Painting the boat?

[SS18]

I know several of you have done it or had it done. My question is for Imron on my minx complete hull inside and out what is a fair price?The boat is completely stripped except for lifting rings.No engine,drive,gauges,
hardware etc.I would like it primed and painted original red and honey.Any help with some of the prices and places would be great!
Thanks
SS18/AKA292 Fastech wink

[Scott Pearson]

For whats ts worth I would not use Imron unless its the 6000 series. Imron is not a true urethane its a modified enamel with a urethane catalyst.

Ok...so enough with that..The materials will be at least $1,500.00 or so. Then labor and odds and ends...I wouldnt touch it for less then $4,500.00 Thats if the boat is original gelcoat and doest have ant stress cracks. Just a scuff and shoot. If it needs more the price would go up.

Remember...you will get what you pay for.

(NJ)Scott

[harbormaster]

Since you have a somewhat rare donzi, it seems like you would want to stay with gelcoat.

If I had my pick of two nice Minxes, one with paint, one with gelcoat, I would pick the gelcoat.

Have you ever tried to patch a ding on an Imroned boat? Pearson, I have heard that it is not very easy.

I have seen folks meticulously putting original engines, gauges etc in their donzi's and then painting it. In my opinion it not a good thing for resale.

[falcon]

i have a 31 bertram that has been imroned--some parts like the flybridge are over 13 years old and still look new---imron is very easy to repair compared to awlgrip not sure how it compares to gel-coat. it can be spot sprayed-i highly recomend the yard that did my boat--raybo marine on long island--but he is not cheap-his posted rate is $105/hour plus materials.

[Greg Maier]

I have a few questions:

Does the old gelcoat have to be completely sanded off before you can paint, or does the paint sit on top of the old gel? :confused:

What is the difference between urathane and enamel? :confused:

Does paint hurt the value of a late model Classics , i.e. 1995 or newer, or just rare, older Donzis? :confused:

[Scott Pearson]

Scot
Paint is easyer to fix then gelcoat anyday hands down. Paint atomizes better for blending and wets out longer for melt ins.

I will take a good paint job over gelcoat anyday. While you guts are always keeping wax on your red, blue and etc gelcoats all year...and buffing every other year. I just wax mine once and thats it for the season. Never ever buffing.

A good paint job that is done right will outlast a gelcoat job for years.

As far as value... I will always look for a boat with original gelcoat... just so I dont get someone elses mess...but I can see past the paint. My 28 Sportsman, 14 Baby and my Bench seat Hornet all have been painted....But does that mean I shouldnt have bought them??? I think not! And guess what....All are going to be repainted....Not gelcoat.There are bad gelcoat jobs out there also.It has nothing to do with the product used...its the preperation weather it be Gel or Paint.

Funny...one of the best sportsfishermans ever built uses paint...Buddy Davis. I wonder why???

Greg,
The paint gets applied over the Gelcoat.

(NJ)Scott

[SS18]

Well all stress and dings have been repaired
and so I understand that the awlgrip is nearly
impossible to repair but the Imron is a good
product if professionally applied.As for the scuff I am willing to do most all the labor intensive grunt work with in reason to help keep the project reasonable but if it offends the artist I would be willing to pay the price.I was just curious about the avg. price. Scott I know this is the boat from brick app.oct last year.Any feed back please.
Thanks,
SS18AKA292Fastech

[riverrat]

sounds like the pumpkin knows what he's talking about. I always wondered myself. My 99 '18 had alot of bad spots in the gel coat & I was lucky to get a really good glass guy to do the factory product repairs. seems the white on my boat has a good bit of pink in it. anyway,
great post Scott! :D
the rat..

[Scott Pearson]

SS18,
I have never seen the boat that you bought. Its a minx right? I remember one for sale in Brick NJ.

(NJ) Scott

[SS18]

Sott that is the boat much less than perfect as he described but it is coming along.Isplit the boat did all repairs,replaced tank,plg dash and did all repairs still have a little sanding and fine tuneing on dings but I am close to paint and wanted some suggestions on what to pay and next who to take it to?
Thanks,
SS18/AKA292Fastech

[MOP]

Lots of good input, I also am partial to gel coat. Our paint guy who was the top finish guy at Hustler years back prefers the NEW Algrip says it beats them all. I have shot Sterling and gone back and fixed it real easy. I hope this adds to the confusion!!!!

[RH]

I would like to add my 2 cents in on this subject. I owned a 1978 Century Arabian that really had nice lines, but was an absolute pig in the water. 454 v-drive and plenty of weight in the stern. I stripped the hull and had it sprayed with awl grip from a pro here in our area who has alot of experience with the product. I updated the colors to the 1979 red and creme scheme that the factory went to. I then owned the boat for 8 more years and was thrilled with the adhesion, shine and toughness of the product. It proved to be extremely durable as I used the boat quite alot and is still holding up quite well after 11 seasons now. I was told at the time that Hatteras Yachts uses the Awl Grip product on all new boats as they could never get enough Gel coat with the same lot numbers for color uniformity. Maybe that is urban legend, but that is what was told to me by the representative of US Paint at the time. I am with Pearson on the qualities of a good paint system applied correctly. It is hard to beat. I just got finished buffing the Hornet and that gets to be some serious work every season.
RH

[knee deep]

My input! I really prefer the softer easier way out, which is paint. I spoke to the guy at Gold Coast who is the largest wholesale paint distributor in Fort Lauderdale. I spoke to a zillion other people, captains, yard guys, and the Donzi guru to the south of me a friendly dog named mad poodle. I am in the process of re-doing the old red monster from bare hull back. The consensus seems to be that gelcoat is the way to go. Its way more work and harder to apply but will last longer and will hold up if the boat should be left in the water, apparently paints will blister. So it looks like my choice - gelcoat, as much as i don't want to do it. I wanna be done and boat riding!

