Gel Coat or Paint on fiberglass

[Kracker Jack]

I don't know. I have known guys that have rolling gel coat on commercial crab boats for forever!!! They refuse to use paint products on the inside due to wear purposes. I'm painting my outside with perfection. My console and leaning post will be painted also.

[Curapa]

If I were finishing a commercial boat and did not care what it looked like then gelcoat would be the way to go. They usually don't even fair the glass, just roll it on and forget about it, if you want an even somewhat nice look out of it then get prepared for some serious work. Sanding out all of the orange peel then buffing the s&^t out of it.

Billy, US Composites is excellent quality resin. It's cheaper because they do not pay tons of money in marketing like West System.

You can easily get 10 years out of Imron or Awlgrip. It is a tough and very durable paint. Many custom built boats use either regularly.

[step up here]

Yes Sir, you will get 10 years plus out of Imron or Awlgrip if applied properly.
The paint companies change their formulas from time to time and its always for the best performance of the product.Akzo Nobel is now the largest paint company they supposedly recently bought out Du Ponts paint line.Money Technology create the research and development to be the best.

[twhrider2]

Used PPG CONCEPT on the bottom and transom of my boat. Sprays good and looks good.....time will tell how she lasts.

[spareparts]

biggest advantage to paint is not having to wax it, awl grip specifically says not to, if you want to put something on it, they have their own stuff, but regular wax will yellow it. Its much easier to wash off as well

[Kracker Jack]

I'm just simply going going for that textered bloody deck work boat finish (carolina skiff ,maycraft look). If you want a perfect slick finish then of course paint it. Goodluck on your project. And by the way perfection by interlux is a great product.

[jasoncooperpcola]

How do you get the splatter finish like in the Carolina Skiff? I would like to have that in my V20.

[Kracker Jack]

Originally Posted by jasoncooperpcola

How do you get the splatter finish like in the Carolina Skiff? I would like to have that in my V20.

I'm not sure how they do that. But I think they just liberally splattered a black paint type product over the gelcoat.
Have you ever seen the gelvoat finish on a Maycraft? It's brushed on. Liberally!! And the boat looks awesome. But to to the point of being Monet. If ya look close enough its actuslly kind of a violent looking finish. Lol!!!!.

[Curapa]

They make guns that can apply the splatter but it can be accomplished with a paint brush. Dip it in the paint and shake it about a foot over the boat.

[spareparts]

don't thin the gel, turn the air pressure up high, turn the volume up to max, and splatter away, I've also done it with a paint stick, just stir and sling