Paint or Gelcoat on deck

[Brian Lowman]

The deck of my '73 E25 has faded. It the distant past it was painted from the rubrail up and the paint is in good shape except that it is becoming worn. Mechanically it and the deck are in great shape.

I want to repaint the deck by hand and have two choices,

I have used two part epoxy Gelcoat (West) on a couple of small repairs and was amazed at its gloss and ease of application. I do not know if it would hold up over the paint, but I could sand before applying.

The second choice would be a two part paint. I have used some in the past but was not overly impressed due to the thinness of application and tendency to run.

Does anyone have any input or other suggestions. I will make the application while the boat is in the water and it will be pretty warm here in Pensacola, no matter what time of day I choose.

Thanks,
Brian Lowman
S/V Gypsy Rose

 

[Loren Beach]

I have not painted a deck, but would note that epoxy is harmed by exposure to UV. It needs protecting by a cover coating. LPU is what most folks use to renew a deck or any part of the topsides.
It can be tricky for us beginners to apply, but I have seen some great results among the awful ones...

There are information pieces available from some of the major coating suppliers to guide you. There are many good books on the subject. You need to decide what sort of grit to add and what grinding/sanding prep work is best for your boat. If you choose to paint over the old non-skid pattern, with it's years of wear/smoothness, be prepared for slippery "non skid". Sometimes this quick approach works, on some boats... Often it leads to slick decks.
You might want to get a bid from a yard that does this type of work, just to guage what is involved.

When done right, it adds to the use *and* value of your boat. When done poorly..........

But, let's not think about that side of it!

Best of luck on your project,
Loren in PDX

 

[Brian Lowman]

Loren,

Thanks for the reply.

I just checked the can of gelcoat I have been using and it is polyester, not epoxy, which possibly accounts for its ease of application.

Also, I am considering using a 'non-skid' paint on the non-skid areas, so my application would not cause 'slipping' problems.

I have reserched a lot of manufacturers information and, unfortunately, they all promise you the moon. I guess I am looking for some 'hands on' data.

Will gelcoat hold up in high traffic areas around the non-skid and on the bow?

Brian Lowman
S/V Gypsy Rose

 

[Gary and Terri]

Brian,
Just to give you some more food for thought. Several others in my marina have had good success with the one part paints. One gentleman has painted dozen of the boats using the Interlux brand and another used a different brand(don't remember which). Both had about equal results IMO. Although I think the Interlux has a tiny bit less gloss.The other swore it flowed on almost by itself. They both get about 2-3 yrs out of the paint, with 2coats of primer and 3coats finsih.Read somewhere to put on 3rd coat of 1/2 primer and1/2 finish paint before finish coats. Anyhow, when the interlux fads he lightly sands and puts on a clear gloss that makes it looks fresh again,the other lightly sands and puts on another coat of finsh paint.
I can't speak from first hand knowledge as I have not started my repaint yet,was going to this past spring but... maybe this fall.I do plan to remove all deck fittings. I figure it will be easier in the long run. Plus will give me a reason to rebed everything. We have always done that about every other year and all our boats anyhow.
We live in the west central gulf coast so the sun is a killer of all things here also.
Good luck, lets us know what you wind up doing.
Gary

 

[Martin King]

Just repainted my decks using Sterling LP and am once again
am pleased with the results. For the non-skid areas, we used
the Interlux polymeric spheres which add the right amount
of texture without being abrasive on skin. Sterling has an
excellent application guide which you need to read if this is
your first use of their products. This is also a good time
to move or change deck hardware. With a small triangular
file, you can repair the molded non skid to where it's almost
invisible when painted.

Martin

 

[Brian Lowman]

I ran into our local sailboat refitter/refinisher yesterday and he recommended using 2 coats of AwlGrip on my deck, cabintop and cockpit, sanding in between. He said that in the high heat and humidity of Florida he has had no problems with brushed/rolled on AwlGrip and that it covers really well. It would be especially applicable since my decks have been painted before (brand of paint inknown).

Has anyone else tried applying AwlGrip by hand? After looking at some of his work, it does seem like an extremely good finish.

Brian Lowman

S/V Gypsy Rose

 

[footrope]

Martin King wrote:

"With a small triangular file, you can repair the molded non skid to where it's almost invisible when painted. "

By this do you mean the molded non-skid is removed, to make way for the paint with the non-skid additive?

Looks like I'll be doing something like this after I repair a few deck voids in my '80 E38. There are also areas where the gelcoat is wearing off and showing the a dark color underneath.

Thanks.

 

[Renegade Peso]

Paint that deck with???

I have painted boats with every kind of paint you can think of even house paint,don't ask. Awlgrip is the best for decks as it is very hard when it kicks off. Also Awlgrip takes silica real well and makes for a good non skid surfaces. I have always used an off color over the white under coat a light gray or tan for the non skid surfaces. don't let the paint set compleatly hard on your tape or you may have a bummer on your hands. Algrip should not be used for hulls as it can be chipped and is a bear to feather and patch. Imiron is flexibul and works for the hull.

 

[Brian Lowman]

Renegade Peso,

Thanks for the voice of experience. I appreciate the tip about the tape also as I was trying to decide how long to leave it on as the boat is in the water and removing tape will be difficult, but something I will be sure to do.

I will probably tackle the deck with AwlGrip sometime next month. I can construct a tent over the boat to keep most dust and dirt out of the paint. The non-skip will be the AwlGrip silica, but I think I will stick with white.

Thanks again,
Brian Lowman
S/V Gypsy Rose

By the way, is there an interesting story behind the name 'Renegade Peso'?

 

[Martin King]

Craig,
To clarify I was referring to moving or changing deck hardware
where old holes need patching. It's a simple matter to fill
the old ones with epoxy, and then shape with a file to match
the existing pattern. The new paint (with additives) is applied
over the molded in non skid.

Martin

 

[lets_go_sailing]

Brian,
I agree that awl-grip is the way to go! It has a beautiful gloss and is very resistant to solvents such as acetone, allthough it may dull the finish slightly if you get carried away. Awl-grip is very easy to apply by brush/roll and tip. Couple of tips though,
-You may have to remove all of the old paint first depending on what type of paint it is. A good awl-grip system should never be applied over anything but awl-grip. if you do not know what type of paint you have test a small spot. if the existing paint is a 2 part poly then you will probably be ok. Non-skid areas can be removed with a wire brush and a lot of elbow grease.
-Get the awl-grip application guide BEFORE you order any paint so that you know exactly what kind of catalyst and thinner to order. This stuff is expensive. Read the guide carefully and do exactly what it says.
- dont thin the paint as much as recomended it will run like a scared dog. they recomend 25-30 percent I usually thin about 15 when brushing/roll. Roll about a 1 square foot area then tip.
-DO NOT use cheap tape. you will regret it. I use the 3-m fine line tape available at auto paint supply shops. its very flexible and pulls a very clean edge.
Good Luck,
Mike R.
e34t #134

 

[footrope]

Martin,

Thanks for the clarification.

Not sure this is relevant to this thread, but I have Awlgrip (black) on my mast that was professionally applied for the PO in 1994 or 95. It still looks great