Technical, Techniques, Hints, and Tips > Painting, Finishing and Care.
Glassfibre hull [yacht] re-paint
rnli12:
Hi,
Any top tips for painting a GRP hull now I have wet n dried down to a smooth surface ready for priming and coating with rattle cans?
Would like to get a really gloss finish as per the original.
Many thanks,
Rich
SteamboatPhil:
International paint used to do a paint for GRP hulls (full size) along with paints for wooden boats, which I use all the time, a lot of careful brush work and patience and you can get a mirror finish :-))
SailorGreg:
The way that has proved successful for me is to spray the primer then multiple coats (5, 6, 7) of top coat as well as you can. If you get a run or a bald patch, rub down the blemishes and spray again. This can be done in a day if the weather is good (or you have a very good workshop with spraying facilities), but can get expensive in rattle cans if the hull is a decent size. Keep going until you have a faultless (as far as possible) finish. Then put the hull in a warm place and leave alone for a week, or more if your patience holds out. After that, gently cut back the surface with fine wet and dry used wet. I start with 400 and finish with 1200 or 1500. Then take some polishing compound and burnish the hull. I suggest you use GRP mould polishing compound rather than T-cut or any car product. Something like this would suit. Then stand back and admire your reflection.
Good luck
Greg
Subculture:
If you want a really top finish, then spray painting is hard to beat. You can use pretty much any paint on GRP, 2-pack finish or single part cellulose type paints will give the best finish IMO.
Jawal paints are good for tins of paint if you have spray equipment, Halfords good for a wide range of aerosols.
Note that if you use enamel paint, they can't generally be cut back and buffed in the way Greg describes.
rickles23:
Hi,
The last boat I took to a friendly auto repair shop and asked the owner if I could get the hull painted.
He said it would be a couple of days as he would then be spray painting a repaired car.
The paint was perfect with primer and top coats with a clear coat to finish off.
Regards
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