Hull Paint

[Greg2]

We are considering a small yacht (trailer sailer) that has recently had the hull painted. It looks to be a very good job and was done, we are told, because the dark coloured gelcoat was badly ‘bloomed.’ The paint job was done by a guy who does vehicles (motorcycles to lorries) and chatting to him today he said he used a Mipa paint system, which he says he always uses on the basis of reasonable cost and longevity. Whilst they do produce marine paints I am not sure that this is what was used.

If marine paint wasn’t used and standard automotive paint was used does the panel think it might be a problem or is it likely to be just as good?
.

 

[greeny]

I was interested in your post regarding MIPA paints because I have a topsides to paint this winter and thought I'd check them out. I don't see any mention of marine applications on their website so can only assume that either industrial or automotive paint has been used. Without more information from the spray guy about exactly what paint was used, its hard to assess the potential longevity of the surface. The finish should be good given decent prep and paint, but longevity unknown. The manufacturer products get reasonable/good reviews but only on auto applications as I see on google. Nothing on marine application as I can see.

 

[Gsailor]

The job sounds as though it will have been completed well.

What is so special about the marine environment I ask myself many times when it comes to equipment - sometimes cars go through a tougher environment than boats I think.

I would keep asking questions and researching, but if it is only a small trailer sailor then a complete respray is possible in the worst case scenario - I did one on my first cruiser using jotun paint - the prep work and wet and dry between sprays (with a compressor that could hardly keep up with my wet edge) was 80% of the job. Finished and it was a good job even if I say so myself - a mirror finish.

 

[arcot]

Used best quality exterior house paint....semi gloss with flattening agent added for steel hull (after 6 coats of epoxy paint)

 

[B27]

I'd be asking about compatible matching paint for touch up work, as any paint can get scratched and contrasting gelcoat showing thought paint will look worse than a gelcoat scratch.
I think a few smaller boats get painted in vehicle body shops.

 

[Greg2]

Thanks for the helpful responses.

I too couldn’t find any marine paints on the Mira website but I did find a catalogue (which I can’t find now) that did have some marine coatings but the fact that it wasn’t their mainstream product made me think that the guy who did it will likely have used what he knows. He described it as being paint for gel coat and whilst I could find no trace of him or his business online bar a single thread on Facebook praising his work on a custom lorry cab, his explanation that he only works by word of mouth rang true given the FB thread and what appears to be a very tidy job he has done on the boat.

Good shout on the touch up paint - it is a dark green paint intended to match gelcoat of the same colour so perhaps not an issue for light scrapes but anything more would show through.

 

[ChromeDome]

I don't think the product itself is specific for boats vs industry or automotive.

The difference may be in the intended application method, different hardeners (as for plastic bumpers on cars) and the desired gloss.

Gelcoat is less glossy than car paints and if the boat is less than perfect, a mirror gloss will make imperfections stand out.

 

[rogerthebodger]

My boat was painted with linear polyurethane what my supplier used for paint jet aircraft.

Considering where jet aircraft go and are nearly open to the elements they must be OK

Mine still looks good after 15 years except for some damage when our marina break up some years ago

Cars are also left in the open quite obtain and the paint seem to survive OK in high UV areas where I live