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Thread: Awlgrip, Imron, Interlux? Which is best?

  1. #1
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    Awlgrip, Imron, Interlux? Which is best?

    Looking forward to a new paint for the boat sometime in the future. It is 45 year old gel coat right now so there will be lots of prep, but after that what is best? I have been reading about the 2 part paints not being able to last for extended time in the water. Should the hull be an epoxy or some other paint that can take being at a dock for a week? Or are the Awlgrips and Imrons ok to use?
    Anyone have experience to point to the best choice? I'm sure this might be a debate like coke versus pepsi, but I'd like to hear what people have used and how it has held up on the bottom with use.
    Bob

    Covington, Washington
    1966 Donzi 16' Hull #16-226



    here are some short videos...

    a little video clip of our boat idling over to the boat launch so you can hear it.
    http://www.youtube.com/v/GSx8zAmi3R0

    Eaton outdrive rotating 101
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auaFB...yer_detailpage

    thread on our boat
    http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=61975


    Video of the boat on the trailer

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9qXz4CJS8U

  2. #2
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    I guess it depends on how you plan to paint it. I've seen big boats that were rolled and tipped that were beautiful, but I think it takes more experience than I have.
    I never held a spraygun in my hand when I started painting my 20 foot Formula. You can tell where I got better and better with the paint gun. I used Interlux paint that you can get it at any boating store. It only cost about $25 a quart. Compare that with the $215 I paid for a quart of Merc Hipo Blue which is really a 1980 Buick color. It was also used on some year
    Chevies.

  3. #3
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    There are lots of threads and opinions on this subject already, but I will weigh in.

    I did a 16 Superboat center console several years ago. Here is the thread on Offshore Only

    http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...r-console.html

    I flipped the hull upside down on the trailer and went to work grinding off years worth of bottom paint and prepped the hull for paint. I ended up using gelcoat for the hull and topsides. I had the boat for 2 years before selling it and I used to leave it in the water with no bottom paint. I'd beach it every month and acid wash and scrub the bottom. Never saw a single blister and the gelcoat held up great! It attracted some barnacles, but I just scraped them off and that was that.

    Flash forward to my 16 Donzi and I'm going to do the same thing....gelcoat all the way.

    It will never shine like a 2 part paint, but mine sure shined like new, was incredibly durable and held up for 2 years in the water without bottom paint.

  4. #4
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    You have several choices, but epoxy isn't a paint. It's the very best way to seal a hull though. It also very susceptable to UV radiation and requires paint to protect it from sunlight.

    Some of the products you mentioned, I think, require professional application.
    George Carter
    Central Florida
    gcarter763@aol.com
    http://kineticocentralfl.com/


    “If you have to argue your science by using fraud, your science is not valid"
    Professor Ian Plimer, Adilaide and Melbourne Universities

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    Gel the hull bottom and sides up to the rub rail and paint the deck and coc_pit.

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    whats the disadvantage gel coating the whole boat?

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    Quote Originally Posted by donzi4life View Post
    whats the disadvantage gel coating the whole boat?
    The labor is almost unbelievable and the cost is probably 4X paint.
    George Carter
    Central Florida
    gcarter763@aol.com
    http://kineticocentralfl.com/


    “If you have to argue your science by using fraud, your science is not valid"
    Professor Ian Plimer, Adilaide and Melbourne Universities

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    Imron is a very good choice! It has a certain amount of flex additve in it from the manufacturer which makes it unbelievably durable. I painted my outdrive with it and as a demonstration to a friend I took a 3/4 end wrench and smacked it pretty hard, it only dented the aluminum never chipped the paint!

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    those are some good comments...thanks

    I thought about the gel for the bottom and paint for the top idea too.

    I would be repainting a very close shade to the original grumble green color so one thought was to touch up the bottom with matching gel for any scratches or dings and then paint from the waterline stripe on up with Awlgrip or equivelent (by a professional).

    or the other option might be to bite the bullet and just paint the whole damn thing with Awlgrip or whatever and then only leave it in the water for a day or weekend at the most. Really what kind of Donzi owner would I be if I left it sitting at some dock for weeks or months anyway. I think that kind of paint would be fine for a trailer and resisting wear from the bunks/rollers.

    So I guess it brings me to still 3 issues I am "mind-wrestling" with...

    a) Which is the best paint, if I do go that route? (I am leaning towards Awlgrip from what I have read.)

    B) Use gel to repair existing areas or even apply all new gelcoat or other product that works for the underwater portion of the hull (below the stripe)

    3) Should I just paint the whole enchilada and just not worry about it?

    IV) and as a side note, should I really be painting over the gel on a 66 donzi that shows some scratches, dings and some dock rash but is still all original and a cool time capsule?

    Maybe I worry too much, but still all the feedback from you guys and your experiences on other boats really helps me learn what to do (or what to avoid)

    Thanks guys
    Bob

    Covington, Washington
    1966 Donzi 16' Hull #16-226



    here are some short videos...

    a little video clip of our boat idling over to the boat launch so you can hear it.
    http://www.youtube.com/v/GSx8zAmi3R0

    Eaton outdrive rotating 101
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auaFB...yer_detailpage

    thread on our boat
    http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=61975


    Video of the boat on the trailer

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9qXz4CJS8U

  10. #10
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    I used PPG on the X-18. The whole thing. If you are considering Gel, I would recommend a conversation with someone like Gcarter who has actually done it. It is a great way to go, but lots of work from what I have seen. If money and time are no object.....it is the way to go. I would not hesitate to paint again.
    2001 35 Fountain Lightning w500 EFI's
    1973 X-18 - Merc 383 Magnum
    1974 Chris Craft Roamer with 1271 TI's

  11. #11
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    Bob, option IV. Do not paint it. Unless there is major repairs to be made on the deck and hullsides, don't do it.

