Painting a bass boat

Team_Reeder20 · December 03, 2013, 01:30:19 PM

I have a 1984 Glasstream and I decided my winter project is going to be repainting it. What kind of paint is the best to use? I've heard a lot of people say a 2 part urethane but never mentioned a brand? Thanks!

Seth

fishinfranklin · December 03, 2013, 07:29:25 PM

I have used Dupont Imron 5000 a few times and really liked the finally finish. Here is a link to some on ebay http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1311.R1.TR2.TRC1.A0.Xdupnt+Im&_nkw=dupont+imron&_sacat=0&_from=R40

Brocksdad1 · December 03, 2013, 07:42:55 PM

Franklin
Do you have any pics of your painted boats

Bryce

fishinfranklin · December 04, 2013, 06:06:04 AM

Bryce I will look and see if I can find some pictures,, Imron will give it a very very deep luster that looks wet all of the time. I do think that DuPont has quit making it and the only way to get it is to find someone that has it in their stock, There is lots on ebay and if you contact the sellers most have other colors to chose from. I am sure there is other products out there that work great also,,but Imron has been on the market for years and is a proven product that works. Talk to most any auto painter that painted in the 80's they will know about Imron. Lots of boat yards also used Imron and stood behind it.

mygreenihc · December 10, 2013, 02:37:44 PM

Team_Reeder20,

Why are you planning to paint the boat? Are you wanting a different color or are you talking about making it shiny again?

I have an 87 model Venture and last summer I pulled the engine and all accesories off of the boat and took it off the trailer. I then grabbed it on one side with my engine hoist and lifted it so that I could access the bottom. Lightly wet sanding it with 2000 grit wet or dry sand paper will clean it up and smooth it out. then I bought a polisher and some good quality rubbing compound, polishing compound, and polish. It brought the finish back out and looks like a brand new boat.

If you are talking about clear coat, I have seen boats that were sprayed with automotive clear coat and they looked really good. I cannot attest to the durability of clear coat long term, but it is very expensinve to have someone spray it with gelcoat.

A very good source of information for project such as this is iboats.com. They have a forum dedicated to boat restorations and there are quite a few fiberglass professionals that show up there regularly.

Good luck with your project.

Brad

bass1cpr · December 11, 2013, 11:39:56 PM

Imron has been off the market for about five years. Any paint sitting that long may not be any good any longer. Gel coat is your best option. Automotive doesn't hold up well in marine applications. It will shine at first but it doesn't look right on a boat.
Gel coat has more steps in doing it wright but it holds the boats value better.
Some times it's just the clear that has lost it's shine. Wet sanding it with two grits 800 then 1000 will usually bring it back. Then hit it with a polish and go over that with a glaze and it should look good as new. If the clear coat is to thin this will show up in the first sanding. At that point finish removing the clear the 1500 the color and buff. Then respray with clear gel coat put it on thick. It will look rough but that is ok because you are going to sand it with 800 then 1000 if it looks good when you wipe it down wet and you don't see any sand marks, then you can buff it with compound and then go back over it with GLaze and it will look like new. I know it's more work but then the boat will be right.

fishinfranklin · December 12, 2013, 07:40:00 AM

I will agree gel coat is best. And not sure if a good sanding an buffing will bring it back out. I have done boats that was all white on the clear and buffed them back out to look new. Your working on a Glassstream which did not get a lot of clear gel from the factory and yours might be down to the point you feel the flakes, if so it will need recleared or just repainted. I have had a bunch of Glasstreams and still own one today.They was built over in Adel Ga. only about 20 miles from my house. You can look back at my pro craft post and see just how it looked before and after sanding and buffing. Btw Mr. Kirkland still builds Glasstreams today Panama City Fl. just flats boats and big offshore boats.

cmr287 · December 15, 2013, 12:04:12 PM

I have thought about this as well and decided to go with a wrap. I haven't done it yet as I am saving to have it done.

fishinfranklin · December 15, 2013, 06:39:11 PM

For the cost of a wrap you can refinish a few boats!!

Brocksdad1 · December 15, 2013, 08:20:38 PM

There is a company 1 block from me that does truck wraps for 1000. They said my boat would be around 450-500 for the top

Bryce

fishinfranklin · December 16, 2013, 08:36:07 AM

That's a good price,, I have been quoted any where from 1800 to 2600 bucks on a full wrap on my 18ft boat. that is from local company's. But I really think Seth is trying to refinish his boat as cheap as possibly that's why I recommended the Imron. It will give him a deep shine that will last a long time and it can be buffed if it does fade back after a few years. Imron is a industrial and marine finish here is a link that shows all of the information about Imron
http://pc.dupont.com/dpc/en/US/html/visitor/b/mar/s/product/marine.html
from what I am seeing online I think Dupont just dropped the automotive line of Imron and is making the marine and industrial paints.

bass1cpr · December 16, 2013, 10:27:07 AM

I guess they still do make an Imron paint. I did see that it's recomended for above water line use. I guess I'm just a purist. If it was made with gelcoat repair it with gelcoat. I guess that comes from being around a glass shop for so many years. I agree do what the budget dictates.
The down side to wraps if you scuff or rip it there's no way to repair it.

Team_Reeder20 · December 16, 2013, 11:53:37 AM

I'm going to try wet sanding and polishing first. I just really don't like the color of the boat. But it was all I could afford at the time.

cmr287 · December 20, 2013, 03:51:20 PM

Quote from: Brocksdad1 on December 15, 2013, 08:20:38 PM
There is a company 1 block from me that does truck wraps for 1000. They said my boat would be around 450-500 for the top

Bryce

what is the size of your boat? I have a 17' tracker

Brocksdad1 · December 20, 2013, 04:30:58 PM

20'

Bryce

cmr287 · January 29, 2014, 03:32:20 AM

I was walking into lowest yesterday, (it was snowing.g here in GA) looking for some tile for. Bathroom when I walked throught the painting area and the had (top and bottom coat) hull paint. I may give that a wip! BTW, still snowing! I need heat to I can go fish'n.......

fishinfranklin · January 29, 2014, 08:36:28 AM

make sure that hull paint is not the antifouling bottom paint for boats.

cmr287 · January 29, 2014, 10:03:44 AM

Franklin, what is this paint your talking about?

I figured bottom hull paint is the same same??? Is it different?

They have bottom coats and top coats.... They said this is what you used, is this not right....

fishinfranklin · January 30, 2014, 07:02:07 AM

That most likely is a paint to protect the fiberglass from blistering when left sitting in the water for long periods of time. Some call it bottom paint others call it antifouling paint and its not a paint it is a protective coating. You have a tracker if I am not mistaken?

Brocksdad1 · February 01, 2014, 09:24:21 PM

Here is a pic of my boat. Not sure why it didn't post before.