What finish to use?

Coppereight

New Member
I believe I have a porpoise? It was given to me and I’d like to re finish it and put her in the water. What finish should I use and any recommended courses of action would be appreciated. This was a free boat and I really am wanting to gain repair experience more than anything and this is my practice canvas so please don’t tell me to dumpster it and buy a decent boat. Also if you know what this boat actually is let me know because I’m trying to find the rigging instructions somewhere
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I'd weigh it first, get an old bathroom scale and stand the boat on its side on the scale.

Get some more photos, see if the sail has a logo and get length and beam measurements, that will help pin down which boat it is. My2Fish and others will be keen on which boat it is, the Porpoise was just over 12 feet long, factory weight around 80 pounds and the Super Porpoise is 14' 8", beam 49 inches and weight 155 pounds.

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Looks like some thickened epoxy and clamps are in your future to seal up the deck/hull seam. If there is a drain plug I'd tape those seams closed temporarily and do an air leak test to see what other areas might need attention.

I'm not sure if that boat has interior foam blocks for flotation and structure. The weighing will tell us some important info.

Then gelcoat repair down the road.
 
Awesome thanks for that. I’m currently reading the” from the beginning” thread. But I’d definitely like to know what boat I have. I’ll get the measurements. The guy that gave it to me had it in his garage for the last 5 years but I’ll get a scale to weigh it. Also I’ll get a pic of the sail I forgot to do that when I unrolled it to see how bad it was lol
 
Wash the boat first to get a better look at the damage. Some of those spider cracks look superficial, others might run deeper. All can be repaired, no worries there, but finding another rub rail may be a challenge... that existing rail looks shot. I'm thinking you could clamp the hull & deck sections together as you re-glass them, then find a suitable substitute rail at the Depot or an industrial warehouse... provided you can't find a replacement for the original, or maybe some material from another boat builder. As long as it fits and you can make it secure & watertight, that's all you need for the boat to be seaworthy. I've seen some rub rails fashioned out of cut hoses, but they still worked, lol. Once you get all your prep & repair work done, I'd suggest 2-part LP primer & paint, my usual choice for these small hulls which tend to flex in a seaway. Not a bad choice, and very durable when applied correctly... and to me, that means two coats each of primer & paint. Knock that out first, then install your new rail... :rolleyes:
 
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Took me a while to figure it out, but you are missing the splash guard.... You could have a Super Porpoise.
The lateen sail setup is more or less identical to a Sunfish setup, so you can use a Sunfish rigging guide to get started.
Do you have the rudder? It has a lead weight in it, and is quite different from a Sunfish rudder. Finding spare parts will be tricky so hopefully you have everything.
A pressure wash and deep clean will help out a lot. Weigh the boat then to help figure out your next steps.
 
Wash the boat first to get a better look at the damage. Some of those spider cracks look superficial, others might run deeper. All can be repaired, no worries there, but finding another rub rail may be a challenge... that existing rail looks shot. I'm thinking you could clamp the hull & deck sections together as you re-glass them, then find a suitable substitute rail at the Depot or an industrial warehouse... provided you can't find a replacement for the original, or maybe some material from another boat builder. As long as it fits and you can make it secure & watertight, that's all you need for the boat to be seaworthy. I've seen some rub rails fashioned out of cut hoses, but they still worked, lol. Once you get all your prep & repair work done, I'd suggest 2-part LP primer & paint, my usual choice for these small hulls which tend to flex in a seaway. Not a bad choice, and very durable when applied correctly... and to me, that means two coats each of primer & paint. Knock that out first, then install your new rail... :rolleyes:
The guy that gave me the boat gave me a replacement rails for it so I’m good there! Do in sand the gel coat off or cut it then prime and paint. I’m torn between getting it in the water and wanting to really practice some work on it.
Took me a while to figure it out, but you are missing the splash guard.... You could have a Super Porpoise.
The lateen sail setup is more or less identical to a Sunfish setup, so you can use a Sunfish rigging guide to get started.
Do you have the rudder? It has a lead weight in it, and is quite different from a Sunfish rudder. Finding spare parts will be tricky so hopefully you have everything.
A pressure wash and deep clean will help out a lot. Weigh the boat then to help figure out your next steps.
i do have a rudder it’s broken on the bottom but I know I can fix or make a new one. I do construction work so that’s not to big of a deal. The splash guard was throwing me off too but I’m an idiot and didn’t think it could just be missing lol. I am pretty sure I have close to everything minus the mast, however the guy that gave it to me knows where he got it from so he said he’d try and get ahold of him and see if he has the mast lying around somewhere. If not I’ve found a few masts online.
Wash the boat first to get a better look at the damage. Some of those spider cracks look superficial, others might run deeper. All can be repaired, no worries there, but finding another rub rail may be a challenge... that existing rail looks shot. I'm thinking you could clamp the hull & deck sections together as you re-glass them, then find a suitable substitute rail at the Depot or an industrial warehouse... provided you can't find a replacement for the original, or maybe some material from another boat builder. As long as it fits and you can make it secure & watertight, that's all you need for the boat to be seaworthy. I've seen some rub rails fashioned out of cut hoses, but they still worked, lol. Once you get all your prep & repair work done, I'd suggest 2-part LP primer & paint, my usual choice for these small hulls which tend to flex in a seaway. Not a bad choice, and very durable when applied correctly... and to me, that means two coats each of primer & paint. Knock that out first, then install your new rail... :rolleyes:

the guy I got it from gave me new rail for it so I’m good there. I’m wondering how far do I take sanding? I was Hoping to clean it today and do a pressure test but had to work unfortunately. How crazy do I get with sanding if I’m going to prime and paint it? That seems like the simplest route if I just want to get it out on the water anyway.
 
