2-pack application advice

[scotts_mist]

To get rid of orange peel, and bring up a very nice and deep shine, I found:

1) Go over it with very fine wet and dry - like 1,000 grit or finer (this takes some bravery as it initially looks worse)
2) Then apply cutting compound, first a medium grade and then a fine grade (from memory something like 500 and 300 but can't remember which is finer so do check!)
3) Finally go over it with boat wax/polish

You should probably test the approach on a smaller part of the hull first - perhaps the transom?

One final thing, don't worry too much about minor blemishes. I spent days trying to get the perfect - most of the boat looked wonderful but there was the odd patch where I wasn't 100% happy with it. But when it went in the water, all the blemishes just seemed to vanish.

 

[Avocet]

Thanks for that. The data sheet says the paint hardens fully in 7 days. Am I best waiting for it to harden fully, or should I got at it as soon as the paper won't clog?

 

[Avocet]

Hi Avocet,
Good to see you finally got some nice paint on her.

Have you called any of the local panel and paint shops and told them you have everything set up, scaffolding. masking, mixing and you need a bloke with his favourite spray gun to turn up and do his magic, then leave you to do all the clean-up.

It would take perhaps a hour of his time and save you days potentially.

This stuff starts drying as soon as it hits the air, so orange peel could be that you are too far off the surface.

The best results I have seen was done by applying a mist coat (dries in minutes) then a half coat, also dries very fast, then a final and full coat.

The previous coats seem to help the final coat hang on or grip better so no runs unless you go overboard.

Best of luck.

Ah! Was hoping you'd be around! Yes, finally, the waiting is over!

OK, some answers:

First of all, you wouldn't believe the begging, pleading, cajoling that I've done to try and get a "pro" to throw some paint at it. ALL to no avail. It wasn't even as it it got as far as discussion money - it was just a flat "no"! None of the local crash repair shops are interested, same with the mobile "dent and scrape" companies. In the end, I simply couldn't take the risk of losing yet another spell of dry, settled weather so I've done it myself. To be honest, although the final paint job has been a bit (well, "pants", really) I'm pleased that the hull shape is fair. There's just one ever-so-slight hollow in it, but I have to look quite hard to see it (and as Scotts says), I'd also need to be "in" the water to see it, so I can live with that. It's just really a case of letting it harden off now, getting the dead bugs out, getting rid of some of the worst orange peel bits, re-painting the red cove line...

...and THEN I'll be able to start rebuilding the inside and decks that have been getting mouldy this last 6 years, (and seeing if the engine hasn't seized) and I'll be good to go! Thanks ever so much for all your help and advice on this!