Roll & tip painting - advice please!

[jointventureII]

After spending what seems like 3 months preparing the hull of my Bertram 25, I will soon be embarking on a DIY roll & tip job.

I've done this before on small things such as hatches, tables, with a reasonable degree of success but I want to make a really good go of this.

Any advice or tips would be appreciated - specifically interested to hear what type of roller people have used (foam, hard or soft etc), how much to thin down the paint, type of brush

The boat is inside / covered but it's unlikely to be more than 12°c air temp. It's a 2 part paint by Stoppani that has been colour matched to the current military grey (which I gather is one of the easier colours to work with...?)

 

[Mr Googler]

These are excellent rollers

SML Marine Paints - Solvent Resistant Foam Roller | Top Quality Topcoat Roller

”normal” foam rollers will melt with 2 pack paint.

Thin the paint to the conditions. That’s the tricky bit. Test you paint on some scrap. You want it as thin as possible but making sure it won’t “sag” on a vertical surface. Indoors is good as air movement makes paint go off mega quick. The thinner gives the paint time to self level which helps get rid of brush marks….air bubble gas off etc. The other hard bit it keeping the layers thin. There’s a tendency to paint like you would a wall at home….don’t. I’d do 4 coats of top. The idea is you can then wet sand/ polish the 4th layer back to get a proper gel coat look.

Keep roller pressure really light….as in no active pressure from you, just enough so the roller rotates under its own weight. Tipping is purely to knock out air bubbles. Try to work the paint as least as possible. The more passes over the same area, the quicker the paint tacks up. Once you’ve done an area…..never look back ? It will do what it will do. If you faff with it…you’ll only make it worse!

Everything can be sanded again if there’s any big cock ups

If you have the option to spray…..do it. Means less wet sanding at the other end and thinner coats are easy.

 

[Mr Googler]

well worth a watch

 

[john_morris_uk]

All I know is that watching this in a boatyard, two people were involved. One rolling on the paint, one following the wet edge tipping it off. When it was first done on our SCOD people thought she was GRP.
Edit: corrected typo.

 

[Fishtigua]

I tip-off with foam brushes, they leave a bristle-free, streak-free finish. I change them frequently before they start falling apart, same with the foam rollers.

 

[dankilb]

These are excellent rollers

SML Marine Paints - Solvent Resistant Foam Roller | Top Quality Topcoat Roller

”normal” foam rollers will melt with 2 pack paint.

They are repackaged Rota brand - also available more widely/locally (in case the OP can’t justify an SML delivery - otherwise my fave paint supplier, so I do apologise for IDing their rollers!).

 

[jointventureII]

Thanks everyone, very useful

Yep Mr G I've been through loads of videos on his channel, guy is a pro

Appointment with the local paint guru a bit later too, I'll post a picture or 2 depending on how it turns out!!

 

[benjenbav]

Top tip I had many years ago was to stand the paint container in hot water to help thin the paint. Whether this is relevant with modern compounds I’ve no idea.

My suggestion would be to engage someone who doesn’t need to ask how to get the best results because they do that every time and whose work you’ve already seen to be excellent.

 

[Portofino]

The “ two part Stoppani “
Any particular reason this brand ?
Reason I ask is eventually ( covid delays behind us ) I have finally tied down a date and painter to do our boat .
Its been long overdue …..part of the reason , in the equation why we moved from SoF to IT .

Yes I have briefly tinterneted boat paints but tbh the content found feels rather anchor thready - ie they all work and each user says his is better .
The Yard Amico here in Loano say they will use what ever I request.

It booked for around May 23 so plenty of time , but early now for me , to choose but seeing as a brand is written , any thoughts any one .

I was thinking taking the line of least resistance and requesting they use the manufacture that works best for them , most experienced with , best results ……in bury my head in the sand kinda way and keep way from “boat paint forums “
Or I am I too trusting ?

Anyhow tell us about Stoppani stuff ?

 

[jointventureII]

Porto - so the yard used it to spray the top of the Pershing and various parts of the San Lorenzo (Stoppani, that is).

I didn't really have a preference apart from no Awlgrip due to the price and supposed complication of the stuff. The guys came with the colour matching tool and their brand of choice for boats is Stoppani, they said simply because it's a good value paint that gives decent results. The paint / spray guys that work in the yard always told me, the actual paint itself does make a difference but correct preparation and application will make much more difference (FYI they all seem to avoid AWLgrip and use AWLcraft, Alexseal, Boero or Stoppani) but it's dependant on the budget.

Boero to be honest they did seem less keen on, Alexseal was popular as was Stoppani.

I'll put it to the painting guy next time I see him, he's just turned a total wreck of a 6 metre "gozo" fishing boat into a work of art, to the point that I'd be nervous leaving it berthed next to anyone that doesn't have new fender socks!

 

[Portofino]

Thx for that ,I remember looking at the Pershing and you kindly pointing out the refreshed areas .They did look excellent.
Agree basic prep is the key most trumps everything else .Then actual technique ( gained from experience I guess ) then the product last .
I won’t be awlgrip I am sure of that .

Yes there are some magnificent “ works of art “ boats too in our marina .For those unfamiliar with the whole paint GRP thingy …..these days because the tech s come on leaps n bounds over the last decade it’s de rigure to paint boats .
Ferretti group paint everything from about 2016 upwards inc the trademark Ferretti beige .Partly a quality control thingy of the vac bagging being able to check for bubbles / uncured areas and rectifying before sending the boat out .Kinda acknowledging even with the best QC vac bagging has recognised errors .
Partly because the end results indistinguishable from gel cost , and a minor part the marketing in the sense you can choose but like buying a high end car .
Even the Itama come in any colours not necessarily Itama blue you can have anything with a RAL number .

When I started boating I mean bigger boats needing haul outs and yard hard standing in the 90 s most paint jobs( yachts ) were dreadful .Times have changed .
You don’t have to polish it as such like gel coat and if done right basically hardly fades ( chalks ?) in the Med sun .Kinda keeps its lustre so I am told ?

Anyhow as said my conversation re manufacture will be later .

 

[AndieMac]

well worth a watch

There is a YT channel called Sail Life, excellent DIY rebuilding, the guy used International Perfection Plus rolled and tipped solo, but had a “guru” walking him through every stage. This is also well worth the watch.