International Perfection??

[Neraida]

Hello People...

We are about to embark on a terrifying and potentially expensive project. We are going to paint the topsides of our new (to us) boat. She is a Beneteau First class 8, so 28ish feet long and is white and unpainted to date...

Our painting experience is only of old wooden boats, so the umteen diluted undercoats and gloss with elbow aching wet and dry in between every coat.

So our question is this.. International Perfection 2 pack paint. Any good? Best application methods? Will we get the mirror finish we want without spraying?

We intend to do a couple of undercoats (with wet and dry in between) and press on with the gloss.

Any input or advice would be really appreciated as we are abit scared!!!

Thanks

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[Nigel_Ward]

I have used it once, but on the topsides of a smaller boat than yours. Perfection is quite thin and goes a bit further than you might think. As with all painting, preparation is everything and with Perfection being thin you need to make sure there are no surface defects. I put it on with a roller then tipped it off with a paint pad. The roller needs to be the sort that does not absorb much paint as you could leave £10 worth soaked in it! It is worth brushing the paint pad with a stiff brush before using it to make sure there are no loose bristles or dust in it as these show up in the glossy surface. This gave a really good finish. One other tip is to measure the paint out with syringes if you only need a little extra to finish the job as it is a shame to waste a whole tin if you only need a bit of it (especially when you see the price!) and this also leaves a little for touching up scratches later.



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[Seal_surfer]

I assume you're doing the top half of the hull & not decks/coachroof. I think all the nooks and crannies in the cockpit would be easier with spraying, but hull can definitely be done well with a good paint pad. Just put 2 - 3 coats gloss straight on Gelcoat with 2 pot Poly.

I used "Perfection" on my GRP 16' Wayfarer with great results with 2 coats of gloss straight on to prepared (degreased, filled & flatted) Gelcoat - was advised no primer/undercoat required. I was putting cream over white Gelcoat and 2 coats covered really well - amasingly good obliteration.

I used a 4" closed cell foam roller (type for gloss - not emulsion to quickly cover a few feet length and immediately followed with a high quality (ANSA brand) paint pad to level the surface with minimal brush marks - use vertical strokes. The key is to move boldly & quickly and trust careful use of the pad to contol the paint thickness and give runs or sagging in the paint. avoid going back to improve imperfectopns or any delays in refilling with paint - I had tubs premixed and chilled in freezer (sealed in plastic bag - didn't tell SWMBO) & kept cool during job with freezer packs - it was 30 C in August!

I have just done a similar job on a 22' cruiser with one pot Poly - same roler/pad technique worked well - after initial attempts spraying outside were aborted - overspray (even after masking almost everywhere) & inconsistent coverage (professional kit & skill required I think).

TIP
If you get the feeling something is not going well, stop! I wish I had with my spraying problems (gun nozzle partly blocked) and had an awful lot of flatting to do for the 2nd attempt.

Good luck

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[AndrewB]

I've used this (and its predecessor '708') a number of times on different boats.

Hand brushing will get a nice finish, but never quite as good as spraying. As Nigel_Ward warns, it is not an easy paint to work with, being deceptively thin. Go for two coats rather than risk laying on thick. However the colour will thicken up as the paint cures even if it looks a bit transparent at first. Be sure to keep checking for runs as you paint, they can appear later on surfaces that seemed perfect at first. I always ask a second person to follow behind me, just to do the checking. If you are left with runs, they are a real pain to remove, but it's also bad to try to wipe them out after the paint is starting to cure (20 mins after application).

If you paint in open air, obviously you will prefer a warm, still, dry day avoiding strong direct sunshine. Try to get the job finished by noon to give the paint ample time to get touch-dry before the evening dew. Small black flies seem to be attracted to the paint, if they stick, don't attempt to remove until after the paint is touch-dry.

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[snowleopard]

the key to a good finish is to maintain a 'wet edge'. a gloss roller works well and i find that a 'jenny brush' which is a disposable plastic foam wedge in a stick, produces the best finish without brush marks.

now here's a VITAL piece of info: if you paint outside and dew gets onto the paint before it's fully cured (e.g. within 12 hours or so), the gloss will fade in a few months and the whole thing will go chalky. it says so in the small print so you'll get no sympathy from international!

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[AndrewB]

PS Correction ...

It's not best practice to use two coats if this can be avoided. If the sanded hull is not evenly white (or whatever colour you plan to overcoat), then first apply a coat of Perfection undercoat. This is an easier paint to use than the top coat.

 

[Tantalus]

Rather than try to describe proper technique, I would suggest you do a search, using Google.com. for "roll and tip". Use the quotation marks. You will find innumerable sources of information regarding applying this paint to your boat without having to resort to spraying, which is not for the uninitiated.
Using this techique the thinness of the paint is rather a blessing, not a hindrance.
Best done by two or more. Hope SWMBO is amenable.

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