Finishing off new paint?

[Raverlaw]

Maybe someone has some good advice for me here.

I'm finishing up a Penobscot 14 that's been three years in the making. I've got the hull flipped upside down right now, for painting. I'm using Brightsides polyurethane over their PrimeKote product - it's going on very nicely with a foam roller, tipping out with a foam brush. However, I still get the random bit of fuzz or gnat or dust from the rafters, etc. in the coats. I've got 3 coats on and it is looking very nice, but I'd like to get rid of the minor imperfections. (No, you can't see them from 6 feet away, but I can feel them and and know where they are :)),

I'm toying with the idea of sanding the last coat lightly with 600 grit wet 'n dry paper and lots of water to get it smooth. Has anyone done this? Will I just dull the finish and have to put on another coat to get a gloss? Or is there another method I can use to smooth the final coat without dulling it too much? I don't mind a satin-y look but don't want a flat finish.

Any help or experience you can relate would be a big help.

And yes, I will post pictures, but let me get that hull painted first!

Bill

[AstoriaDave]

Any number of polishing aids at the marine store and a buffing pad will do the job. The 600 grit is probably only good if you find a protrusion (gnat or dust mote) -- sand wet, using a sanding block andlittle to no presure stopping often and drying the area to avoid oversanding. Then hit it with crocus cloth (dry), and bring on the polishing compound and the buffing pad.

Here is one option; useful on any marine paint after it is fully cured: http://www.westmarine.com/1/1/8936-finesse-it-ii-finishing-material-pint-from-3m-products.html

A pint will do three boats like yours, unless you have scads of those imperfections.

[MiddleAgesMan]

600 grit will knock down some of the gloss but you can get it back by moving up to 800 grit, or 1200, or 1500....then maybe buffing compound at the end. The super slick semi-high sheen will give you the fastest bottom, though, and will look damn good in the process. No wax, no silicone, no teflon, just a super smooth painted surface.

[Thorne]

Get a BIG box of kleenex for the boat-box. That way when you beach it on gravel or mixed sand and pebbles for the first time, you won't have to use your sleeves to wipe the tears away...:D

Personally I've found that unless you take it to boat shows, hardly anyone notices the hull paint. The sheerstrake may get some attention if different from the hull, but really the varnished wood spars, gunwale and interior seem to be what draws comments.

And nobody other than you will notice the flaws you mention, and will NOT understand it when you point them out. Remember that fussy old lady with the white carpets who kept covers on all her furniture? You'll get roughly the same reaction from most folks, who only want to rave about how lovely your boat is!

[Breakaway]

There is an excellent thread on "rubbing out" a paint finish somewhere on this forum. Try the search feature.

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

If you are painting in a garage, here are some tips... 600 grit is probably finer than you need.. 320 wet and dry is fine enough.. you want to actually get the bump out. Let the paint cure really well before you sand, and do it by hand, unless you have a lot of experience rubbing out with a sander.

Wet the floor down before you paint. Most of the dust comes from you walking around and scuffing it up. If you don't want a hose on the floor, use a plant sprayer, but make sure you get enough water on the floor to stay wet for a few hours.

If it's warm enough, put an exhaust fan out a window or door, with the rest taped in. It exits floating dust. Tent the boat, or parts of the shop with plastic, and tape it down.

Don't be afraid to put on 5-6 coats. And yes, as Thorne says, you are the only one that will know where the imperfections are anyway.:D

[Todd D]

You can do a very nice job of fixing imperfections with some 600 grit. Sand wet, wipe it down and polish it back with Finesse-it II. I do that all the time and get great results. You do need to be careful not to sand or polish through the paint.