New build Sanlorenzo SL96A 2024

All paint companies are good. Even if you use some automotive paint, if done correctly it will turn out good.

Awlgrip is top for that deep finish, but if in need of a repair, it makes the people doing it cry in pain. It is a handful. Probably Awlgrip needs to thank Perini which had that deep blue in the nineties and made everything look less deep. They have the Awlcraft paint which is a normal hardner spray mix to compete with the rest. Used a lot locally here for gelcoat repairs.
AlexSeal is the one who has taken over the US market. It has top reviews in the USA, and many custom sportfish builders using it, including the production king ie, Viking.
Imron was the one used by Hatteras in the eighties/nineties (not sure if they still use it), the ivory creamish boats with IMRON are still the same and shine even with the least of polish.
Stoppani got a good name for its epoxy paste in the nineties, as I said all paint companyies produce a good mix.

Probably for easy application the AlexSeal tip and roll really gets a high score.
 
The other thing is and most importantly imho is the operator technique .
Mr Googler hit this wall with his thread iirc ,but sorted it in the end .

I personally didn’t want to dictate to a team used to brand X to switch to brand Y .In terms of mixing , spray gun pressure , nozzles , sweep strokes , drying time and of course the base prep before the final coat(s) .


I did see some very fine tip + roll at a yard with a shed in Savona pre covid and tee d up the job but covid struck and the chap didn’t make it .
Finger tapping on a white yacht ( sail boat ) i remember saying to him “ what’s wrong with this fibreglass “ thinking it was gel coat .Only to be told it’s was painted a finished job .Looked that good .
He did say I could choose the brand , and when quizzed / pushed for pecking order he shrugged his shoulders and passed the buck back to me to decide .Wouldn’t say which one he prefers .

Amico told me Stoppani is what all the SY used FWIW with tent + spray .As said I just went with the flow 😏
Apparently it’s easy touch up able they told me .
 
Agree that it makes sense to let the operator use a product that they are used to. For us end users, there doesn't seem to be a meaningful difference between most of the major-player products. I think Amico are wildly wrong with their "Stoppani is what all the SY used" comment though.
 
We had our waterline repainted this year - using Awlgrip but I don't know which one - used a local contractor who has lots of experience with Awlgrip so apart from choosing the colour, we left it to him.

There was loads of prep - stripped the old one right back to gelcoat.

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I'm please with the end result

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Better than new - In th factory, Princess used ordinary paint.
 
It’s all prep and you have to tent for a big job. I literally watched the wind dry the paint off in minutes. Thinning is the skill part and I sort of got it down in the end. Controlling the environment makes that part easier as it’s one less variable. theres a golden window between thin enough to gas off and self level( or run everywhere) and flash off too fast which leave bubbles / brush stokes.

Spraying is easier but…..and this is my non expert opinion obviously…..you put more paint down with roll and tip so you have more depth to play with when it comes to wet sanding and polishing…..even years down the line.

I took 120 grit (in frustration) to parts of my finish coat then worked up to polishing and it took it easily with plenty of paint left after

Sorry for the drift J
 
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Hurricane said:
There was loads of prep - stripped the old one right back to gelcoat.
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That's easier said than done. Did you see how they skinned this particular cat, exactly?
I'd be also curious to see a pic of how the gelcoat under the stripped paint looked like, if you've got any.
Outstanding final result, anyhow! (y)
 
jfm said:
I think Amico are wildly wrong with their "Stoppani is what all the SY used" comment though.
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I suppose what they actually said is that they use it also for SYs, knowing that it's bound to sound reassuring for us owners of human size boats... :)
 
MapisM said:
That's easier said than done. Did you see how they skinned this particular cat, exactly?
I'd be also curious to see a pic of how the gelcoat under the stripped paint looked like, if you've got any.
Outstanding final result, anyhow! (y)
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We actually started the job a year earlier but we didn't get the time/weather right to complete the job.
We stripped most of it a year earlier - I have some pics from then.
All done the hard way by hand using sandpaper (not too coarse)

This shows the process
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The reason for the tape measure - I did think of using a tape but I decided in the end to paint it.

So last season we didn't have a line at all - looked a bit weird.

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All good now though
 
jfm said:
Agree that it makes sense to let the operator use a product that they are used to. For us end users, there doesn't seem to be a meaningful difference between most of the major-player products. I think Amico are wildly wrong with their "Stoppani is what all the SY used" comment though.
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Correct. 90% want Awlgrp, and if they see you with something else it is trouble.
 
Just thinking back to JFMs RIB for a second and how much they've progressed in the last few years from a work type boat up to around the nineties to a luxury leisure craft of today.
A good friend of ours recently sent us a picture of her Father and Uncle on the RNLI slipway in Cowes with a boat they designed and built in the early seventies, now known as the Avon Searider.
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Hurricane said:
Wasn't it the Searider that had the flooding Hull? Two skins in the Hull. When stopped, it was more stable. A big hole in the back drained the water when on the plane. We had one as a rescue boat for our sailing club.
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Don't know, my friends Dad was John Galt and him and his Brother had a company called Galt Glass Laminates in Cowes. I think what they did was develop a way of bonding/fixing tubes to the fiberglass hull. Lots of debate as to who actually invented the RIB but they're contribution was significant, (they did 🙂)
 
Hurricane said:
Wasn't it the Searider that had the flooding Hull? Two skins in the Hull. When stopped, it was more stable. A big hole in the back drained the water when on the plane. We had one as a rescue boat for our sailing club.
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Quite right. We have 7 of them in our local club for that reason and for the fact that no other small rib can take the wear and tear. Newer milpro versions aren't as heavily built however.
 
During my time in the RN (joined’79) RIBs were making an appearance and were replacing the traditional Whaler as ships sea boats. My first ship was trialing the Pacific 22 with single inboard engine and outdrive leg and it was an excellent bit of kit. My role was as bow man so I had many interesting experiences in some big seas. Other ships were trialling the Avon Seariders, which may swore by, but to my mind the Pacific was better. A world of differences from ’Silver Match’! 😁
 
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Nope - mine is a more traditional/classic machine.

That picture shows the new Sanlorenzo SX100 hull #1. Beautiful thing, though not my cup of tea, and anyway it is >24m Lh and LLL so it is a totally crewed/regulated boat. If I bit that bullet and accepted a captain then 100 feet makes no sense; might as well go to 50 metres.
 
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