    PRESERVE IT, don't restore it. You have an amazing boat. Clean it up, and enjoy it for what it is. I took a Silver at Keels and Wheels this year with mine, and I fully believe it was because it is unrestored. Lots of scratches, dings,etc. I take lots of pride in those blemishes, it means my boat has done it's job over the forty years of it's life: it was used and made people smile!

    Grumble Green is a somewhat rare color. I'd preserve it as best you can. The gel on the old Donzi's is VERY thick, and will buff out beautifully. Find someone who knows his way around a buffer, (maybe it's you?), use 3M buffing compund and a good wheel, and let fly! You'll be shocked!
    1970 18 2+3 Hull #18-355 H/M 351W Volvo 250
    07 Cayman IT IS BACK! - '13 Abarth Cabrio

    PRESERVE, DON'T RESTORE

  12. #12
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    Most any high end automotive paint like PPG, BASF, or DuPont will do very well, and will stand up to water immersion for several days at a time w/o bubbling or seperating.
    IMHO, I would go w/a two part, single stage high density paint like BASF UNO HD because it's easier to repair than a base coat/clear coat.
    But this is just my opinion.
    George Carter
    Central Florida
    gcarter763@aol.com
    http://kineticocentralfl.com/


    “If you have to argue your science by using fraud, your science is not valid"
    Professor Ian Plimer, Adilaide and Melbourne Universities

  13. #13
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    I agree w/Jim, if it's possible.
    Nothing quite like maintaining a well preserved boat.
    When I bought the Minx, I was all over that idea.
    What I found was the stripe and sides had all ready been painted.
    I sanded the paint off the stripe and found the gel had already been sanded and buffed so many times that the underlying white gel was showing through. The navy blue sides were also in bad shape.
    As far as the Minx goes, paint was the obvious choice as there wasn't anything unusual about the boat. I simply did what was best for me under the circumstances. I did re-gel the bottom though.
    In the case of the TR, it was one of ten and in pretty bad shape so I bit the bullet and re-gelled. I learned a lot in the process and would think long and hard about doing that again.
    I would, however, repair gel in various areas if I had access to a supplier that could match the color closely.
    George Carter
    Central Florida
    gcarter763@aol.com
    http://kineticocentralfl.com/


    “If you have to argue your science by using fraud, your science is not valid"
    Professor Ian Plimer, Adilaide and Melbourne Universities

  14. #14
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    Our favorites to use are BASF's products, Awlgrip / Awlcraft and Gelcoat.. We do consider whether the boat will stay in the water or be trailered. Gel for at least the bottom if it will stay in for long periods of time, if not then the paints we use hold up very well & give very nice finishes that in most cases hold up better gloss retention wise than the gel would or could.. Jamie / Lakeside

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by JimG View Post
    Bob, option IV. Do not paint it. Unless there is major repairs to be made on the deck and hullsides, don't do it.

    PRESERVE IT, don't restore it. You have an amazing boat. Clean it up, and enjoy it for what it is. I took a Silver at Keels and Wheels this year with mine, and I fully believe it was because it is unrestored. Lots of scratches, dings,etc. I take lots of pride in those blemishes, it means my boat has done it's job over the forty years of it's life: it was used and made people smile!

    Grumble Green is a somewhat rare color. I'd preserve it as best you can. The gel on the old Donzi's is VERY thick, and will buff out beautifully. Find someone who knows his way around a buffer, (maybe it's you?), use 3M buffing compund and a good wheel, and let fly! You'll be shocked!

    I would go this route first, I had a grumble green 16 which was painted over red. i would not take the paint out until I tried to rehab what's on it now. I was tempted on a few occasion to strip the paint and go back green

    I have been involved with a few restorations both gel and paint the painted boats have held up well with dark colors both to uv and water damage when exposed to water in small stretches( a few days off the trailer or lift)for over 5 years. the gel boat is still under a year so time will tell.

    the painted boats have used awlgrip master craft 2000,immron, and PPG ( not by me someone else actually sprayed them no one would be stoopid enuff to give me a spray gun )
    each was the sprayer preference.

    on a daily basis I see a '71 black donzi (original) gel and a 72 black cig 20 ( awlgrip master craft 2000) paint 7 years old. they live on lifts side by side. that sight has lead me to the decision if i have a dark color boat it will never be gel .

    but as things happen, I now have new (old)white boat that is paint ???
    that I just washed and waxed . I would put a bullet in my head if I had to wet sand then keep buffing every year

    I need a 7 foot ladder to get into the damn thing, I could just see the wheel grabbing pulling me off the ladder then having the run away wheel land on me

    but the 16 ain't that big
    When the sky is grey,look out to sea.
    When the waves are high and the light is dying,
    well raise a glass and think of me...
    When I'm home again,
    boys, I'll be buying!

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