HoverCraft, paint

[Seahallknowhall]

Ah hoy there crew,

My uncle has built himself a hovercraft.... i know wow.... but here is the question.
Taking on the fact that i'm doing my own boat project He's asked me in the faith that i know my stuff....

Quote... ''What is the best paint for my hovercraft for a very smooth finish and hard resistance'' Unquote...

but being a self confessed green gill i said i would ask about for him and find an answer....

Cheers Crew as always all comments and story's more than welcome... thank you

 

[Grajan]

The hardest high gloss finishes are two pack polyurethane coatings but require good conditions to apply and are very pricey, ordinary single pack yacht finishes are easier to apply and will give very good results and are easier to work with and can be touched up simply, follow the scheme specification and you wont go wrong
Regards Graham G

 

[Seahallknowhall]

The hardest high gloss finishes are two pack polyurethane coatings but require good conditions to apply and are very pricey, ordinary single pack yacht finishes are easier to apply and will give very good results and are easier to work with and can be touched up simply, follow the scheme specification and you wont go wrong
Regards Graham G

That's great thanks... Does anybody know the best or cheapest place to find such paints... had a quick look on ebay with no luck....

 

[highlandhovercraft]

HI, I am into hovercraft and have built several.

Paint, personally I prefer Jotun 2 pack epoxy primer such as this one as it is intended for GRP and as such does not require an etch primer.

http://www.smlmarinepaints.co.uk/primers/two-pack/grp_cover-all

The primer goes on well with a roller.

There are downsides though.

It takes several days to cure.

You can only apply one coat per day.

It is extremely hard to rub down when cured.

If he has access to spray equipment then he could apply an etch primer followed by a 2 pack high build primer which is used in the auto industry, as a hovercraft is not subject to being moored in water, so not the same problem with osmosis etc.

Top coat if no spray equipment then Jotun do a 2 pack top coat which goes on very well with a foam roller and gives a pretty good finish if the prep work is right. I have painted two hovers and a boat using this method;

http://www.smlmarinepaints.co.uk/topcoats/two-pack/hardtop-xp

My last hovercraft I built and painted I used the 2 pack epoxy primer and applied it with a roller. I prepped this when cured and sprayed the top coat with 2 pack acrylic as used in the auto industry.

Videos of my hovercraft can be found on my you tube page;

The following video was taken a few hours after I had sprayed the hull.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRhl8ZhvCWE&list=UU8bR591xDPobdz_nre8gZpQ

I hope this info helps

 

[Avocet]

Don't know if they're the cheapest, but this lot do a huge range of paints:

http://www.boatpaint.co.uk/acatalog/index.html