Boat painting....

[Larkboy]

Well, we've had 24 hours out at Prickwillow and managed to get some more painting done to the outside of our boat 'Ananda'. Been working on it when time's allowed since the spring, but having to paint outside without cover leaves us hostage to the weather which a lot of the time has been too hot to paint. We both work, me full time, so my wife Debbie has done the lions share over the summer. Now in the final furlong but obviously running out of time before Autumn proper sets in.

[dogless]

It's looking good. You must be pleased.

 

We keep promising to do ours, and even bought the paint.

 

Next year for sure

 

Rog

[Larkboy]

Thanks, it's her first re-paint since I bought her brand new 11 years ago. She's had all rusty metal treated with aqua steel and two good coats of Johnstones zinc phosphate primer and Tekaloid colour with Owatrol oil mixed in. It's not a professional finish, but we're more than happy with the results. Also engaged in improving the electrical system and parts of the interior, which will continue over the winter. We hope to get the facelift completed in the main by early spring so we can just get out and cruise next season with no worries...

[lesrollins]

Nice job well done

[kingswood]

took me six months in total what with work and the weather either to hot to cold to damp to windy in the end had to go into a polly tunnel to do the sides then it was easy

[Larkboy]

Yeah, it's tough and I think next time we would look at hiring a covered dock and doing it that way. When you have limited time the weather can be a real pain! We're are out again this weekend weather permitting so hopefully will get another step closer to the finish...

[MissMax]

Sooo pretty. I used the 'pour on and attack with a roller' method

Your boat is a proper paint job

[bizzard]

I've found that the best way to paint boats outside is to do it in sections. when glossing don't go sanding or rubbing down the whole or a complete side of the boat first because its doubtful if your going to paint all that in one day or more, especially if with different coloured borders and-or coach lines, you'll find that you have to keep rubbing it down again and again as you go along. How many boats do you see all rubbed down and work stopped because of inclement weather or whatever and they have to start rubbing down all over again. Lots of muck in the air. You need to get the coat on directly, the same day.

I concentrate on say a 2 or 3 metre length section at a time and work on it from the very start, rubbing down to finished gloss. I then weather permitting complete another section from start to finished gloss at the other end of the boat or on the other side so that dust doesn't effect the previous painted section. Eventually all the sections will link up.

[Gareth E]

One thing I've learned is when the inevitable happens; an insect lands on your freshly painted gloss it's best to leave it be. If you try to remove it and 'repair' the bit it landed on there's no chance of a decent finish. Most insects can be brushed off when the paint id fully dry with minimal damage. OK, the odd one 'embeds' itself totally but I guess that's life.

 

I'm starting to think though that it might be best to gloss a boat either in spring or autumn, when there are less insects around.

[Nightwatch]

But falling leaves in Autumn. Is there ever a perfect time of year?

[Larkboy]

Nope, no perfect time of year, there's always something that can be a problem. One of our biggest issues is good old willow fluff....it can be blizzard like on some days and end up in drifts across the marina, hence we have to go out a lot of the time to paint.

Bizzard, we're with you on that one, only prepping what we can get done in a day.