advice on overpainting GRP and gelcoat

[skyflyer]

I have been given a knackered old GRP dinghy which I intend to use as a shorebased tender to get to the swinging mooring if I arrive at the marina after the water taxi finishes!

It has been holed and repaired so any paint is going to be applied to both the original gel coat and also onto the choped strand and epoxy repairs and a bit of filler used for fairing etc.

What is the simplest and most cost effective solution to repaininting this dinghy hull? Its going to get dragged up a shingle beach and left outside so I am not convinced it is worth spending a lot on!

Thanks

 

[sailorman]

I have been given a knackered old GRP dinghy which I intend to use as a shorebased tender to get to the swinging mooring if I arrive at the marina after the water taxi finishes!

It has been holed and repaired so any paint is going to be applied to both the original gel coat and also onto the choped strand and epoxy repairs and a bit of filler used for fairing etc.

What is the simplest and most cost effective solution to repaininting this dinghy hull? Its going to get dragged up a shingle beach and left outside so I am not convinced it is worth spending a lot on!

Thanks

B & Q U/c & gloss

 

[skyflyer]

will "ordinary household paint" not flake and scratch off very easily?

 

[alahol2]

Yep, flat off, undercoat, exterior gloss from a shed.

 

[sailorman]

will "ordinary household paint" not flake and scratch off very easily?

do you want a good job or cheap as your OP
Good job = buy 2 pack u/c & gloss

 

[skyflyer]

I didnt say cheapo, I said cost effective -there's a big difference

It is not cost effective if its cheap and has to be redone every month and its not cost effective if I use an expensive paint to give a perfect finish to an imperfect object - although as they say, even if you cant polish a turd you can roll it in glitter!

 

[alahol2]

I didnt say cheapo, I said cost effective -there's a big difference

It is not cost effective if its cheap and has to be redone every month and its not cost effective if I use an expensive paint to give a perfect finish to an imperfect object - although as they say, even if you cant polish a turd you can roll it in glitter!

My dinghy is painted with exterior gloss. Yes it scratches off the runners if you drag it up a beach but the rest is surprisingly robust. Only had to repaint the underwater bits in the last 5 years.

 

[John the kiwi]

If you are dragging up a shingle beach then you might consider bonding a couple of hardwood rubbing strakes to the hull before painting. I assume it has a keel strip already?
Are dinghy wheels an option for the boat /beach combo? All of the above will extend the life of whatever cost effective paint you decide on.

 

[sailorman]

I have been given a knackered old GRP dinghy which I intend to use as a shorebased tender to get to the swinging mooring if I arrive at the marina after the water taxi finishes!

It has been holed and repaired so any paint is going to be applied to both the original gel coat and also onto the choped strand and epoxy repairs and a bit of filler used for fairing etc.

What is the simplest and most cost effective solution to repaininting this dinghy hull? Its going to get dragged up a shingle beach and left outside so I am not convinced it is worth spending a lot on!

Thanks

I didnt say cheapo, I said cost effective -there's a big difference

It is not cost effective if its cheap and has to be redone every month and its not cost effective if I use an expensive paint to give a perfect finish to an imperfect object - although as they say, even if you cant polish a turd you can roll it in glitter!

Sorry i misunderstood

 

[skyflyer]

sailorman, we are getting into a bit of thread drift, but 'not spending a lot' is not the same as 'spending the absolute minimum"! Thanks for the input anyway; sounds as though household exterior gloss will do a good job - probably the same stuff anyway just with the word 'Marine' added to double the price!

 

[lw395]

You could consider coating it with gelcoat/top coat.
The advantage is, it's a thicker layer than paint, and should bond fairly well to the GRP.
It should also be fairly resistant to getting rubbed off onto the topsides of the yacht.
But TBH, white polyurethane dulux has a lot of advantages.

 

[Tam Lin]

Why bother? You'll only make it nice and desirable then someone will nick it!