It was given to me and I’d like to re finish it and put her in the water.

Damn, OP, I never congratulated you for being a proud *new* boat owner, lol... I was distracted earlier, you understand. Hell, you can now call yourself a "yacht owner" if necessary, just to impress the right people, lol. I also see that there is some metal trim along that rail in some areas? Meh, again, you can substitute other materials once ya finish working on that joint between hull & deck sections. As for me, my feet are tired, I've been slapping together a primo batch of hot & spicy homemade chicken & shrimp burritos, heaps of fresh veggies in the mix... I even BBQd the yardbird first, boneless thigh fillets so they cooked quickly enough. But damn, my feet are ACHING, and I know why: for nearly a week, I was hobbling around like an old man, rolling in my walk like a drunken sailor ashore, and I used or stressed foot muscles, bones, etc., that I don't normally use when walking. Now, instead of one severely injured foot, I have two aching feet, but the level or gradation of pain is noticeably lower than the former excruciating agony, so that's good news. More good news: I'm about to mack a custom burrito plate which definitely won't suck, I've been sampling the mix now that it's done, lol. :rolleyes:

I'm just sitting at the dining room table, enjoying my last beer before I slap together this burrito... once I eat, I'm heading directly to ye olde rack to get a good night's sleep. I'll put away all the leftovers first, but I already did one round of dishes, so the rest go into the dual stainless steel sink to soak for the night, lol. Tomorrow's another day, a good philosophy to adopt when working on these small craft repairs. The work will get done, no worries... it just doesn't ALL have to be done in one day, lol. Oh, hell, looks like ya just posted another message, and I'm about to go mack & crash. But hey, congratulations on being a "yacht owner!!!" ;)

Y'ALL BE GOOD, I'M OFF TO EAT DINNER AND THEN REST MY ACHING FEET... FEELS LIKE I JUST FINISHED A 100-MILE ROAD MARCH WITH A 75-LB. RUCKSACK, AND I OUGHT TO KNOW, I SERVED IN THE INFANTRY WHEN I VOLUNTEERED FOR THE AARRRRRGHMY, LOL. CHEERS!!! :cool:
 
1) Those cockpit drains are the same as other, unique, Porpoise drains.

2) The original Porpoise rudder had a round lead weight in it to keep it from floating ineffectively.

Some Porpoise owners converted to the later Sunfish rudders, which are sprung down (or up): but that's a $150 retrofit. :eek:
 
Listen, for your purposes, you don't need to strip the gelcoat, you just want to sand it down far enough for LP primer to adhere. Sand it, fill whatever cosmetic spider cracks remain, and fix any dings or serious cracks (extra sanding or grinding may be necessary for those trouble spots). Wait for a good day to prime it: low humidity, ideal temp of 70 degrees, morning hours so the wind hasn't risen yet (less dust & bugs that way). I used to prime or paint my hulls between 0900 and 1000 hours, by that time any morning dew was long gone. Don't forget to give the prepped hull (or deck) an acetone bath before priming, you want the surface to be smooth and dust-free. As long as you sand away the outermost weathered surface of gelcoat, you'll get a decent bond with the LP primer, just don't leave the prepped hull sitting around too long, you want to get that primer on pronto. Once you have that first layer of primer on the hull (or deck), then you can add layers of primer & topcoat as you go, and as weather conditions permit. In the past, I'd usually throw one coat on every morning, though if the wind didn't pick up I'd sometimes apply two, particularly with primer where it wasn't as critical as a topcoat. You can do some very light sanding between the first few coats if absolutely necessary, if you have blisters or trouble spots or whatnot, but use fine sandpaper and don't overdo it. :confused:

Again, this is just my $.02, but for your avowed purposes, getting some repair experience and getting the boat out on the water, this is an economical and effective way to do it. Do NOT bother stripping the gelcoat entirely, no need to go to the trouble, just be sure to get rid of the weathered (and possibly chalky) outermost surface of the gelcoat, so that LP primer will adhere nicely. That LP is a great product, it's quite versatile, which is why I always recommend it. Plus, you get to pick a nice new color scheme for your boat, always my favorite part of the process! Whenever I see an LP color chart, I'm like a kid in a candy store, and I've been known to make unconventional choices... one time I painted my Laser hull in a beautiful purple color, with a gleaming white deck, and that color scheme garnered MANY compliments from folks in passing, even back at the house when I was rinsing the hull after a long day of sailing. Older folks walking by on the sidewalk would say, "WOW, WHAT A PRETTY BOAT!!!" Or, from the younger set: "COOL BOAT, DUDE!!!" Nothing wrong with LP, bud, when it's done right and allowed to cure properly. Prep work has a lot to do with success, the prep work is all important. Okay, I've rambled on enough here, I have to get cleaned up and run to the store for more beer... that batch of burrito mix I made yesterday was awesome, it turned out mighty tasty & I have heaps left, lol. :rolleyes:

DON'T SWEAT THIS PROJECT, YOU CAN EASILY HANDLE IT, AND YOU'RE CERTAINLY MOTIVATED ENOUGH TO DO IT... CHEERS!!! :cool:
 
Put the kiddos to work this evening. We got the deck cleaned up then it got dark, so hopefully it’s clean. I’ll post some updated pics of the cracking tomorrow ( I keep saying that). I flipped the boat over to start cleaning the hull and I’m pretty sure the foam is not attached to the bottom behind the tub. When I push on it there is some play before I can feel the foam block. Does this need to be addressed? I’m assuming I’d have to cut an access then glue it back if it’s necessary.
 

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Salty crew ya got there... you'll have to start using salty lingo on 'em, like "ARRRRRRR!!!" and "AVAST, SHIPMATES!!!" :rolleyes:

Maybe even wear a salty pirate shirt like mine:

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Hmm, on second thought, those crew members look a bit young... skip the salty drinking shirt for now, lol. ;)

You can probably find an alcohol-free pirate shirt somewhere on the web, aye? :cool:
 
Salty crew ya got there... you'll have to start using salty lingo on 'em, like "ARRRRRRR!!!" and "AVAST, SHIPMATES!!!" :rolleyes:

Maybe even wear a salty pirate shirt like mine:

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Hmm, on second thought, those crew members look a bit young... skip the salty drinking shirt for now, lol. ;)

You can probably find an alcohol-free pirate shirt somewhere on the web, aye? :cool:
You’re brilliant! Guess we’re gonna have to head to international waters....
 
I used to buy all my LP primer & paint from Pro-Line, an industrial outfit that supplied the U.S. Navy with paint for its ships... contractors too, that outfit sold a LOT of paint to the Navy and the nearby shipyards. Main reason I went there was because it was close to my house, right across the bay bridge in an industrial area just north of the 32nd Street Naval Station. There were some helpful folks there at Pro-Line, and plenty of color charts to pore over as you made your choice. I'm not saying their paint was the best you could possibly buy on the planet, but it always worked well enough for me, and the prices were fair... :D

Nowadays, you can probably search the web for LP products, I'm sure there are some decent brands of paint out there. A word of advice: avoid buying your paint through a chandlery, boat shop or 'brick-and-mortar' marine supply store, where prices will ALWAYS be jacked up for profit. Anytime you have "boat" or "marine" tacked onto a store or supplier's name, you're gonna pay more for the "privilege" of shopping there, PFFFFFFFT. Any good industrial paint supplier will have LP primer & paint available, and the products don't necessarily have to include the word "boat" or "marine" on the label, lol. ;)

Of course, you may find some specific brands & products on sale, especially on the web, in which case, buy whatever suits ya... for me, choosing Pro-Line was easy because the store or warehouse was minutes from my house, the prices were always reasonable, and the sales clerks never threw bull$h!t my way, they were all about selecting the right primer & paint for the purpose. I'm not sure how it is on the web now, you can probably narrow things down and lean toward specific "marine" products... however, LP is so versatile, it's used in many different applications, not just small boat hulls, you understand. :rolleyes:

Oh, yeah, one other reason why I chose Pro-Line... the company had been in business for decades, supplying paint to the Navy, and I figured, "If it's good enough for Uncle Sam and the Navy, then it's good enough for me." For all I know, they're still in business, I can't see 'em going under even with things the way they are, not as long as the Navy still needs paint for its ships. In your situation, I'd look for an industrial paint supplier in your area, or else search the web for marine products, the prices (shipping included) will probably be lower than those found in any chandlery, boat shop, or 'brick-and-mortar' marine supply store. :cool:
 
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Thanks cactus. All these different products for repairing the sunfish are confusing to me or most newbies. I may make a post with a list of names of major products in bullet single line format and let the experts detail what they are and best use. Thanks again for the info.
 
Remember, 2-part LP is best! I was just looking at some LP products on the web, and I saw one blurb about not using LP under the waterline, but don't worry about it as long as you're hauling your boat out of the water after every use. I never had any problem with LP as a hull coating, it's very durable and it easily withstood the abuse of long voyages & full days of sailing, even 2-day voyages to the islands off Baja, though I always brought the boat ashore when I landed on those islands. Wait, I take it back, on my very first island voyage I was forced to leave the derigged hull afloat overnight, and again, no problem... I think that warning about not using LP below the waterline is meant for boat owners who leave their craft in the water 24/7/365. :confused:
 

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