Finally Done!!!

great job, I'm doing about the same thing to two boats simutaneously this winter. They are getting patched up for the rest of the summer , and redone over the winter.

Ernie
 
Beautiful Job. Congratulations. I love the red--it is awesomely great looking.

I have the same sail too. I think it is one of the nicest looking sails out there.

Is that paint or gelcoat? Either way it looks just great. Post some pictures of you sailing it.
 
acs026 said:
I rolled on the first three coats....I sprayed on the fourth.
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I'm going to be painting my keelboat next week. I'm thinking about spraying. I don't have the equipment, but if it rains any day this week, I'll be driving over to LBI to pick up a compressor, breathing gear, and a sprayer. I want to try spraying. My brother and I are pretty good with the tip and roll. People tell is it looks sprayed. I thin the heck out of the paint and do three instead of two coats.

You method sounds interesting--rolling and then spraying.

What did you use for equipment?
 
I actually just used the cheap preveal sprayers. Since it was only last coat I was mostly really only trying to cover up any roller marks. So it worked out pretty well. The next one i do though I wont to get a real gun and just gelcoat the whole thing and not do paint. The paint just doesnt seem like it is going to hold up very long.
 
acs026 said:
I actually just used the cheap preveal sprayers. Since it was only last coat I was mostly really only trying to cover up any roller marks. So it worked out pretty well. The next one i do though I wont to get a real gun and just gelcoat the whole thing and not do paint. The paint just doesnt seem like it is going to hold up very long.
Click to expand...

I tried gelcoating the deck of my keelboat. I came to a few conclusions.

1) Do it indoors.
2) Do in only when the weather is very dry--like the winter in a heated space.
3) Use only fresh materials.
4) Measure the catalyst with a graduated syringe.
5) Mix the heck out of it. When you think you have mixed in enough to it some more.
6) Have a supply of Styrene on hand to remove any wax ( and this will turn into wax itself in no time--so use it up)
7) Be prepared to sand it all off, or use Acetone, and start again. Be prepared to sand forever.
8) Fair the hull with long boards, and don't assume you can make up minor imperfections with the gelcoat itself.
9) Spray it and don't even think about rolling it or brushing it. Do it in one application.
10) Put a lot on--make it thick, it sets up better.

I wasted at probably two years trying to gelcoat my keelboat. I had two batches that would not set up, I did not have an interior shop big enough for the boat.

Recently I decided to give up and paint it.

However, for a Sunfish, or something like a Whaler, the size of the job, the fact you can do it inside a garage and wheel it outside for sanding makes it quite feasible.
 
Boat looks great and it gives me a lot more hope for my little project!

I just picked up a 1974 Sunfish, and it will be my first sailboat of any kind. I've only sailed once on a rented sunfish, and on that particular day we had very little wind, but the sensation stuck with me.

I'm going to try and save the gelcoat with some wet sanding first. The hull doesn't have any actual holes, only surface scratchs and some surface cracking. If I do end up painting her though, I would plan to spray her. I have a compressor and 2 different small canister sprayers that came with the compressor new. I'm sure they are on the cheaper end of the spectrum when it comes to sprayers, but my guess is they will work.

Any tips on spraying, like thinning instructions? Should I just roll on the primer coat/coats if I'm spraying the top, or do I need to spray it too?

Thanks for any comment!
 
rsaylor3 said:
Boat looks great and it gives me a lot more hope for my little project!

I just picked up a 1974 Sunfish, and it will be my first sailboat of any kind. I've only sailed once on a rented sunfish, and on that particular day we had very little wind, but the sensation stuck with me.

I'm going to try and save the gelcoat with some wet sanding first. The hull doesn't have any actual holes, only surface scratchs and some surface cracking. If I do end up painting her though, I would plan to spray her. I have a compressor and 2 different small canister sprayers that came with the compressor new. I'm sure they are on the cheaper end of the spectrum when it comes to sprayers, but my guess is they will work.

Any tips on spraying, like thinning instructions? Should I just roll on the primer coat/coats if I'm spraying the top, or do I need to spray it too?

Thanks for any comment!
Click to expand...

You can easily roll the primer coat. I use Interlux 2000E and sand with 220 grit. Makes for a very smooth surface.

I'd just lightly sand the gelcoat. For Sunfish bottoms I sometime fill scratches with gelcoat and sand it smooth. I don't work too much about making a bottom look pretty. No one sees it in the water. You do want it smooth though.
 
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