[Scott Pearson]

This is some good stuff....

Ok...Paint and Gelcoat will blister if not applied, cured, mixed...etc, the right way.

Also if paint is so bad then why does Donzi, Cigarette, Hustler, Magnum...etc, etc, etc, etc. All use it to paint all there grafix. I mean Cigarette Tigers are $500-$600 thousand doller boats that are 95% paint!

Hay...its all what each person likes....

SS18...Thats the problem. Not many guys want to do boats. And do them right. I will look aound for you and ask some friends. If my building was finished I would be interested.

(NJ)Scott

[waleyetwo]

iv'e seen scotts boat it is the best looking one out there and the paint is outstanding.i would take his advise to the bank.
my two cents.

[mattyboy]

Yes, Scott P's boat is the best paint job I have seen, car show quality . I hear he is good with houses too!!! wink

my boat was painted,Before I owed it, and I believe what Scott said is true it was not cured properly I have chips missing in the bottom, also I have some blisters along the water line in the gunwales from leaving the boat in the water. but take a buff to it and it shines like nobody's business!!
If I re-do it will be paint and hopefully Scott isn't to busy staining his house to do it for me!!!

Matt

[MOP]

Please before you decide to use paint on the bottom check with the companies rep. Most every boat that I have seen that was left in the water did blister the paint. Another point shrink wrap must be removed early in the season, it holds moisture against the hull and will also blister the surface. There is nothing out there that beats a canvas cover, every year we cut the wrap of a few that have mildewed the interiors due to not enough venting. With enough venting they get dirty as hell! No matter what is used to cover the boat good venting is very important.

[Scott Pearson]

I dont think there is a MFG of paint that will stand behind anything that is below the water line. They a cover there A**'s.

I dont even think Donzi will stand behind gelcoat below the water line. Isnt there a clause in the warrente??

Guys...thanks for the complements!

(NJ)Scott

[Scott Pearson]

I dont think there is a MFG of paint that will stand behind anything that is below the water line. They a cover there A**'s.

I dont even think Donzi will stand behind gelcoat below the water line. Isnt there a clause in the warrente??

Guys...thanks for the complements!

(NJ)Scott

[MattM]

Hey Scott,

I'm getting ready to do my '18. I only paint something big and complete every couple of years, so I try to figure out the current best products. I usually use PPG. The bottom will be white, so for ease of application and re-application I thought I'd single stage it. What's the best product to use? The sides are black, will it look better after washing and using to use single stage or base/ clear, again what product? The top will be white with the black stripe, I thought i'd do all the basecoat and then clear everything at once on the top. Is there a white basecoat that I can tape to directly to tape and spray the stripe black? Lastly, I always seal with DP before I spray the finish, I did a car last week and the DP 90 LFtook forever to flash w/ DP 401 LF. What's the difference between the 401 and 402 catalysts?

thanks, Matt

[MattM]

Hey Scott,

I'm getting ready to do my '18. I only paint something big and complete every couple of years, so I try to figure out the current best products. I usually use PPG. The bottom will be white, so for ease of application and re-application I thought I'd single stage it. What's the best product to use? The sides are black, will it look better after washing and using to use single stage or base/ clear, again what product? The top will be white with the black stripe, I thought i'd do all the basecoat and then clear everything at once on the top. Is there a white basecoat that I can tape to directly to tape and spray the stripe black? Lastly, I always seal with DP before I spray the finish, I did a car last week and the DP 90 LFtook forever to flash w/ DP 401 LF. What's the difference between the 401 and 402 catalysts?

thanks, Matt

[Scott Pearson]

Matt,
I was the PPG rep for New Jersey for 12 years. I still use PPG even though I'm not with them any longer.

I use all DP LF. You have to use 402. 401 like you said takes to long to flash. Use one or the other...dont mix the two. I use DT870 reducer all the time in the DPLF.

As far as basecoat. I use all DBC base. I mix that with DT also. But depending on the tempeture I use DT885, 895 or 898. You can DX57 if you like.

I use DCC concept for all my single stage work.

Clear coat is DCU 2002 or 2021. With DCX 9 hardner. It has better mar resistence then the DCX 61 but takes longer to dry. I use DT898 in the clear.

Hope this helps.

(NJ)Scott

[SS18]

Sott,
Thanks for your input it has been very informative.Iwas curious to hear the opinion of all but I think Imron will be the route I will go.I have some different prices on the work but it seems to me that your guesstimate is
comparable within 20%.Since none of my boats aren't in the water more than 24 hrs.I
should not worry about blisters.Thanks to everyone with their info as well.It seems to be tough to get anyone to spray gel coat for anything other than a repair.

Thanks again,
SS18/AKA292 Fastech wink

[Zinger]

Just for what its worth i like the gel coat method ,if your like the rest of us and are doing it out of a garage were dirt and other materials are a factor regeling the boat is cheaper and if you come across a mistake ,run ,or water while spraying its much easier to repair than paint and i feel gel-coat cover alot better too. Other people use paint which is fine to use but it costs more and always harder to repair when your boat gets damaged.