c & t/c) - has anyone tried this and what sort of price would it bring it down to?

- Do it myself and if so, what's the amount of work I'd need to put in - could I just prepare the current paint with a clean / light sanding and then paint over the top?

[Paul C]

Could you take time off work to do it? That would be the most cost effective way. Anyone doing it for you as a paid job is going to want to do it to a standard.....and there's a lot of prep work to achieve a standard......which takes the time.

 

If the paint's in good condition then sanding to key it then painting over the top is fine. What's the existing colour and the planned new colour?

[samsharp99]

I could possibly take the time off work or try to convince my mum that it's the best use of her summer holidays to help me repaint the boat

 

This is the current colour:

 

I actually don't know what colour I want it to be...other than I don't really like the colour it is at the moment (unless I'm mad and it's actually OK). Would probably need to be something that didn't contrast too horribly with the red/brown pram cover.

Edited July 14, 2015 by samsharp99

[magnetman]

I could possibly take the time off work or try to convince my mum that it's the best use of her summer holidays to help me repaint the boat

 

This is the current colour:

 

I actually don't know what colour I want it to be...other than I don't really like the colour it is at the moment (unless I'm mad and it's actually OK). Would probably need to be something that didn't contrast too horribly with the red/brown pram cover.

Can we swap colours?

 

I have dark blue cabin sides and have been wanting lime green

Annoyingly my paintwork is also in good condition

(By the way I actually do want lime green no joke)

[David Mack]

Professional painters like to take it all back to bare metal so they can guarantee a quality job. The last thing they want is the paint peeling because one of the layers of old paint underneath the new starts lifting.

But if its DIY you can take a view on what needs removing, and what just needs sanding down and overcoating.

The pros would remove windows and other fittings to ensure there is good paint underneath, but the DIYer can decide whether it is worth the extra work (and potentially internal disruption), with the attendant risk of corrosion showing around the window edges.

[bigste]

Why not just paint a couple of big squares between the windows with nice borders. Could look quite good.

[the barnacle]

Why not just paint a couple of big squares between the windows with nice borders. Could look quite good.

 

thats what i was thinking - a bit of border detail would make all the difference.

[zenataomm]

I'm colour blind and have never been really that bothered about hues and subtleties of co-ordinating colours.

The fact it looks cared for is more important to me.

 

I actually quite like the gold and pink it's painted currently.

[Neil2]

I think your guide price for a "professional" repaint is a bit low. You would be looking at closer to £8-10k I reckon.

 

As others have suggested I would be inclined to break up the slab sided look with some coloured panels/lines but it's such a yucky green you would need to be careful with contrasting colours. I would just break it up with darker/lighter shades of green.

[Neil Smith]

For a cheap quick colour change on sound paint, get the large green scotch pad sponges and rub down to key new paint then wipe down with panel wipe now buy house hold gloss in your chosen colour and give it 2 coats, job done in about 4 days.

Neil

[Bee]

I think Neil is being a bit hopeful with a 4 day estimate , I would reckon on a week for the ends and bits and pieces but if you wet and dry it to get a flat surface and a good key then roller the paint on it won't take long, two thinnish coats nice and even is the way, more if you have time and paint. Household gloss is perfectly ok but very strong colours will fade quicker.

Edited July 15, 2015 by Bee

[cuthound]

I have had shares in two shared ownership boats over the last 23 years. Both were repainted annually by flatting off the old paint and then putting another coat over it. No paint problems at all, apart from one year when the boat was too long for the yards wet dock and the half that didn't fit blistered.

 

I believe hire boats are painted this way every year as well.

 

I would say get a quote from a boatyard that has a hire fleet to flat off and repaint the cabin on top of the old paint.

 

Alternative!y contact Matty40s of this parish to see when he has a slot available and if he is prepared to flat off and repaint your cabin.