Painting my hull, just checking I don't do something silly.

[Tranona]

Can anyone recommend a primer to use with Weathershield on grp in a marine setting?

I'm open to the idea of epoxy primer for the keel. Does such a thing exist in one-pack form?

Thanks again everyone who has chipped in their thoughts. LakeSailor it is very rotten of you to keep posting pictures of those super finishes.

Seems daft to put all that effort into the preparation and then spoil it to save a few quid on the final paint which you will have to look at for the next X years. It makes one wonder why the manufacturers go to all the trouble to formulate coatings for specific environments, matching primers, undercoats and top coats when it seems any old paint will do!

With regards to keels. Yes, you can blast them clean enough to coat with a 2 pack epoxy, but that is a massive and expensive job - maybe worth doing on a valuable boat and if you are then going to use an expensive antifoul. But on a budget just clean off the worst, prime it with Primocon and then antifoul. each year you will have to patch the new bits of rust, but that is the economical way of keeping it under some sort of control.

 

[Lakesailor]

Can anyone recommend a primer to use with Weathershield on grp in a marine setting?

I'm open to the idea of epoxy primer for the keel. Does such a thing exist in one-pack form?

I think you need to think about this. You need a sense of proportion. On a cheap boat there is no sense, or benefit in doing a top quality job on a cast-iron keel. It's not going to rot away.
Yet you are talking about using Weathershield as a topsides paint when there are better marine available for less money actually.
Forget the keel. Make your topside look the business.

 

[lw395]

I think you need to think about this. You need a sense of proportion. On a cheap boat there is no sense, or benefit in doing a top quality job on a cast-iron keel. It's not going to rot away.
Yet you are talking about using Weathershield as a topsides paint when there are better marine available for less money actually.
Forget the keel. Make your topside look the business.

Some sense in that, but a reasonable job on the keel will mean less work next year.
A smooth keel is also very important to performance, which matters to some people.

The cost of the topsides paint is small.
Toplac is a good product, reasonably good with wear from fenders etc.
I don't know hard weathershield gloss is.
Is it the same as what I used, which was 'trade gloss' about 14 years ago?
That still looked pretty good to me when I met up with my old boat after about 6 years.

It's possible to do a bad job with any paint, if the temperature/thinning is not right, if the brush is not right, or it simply does not match the painter's style or skill level.
I'm not great at painting, I've had a couple of disappointments with wooden boats that needed to be finished to go racing.

On the one hand I'd be prepared to pay someone whose skills are up to speed to do the top coat, on the other hand it's good to pick your day.
Don't fight the weather.

 

[ripvan1]

I've used sandtex (read Weathershield) on the decks but can't imagine using it on the topsides. Splash out on decent paint for the hull, even if it's of the lower value range as is found at boat jumbles.

Tealac or some such name, Bursledon barge stock it I believe

 

[Rigger Mortice]

Tealac or some such name, Bursledon barge stock it I believe

Teamac.

 

[Rivers & creeks]

Use Toplac, make sure the day and the hull are both nice and warm, make a cover to stop dust and just do it, it looks very good, though not as good as a tough professional spray.

 

[MattA24]

Thanks so much everyone for your input on this matter. I'm really delighted that so many of you would take the time to offer your thoughts. It will take me a while to digest it all though!

The overall message I'm getting is: "Don't over-do the keel and under-do the topsides".

Cheers again for your help,
Matt

 

[alahol2]

Use Toplac, make sure the day and the hull are both nice and warm, make a cover to stop dust and just do it, it looks very good, though not as good as a tough professional spray.

I've used Toplac for a broad stripe on my boat. The only slight downside to using it that I've found is that it seems to take several weeks to get to full hardness. Is this a feature just of Toplac or are other paints the same?