The Steamboating Forum

I have looked through the archives and can't find anything on this subject.

I have started a new hull which will made of plywood sheathed with glass cloth and epoxy resin.

In the past I have used Brightside paint, a one part urethane which seems only to be available in certain stock colors. I cannot find any information about buying custom colors in this sort of paint.

If anyone has information about this, speak up. And if I can't get custom colors in this sort of paint, do you have any recommendations for gloss topside paints that can be brushed on and can be colored to suit.

I'll be using this paint on the interior as well.

Margaret S. - Marine plywood hull, exterior covered with 10 oz fiberglass cloth, saturated with Epoxy. Just for trial I painted the hull with BEHR Premium Exterior Combination Primer & Finish Coat House Paint. No sanding or etching of the Epoxy surface, just a wash with Acetone,then rolled on the house paint. Going on the 7th year for the hull of Margaret S, and this paint is holding up very well. Go figure?

I thought the percieved wisdom for painting glass-fibre was two-pack epoxy, as it bonds with the resin???

If the hull is well-sheathed in epoxy-glass, then the paint has no need to be impermeable to water (which is desirable for polyester-glass or wooden hulls), but a degree of UV filtering will benefit the epoxy underneath. Almost any exterior rated paint should be OK: certainly any marine-rated paint, and there's no need for either 2-part polyurethanes or indeed 2-part epoxies. Indeed, I would tend to actively avoid the 2-part paints, because they are so hard, and while that helps with avoiding scuff marks etc., it makes them more difficult to make good around damaged areas, and very difficult indeed to get off, if that is required for any reason.
I've used a standard International Paints topcoat myself, which is OK to apply and long-lived, and some suppliers do offer a mixing service for colour. Beware that there is a very significant colour change as the paint "cures" for some hours, after primary drying.

Fred,
How is that house paint for gloss. The Brightside was so pretty that I'd hate to have to give it up for a semigloss.

The bond with the epoxy isn't too much of a problem as RSGB says. But the remaining question is which of the conventional marine topside paints flows on the easiest and which ones yield the best gloss. Any personal experiences?

All of my wooden boats are painted with brightsides (interlux). It goes on easy, looks great and is easy to repair. Unfortunately, no custom colors. Around here anyway, most every color they make is in stock.

I'm partially color blind so I'm not so bothered by the stock Brightside colors but my partner is looking askance at the choices. I'm going to a local dealer soon to get some color chips. We'll see.

This boat will be trailered and live in the N.W. USA where the sun is a seldom seen thing so the major threat to the finish will be chafing when on the road. Might not even use antifouling paint.

A question that keeps cropping up is whether the Brightside is more durable than a major brand oil based topside paint. I read an article last night that claimed very good durability for latex paint once it had hardened. This does not agree with my personal experience.

I have used Rustoleum white gloss on my sailboat interior with good results. Flows on well and looked good. Whether is can take weather as well as marine rated stuff I don't know. I assume that it can be color matched to suit.

In the past I've used Sherwyn-Williams "Porch Paint' above and below the water line. It's very durable, can be made any color and it's much cheaper than topside paints.

-Ron

How about the finish? Glossy? Standing up well?

From what I remember Porch and Floor enamel had a bit of a satin finish, but that may have just been my prep work. It's not as glossy as Brightsides, I don't know of any paint other than automotive paint that is.

My Tug is painted with Sherwyn-Williams Industrial flat black over 2 part epoxy primer. That paint holds up really well. No cracking or peeling.

-Ron