When buying a used trawler or motor yacht, it’s easy to be turned off by the cosmetics of the yacht. Of course, I'm not suggesting that it be ignored. I tell buyers to gage how well the used trawler or motor yachts been maintained by how she presents herself. If the gel coats all scratched up and the teak is in bad shape, I usually find everything else in the engine room the same way. It's simply an indicator.
But a dull exterior isn't a bad thing either. The gel coat on a used trawler or motor yacht is there for one purpose, to make her look good. It has no other purpose. The gel coats worst enemy is the UV rays of the sun. After 5-10 years in the Florida sun, most gel coats begin to dull and chalk up. Not even intense polishing will bring the gel coat back to the luster when it was new. So when you find a used trawler or motor yacht that has a lack luster exterior but everything else is up to par, there is a way to bring her back to her factory-fresh appearance with a little work. How can we do that, by painting her?
There are just a few used yachts that are factory painted; Hatteras and Hutchins are two that come to mind.
When we bought the Patricia Ann, she was in very good condition, but her gel coat was dulled and there were a few cosmetic fiberglass dings here and there. Professional painting of a used trawler or motor yacht is no inexpensive task. You can plan on about $1000 a foot to have it professionally done so that was out of the question.
I set out to explore the process and read as much as I could about what paint would be best and how to do it. At the Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show, I spoke with representatives from Interlux. The rep explained to me that both the Interlux brand of topside paints and the Awlgrip brand are very similar in formulation and application. Interlux, however, is formulated for the do-it-yourselfer. So my choice was made, Interlux Perfection, two part paint was the way to go.
Without going into detail about what the directions state, let me just say that although working with two-part paints seems intimidating, it’s really very easy to do. Just follow the instructions supplied with each container and you'll get the hang of it right away.
I chose the roll and tip method of application as spraying in a marina is out of the question. It’s simple to do once you get the hang of it. Instructions are supplied by Interlux.
Here are a few tips.
- Begin your project by dividing the used trawler or motor yacht into manageable sections; that way the task will not overwhelm you. I chose the starboard cap rail on the Patricia Ann to begin my project.
- Preparation of the painting surface consumes about 90% of the time you will spend on your project. A bad surface will produce a bad paint job. Begin by wiping the gel coat down with thinner. This will rid the surface of any waxes that may have been applied that will cause your paint to lift after its been applied.
- Next, take a small ball pen hammer and go over the entire surface to be painted, taping to find any pockets in the gel coat. When you find them and you will, grind them out with a Dremel tool. You don't want to spend the money and time to do a nice paint job and have voids crack later on.
- I used the West System epoxy with the fairing filler to fill the ground out places. Sand them flush after they have cured. Wash the dust off with water.
Are you ready to give up yet?
- Next, tape your area to be painted and remove any hardware to make it go easier. I used the 14 day painter's tape available at Lowe's.
- OK, it’s time to paint. I used a 4 inch foam roller and the best 2-1/2 inch natural paint brush I could find, also available from Lowe's. Mix up only enough paint that you can apply in 2 hours, for me its 1/2 quart. The paint is expensive, about $85.00 a quart and you don't need to be throwing any away.
- Only apply paint when the relative humidity outside is 75% or less. Be sure there is no chance of rain.
- The paint takes about 5 hours to cure. Be sure to complete your paint application no later than noon to allow complete drying. If dew settles on your paint, the moisture will turn the gloss to a flat finish.
All said and done, it took over 600 hours to prep and paint the Patricia Ann including prep work. We used about 1 gallon of West System resin and 12 quarts of Interlux Perfection to paint two coats on her.
Was it worth it? Absolutely! She looks great!
If you have been contemplating the painting of your used trawler or motor yacht and would like to ask me some specific questions, feel free to ask.
