painted GRP topside and future resale value

[petemartin]

Hi, just been looking at a 20 year old GRP cruiser/racer. It has painted topsides, so I am not sure about how this will affect future resale values. The finish looks good and it looks as though it has been spreayed. Anyone have any experience of this?

 

[jerryat]

Well I painted my Hustler 30 a good few years ago before I sold her to a friend. He owned her for several years and had no problem at all in selling her. In fact he had three buyers in line!

I think it's all down to how well the work has been carried out and what (quality) materials have been used. A good 2 -pot is obviously the best and longer-lasting, but is more difficult to apply (unless spraying) as well as costing more.

Frankly, ALL grp boats are eventually going to need painting (or re-gelcoating) and my view is that it's better to buy a boat that's clearly been looked after and well maintained with painted topsides than a scruffy looking vessel.

 

[Poignard]

My Twister is 40-years old and has never had the hull painted. It looks ok when cleaned up and I don't want to paint it until I am forced to, not because I am worried about resale value but because it will cost time and money re-painting it every few years.

A friend of mine has a Twister one year older and he had his boat sprayed with Awl-Grip paint several years ago, it looks great and he is considering having it done again because of some slight lifting around the water line. If you do decide to paint it I'd suggest you use Awl-Grip and get it sprayed by an expert.

I have seen two other boats sprayed in the yard where I am laid up recently and the result was really good. The work was done in the open and, because the paint dries so quickly, dust settling on it didn't seem to be a problem.

 

[jerryat]

Hi TO,

Yep, entirely agree about Awlgrip. definitely the best on the market, but very pricey even if it does last longer.

From my limited experience (painting two boats) I still feel that a good 2 pot has a much longer life than is generally thought.

The Hustler of mine I mentioned in my first post, still looked superb after over twenty three years and the paintwork had never been touched or buffed up.

Mind you, we did put on 5 full brushed/padded coats, sanding down in between each to produce the final mirror-like finish that very few people realised was paint!

 

[Avocet]

I can speak from experience here! I (personally) would prefer to see the original gelcoat in basically sound (if dull) condition. Our boat is 35 years old and currently has a terrible toside gelcoat problem - it has all crazed. I'm currently replacing it bit-by-bit with epoxy and microballoons. Obviously I'll paint it when I finish (IF I finish!) and I'll tell any future buyer what I've been up to and what's underneath. I was tempted to try some high-build epoxy primer over the crazed gelcoat and then paint it as it's clearly a lot less work but I wasn't happy about the long term stability of the gelcoat under the paint.

I think anyone buying a 25+ year old boat needs to accept that the fibreglass might need some attention and obviously that ought to be reflected in the price. A painted fibreglass boat might be OK under the paint or it might not and I can't think of any non-destructive way of finding out so I'd probably offer a bit less for a painted one - but there will come an age of boat when they're pretty much all painted so I wouldn't have any choice!

 

[Boathook]

I hope that painting does not effect the resale as mine has just been professionaly repainted with alwgrip. Finish looked superb but now afloat I have to be in the dinghy to appreciate it.

 

[Guest]

[ QUOTE ]
I can speak from experience here! I (personally) would prefer to see the original gelcoat in basically sound (if dull) condition. Our boat is 35 years old and currently has a terrible toside gelcoat problem - it has all crazed. I'm currently replacing it bit-by-bit with epoxy and microballoons. Obviously I'll paint it when I finish (IF I finish!) and I'll tell any future buyer what I've been up to and what's underneath. I was tempted to try some high-build epoxy primer over the crazed gelcoat and then paint it as it's clearly a lot less work but I wasn't happy about the long term stability of the gelcoat under the paint.

I think anyone buying a 25+ year old boat needs to accept that the fibreglass might need some attention and obviously that ought to be reflected in the price. A painted fibreglass boat might be OK under the paint or it might not and I can't think of any non-destructive way of finding out so I'd probably offer a bit less for a painted one - but there will come an age of boat when they're pretty much all painted so I wouldn't have any choice!

[/ QUOTE ]

A quicker way is to use such as International Fine Fill ..... a high build paint that fills crazing...... and provides a good finish after flat sanding. Top coat of two pack polyurethane and bobs the uncle !

Only reservation I have ... and I don't mean your boat - as you obviously have looked into why your gel is poorly .. crazing often means a structural or stressed incident ... I have one port side midships - previous owner "caught" a marker buoy and "star-crazed" a small section - underlying lay-up appears sound ... so no problem, other is another star craze below port sheet winch inside face if cockpit coaming - caused by a thump when dropping gear into cockpit !! Again underlying lay-up is ok.

As to original post - topside painting ... is fine if done well. In fact if you have some boats laid up in kevlar / epoxy composites etc. - they can be painted from new as hull layup is uncoloured and without cosmetic gel.

 

[Colvic Watson]

What about areas of GRP that flex? Does the paint just flake off?

 

[Avocet]

Nah - not impact damage - the entire topside surface is covered - even MY berthing ain't THAT bad!

 

[Lakesailor]

By the time a boat gets to the repaint stage you need to stop thinking about value. I've repainted my last 2 out of 3 boats and as I pay bugger all for them I do it for aesthetic purposes only. They were both cracking jobs, even if I say it myself, but I would still be wary of buying a repainted boat. The last boat I sold had it's original gel-coat and (even though it had some impact crazing) I felt confident in parading it before punters.

On a newer and more valuable boat I reckon you need a top-class professional job to attempt to maintain the value.

 

[Guest]

[ QUOTE ]
What about areas of GRP that flex? Does the paint just flake off?

[/ QUOTE ]

Not if good paint designed for the job is used .... I used two pack Polyurethane on an Alacrity ... I saw the boat 3 yrs later and she was same.

Do you think Gel Coat is that flexy ?

 

[Colvic Watson]

Some bits are a bit bendy, say when moored alongside and pushing against a fender.

 

[alienzdive]

By the time a boats gelcoat requires painting it would be a sign of old age. The age of the boat would be proportianate to the resale value.

IMHO a recently painted boat would have minutely more value or appeal than a badly deteriorated gelcoat finish.

 

[Lakesailor]

But could be hiding a poor repair. It's like cars. Never buy a newly painted older car.

 

[Slow_boat]

[ QUOTE ]
But could be hiding a poor repair. It's like cars. Never buy a newly painted older car.

[/ QUOTE ]

Should we worry about buying a painted wooden boat then? /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

 

[Lakesailor]

Yes, frankly. If it's freshly painted, ask yourself what was so awful about it that the vendor would rather spend time and money painting it than letting you see it in it's original state.
There are plenty of boats for sale. Look for one that's honest.

(My normal hobby horse about people who equate what they've spent on a boat with an increase in it's value. [/rant])

 

[Avocet]

Cheer me up - why don't you?!

Seriously though, I agree - by the time it's been painted it shouldn't be worth so much that it's a HUGE concern - I just have a slight personal preference for original (if tired) gelcoat so I can see what I'm getting.