Evil Red Paint - Can it be tamed?

[jarcher]

Hi All...

The topsides of my boat are really dingy, and the Admiral has directed that the boat be painted at any cost. Ha, bet ya don't hear that too often!

So then, the problem is what color to paint it? A boat called Helios, I would think, should be red, orange or yellow. I had a discussion with Awl Grip tech support today and he explained that those colors don't last too well under the sun. He said that I could expect three or four seasons before the red started to look pink, and orange and yellow would fare little better. He said if I put three coats of clear coat over it, I could get 5 to 6 seasons.

So I decided a nice white would be better. But then I was wondering, how much longer would white last? Is there a huge difference? How long before the boat would need to be painted anyhow?

I plan another call to Awl Grip, but i thought I would solicit some real world experiences and opinions.

Thanks!

[Faster]

Try thinking about Awlgrip's Whisper Grey... It's a light grey that looks kinda white from a distance, but is clearly 'not just another bleach bottle' when near the other normally 'white' gelcoats. We did our previous boat, which had been white hull and battleship grey decks, (can you say too hot to walk on??) and used Whisper Grey on the hull and a fairly bright white on the deck.. we painted the rig white too, and trimmed up with black hull striping - it looked pretty good.

[souljour2000]

I got a red boat...looks almost good from a ways away despite topside paint that has to be over 10 -12 years old..The paint was a darker red I guess and has lightened but it almost looks like wood from distance and gives it a pirate sloop look if you ask me...bottom job first... then topside paint someday ..It'll be a dark red when i do...looks really good on older boats from early 70's on back IMHO...or boats with older-looking profiles

[QuickMick]

if you are going way way out there, a red boat would be more visable in the event of a rescue operation... i think it was in 'rescue in the pacific' where i was reading that the white boats get lost in the whitecaps/foam. it would be neat to have a bit of color, as you would look different, but from a cost perspective (esp. down here in texas) im afraid the color would fade, and probably gather sig. more heat in the summers.

in any case sounds like a heck of a deal, when the admiral informed you 'at any cost' the hair on your neck probably stood up and the butterflies went wack-a-doo in your tummy! lol

[tommays]

I have seen 20 year old white Awlgrip that looks good

Dark colors also show any imperfections in the prep work and could really add to the cost

[imagine2frolic]

I like RED, and I guess that's obvious. Red will fade, and after 4 years I can see the difference on the outside of the hulls as compared to the inside of them. I have found that once prepped AWL-GRIP is very easy to apply. To freshen the paint may take less time than doing the bottom. ......i2f

[mitiempo]

Jim
Dark colors show every mark and they fade. If one side of your boat gets more sun than the other you will eventually have a 2 shade of whatever color boat. Then there is the heat build up. A dark boat in Florida was measured at 40 degrees warmer hull on the sunny side. And once you start painting you're committed to repaints every so many years. Have you had an expert look at the gelcoat? Not the guy that wants to sell you an Awlgrip job but a gelcoat guy who can tell you how bad it really is. If there are chips and so on they can be filled invisibly and the gelcoat polished and buffed in many cases - and it can end up looking like new.
The price of a good awlgrip job will exceed the cost of a new engine or a new full set of sails and doesn't do nearly as much for resale.
In my opinion if the boat was perfect in every other category and I had the 10k or 12k to spare maybe.

Quinn
Paint the top 10' of your mast orange - they will see it long before the boat anyway.

[imagine2frolic]

The heat on the hull is true. I can place my hand on the inside of the hull, and there is a 10 degree difference. Then again it has 3/4 inches of insulation. Paying someone else to do the work may cost that much, but it's 1/10 the cost if you do it yourself.

If you paint the boat the same color it will be REALLY EASY. Roll & tip is an easy method, and white will be hard to see any blemishes. Save your money for more important things. Electronic equipment, especially new sails, ground tackle, and other important items. Remember no matter how perfect the paint job, or how fresh it is. The boat won't sail any better. Do you want to be proud of how she sails, or how she looks at the dock?........i2f

[jarcher]

Well if it costs anything near $10k its not getting done. Yes, she said "at any cost" but she also knows I am not going to just waste money. You guys have me convinced to go with one of the white shades, for all the reasons you all listed.

The boat already has a lot of paint on it. Its peeling and in very bad condition. Most of the work in in the prep, as in any paint job. I'll be getting the labor estimate next week, and decide if they are doing it or I am then. My issue is I have no where to work on it. I could get the tools and as someone here said, I would rather the boat go fast than look fast, so if its not perfect thats fine.

Thanks very much for all the comments. I'll post updates as they occur.

Jim

[souljour2000]

Okay..finally shrunk down the pic size enuff to load it on here...this pic taken at about 30 yards I guess...you still might not guess that the hull hasn't been painted in a dozen years I'd wager...fresh topsides though...it's a color known as "walmart white" btw....a.k.a Rustoleum semi-gloss white..$7.98 a quart and as good as any paint ever made in my book...perfect for a salty old girl from 1971 and I wouldn't use anything else...Now she's a cougar again at least, instead of an old maid...so I can look at her pleasingly until we get the more expensive cosmetic surgeries completed...like a good bottom job!...