Painting Topside

winethief · #1 (**permalink**) 02-08-2007

I am in the process of my due diligence of getting estimates for painting the cabin top, gunnells, and cockpit on my Passport 40. I have heard using one part polyurethane will do the trick. However, I am trying to discern wether to have it roller / brushed on or sprayed.

Any suggestions as to what costs would run per foot.

Many thanks,
Wine Thief

camaraderie · #2 (**permalink**) 02-09-2007

Unless the rest of the boat is fairly worn looking, I would urge you NOT to use a one part paint as the boat is far to nice not to use 2 part (awl grip/imron). While your initial results with one part will look ok, over time and with the wear a cabin top will get, you will not be happy. If awlgrip is too much $$ for you now...save your $$ up or do it yourself (roll/tip) for a significantly better result than you can get with a one part. Most of the cost of ANY professional paint job is the LABOR in preparing and priming the surface. The choice of paint type is NOT that much more. If you are trying to paint everything from the waterline up...the prep is massive and I would expect costs in relatively cheap parts of the country to be in the 12-15k range. Just the waterline to toe rail on a 44 footer ran me over $8k.

NOLAsailing · #3 (**permalink**) 02-09-2007

Not to be too picky, but the topsides refer to the hull between gunwale and the waterline.

It sounds like you are painting the decks. The costs of painting the decks will be considerably higher than the topsides. To do the job properly, the hardware will have to removed and the many surfaces prepped. It is considerably more involved than the long planes of the topsides.

I'll enthusiastically second Camaraderie's suggestion for two-part LPU paint. The difference in material costs will be insignificant given the total project costs, whereas the longevity and the look of the paint job will be far superior with the two part.

camaraderie · #4 (**permalink**) 02-09-2007

Nola...he said the gunnels too...so I assume he means both topsides and deck.

Archis · #5 (**permalink**) 03-12-2007

Doing the math on the 8k for a 44 footer, that would put a topisde paint job around $6300.00 for a 35 footer. Does that seem about right?

Faster · #6 (**permalink**) 03-12-2007

Archis - If you can get a 35 footer painted for $6300 and the guys rep is good I'd say that's a good deal.

Winethief -
The passport 40 is a lovely vessel, as Cam says, and it would be a total waste of time and money to properly prep the job and then cheap out on paint. The good 2 part polyurethanes are worth the cost in finish and durability.

Ronbye · #7 (**permalink**) 03-12-2007

Definitly go for the two part polyurethanes. They are typically applied by brush and roller. Spraying gives the best finish. Spraying is restricted in many places as it is highly toxic and should only be performed by spray painting professionals with the right equipment. Check the manufacturers web sites on what they recommend. Two part parts last much longer, are more abrasive resistant, and in the end give a much better job.

camaraderie · #8 (**permalink**) 03-12-2007

Archis...No...I don't think $6300 sounds "right" as a lot of the stuff depends on the condition of the hull and is not "by the foot" priced. It may be more or less depending on how much prep work needs to be done to make YOUR hull ready and this can only be done via inspection. I also got mine done in a very cheap part of the country for marine services...way down the Bay from you! Painting my 52 footer in Florida was MORE than double even though the hull was in great shape.

Wine...Don't do the painting yourself as your boat is too nice to get less than perfect results which is what will happen with a brush and roller ....the BEST way to put on a 2 part is by spray and I would absolutely let a pro in a yard do it. The best way to save money in this deal is to find a yard that will let you do a lot of the grunt work. The spraying will take an hour or two.

southerncross31 · #9 (**permalink**) 03-12-2007

Has anyone here used paint made by a company called Chiri. They make a non toxic paint for oil rigs, cargo ships etc...that is supposed to be flexible and strong and adhere very well to fiberglass! They also sell smooth/textured paints. Just wondering?

sailhog · #10 (**permalink**) 03-12-2007

I have a related question: A few months back I bought a quart of SeaGloss one-part polyurethane topside paint. The color is an exact match for my decks, but after reading the above comments, I'm wondering if I should use the paint on my garage floor instead of my boat. Comments?
Sailhog