painting sequence question

[JMAC]

I've ground the hull of my glassed over Rhodes 18 centerboard sloop. I'm going to paint it this weekend. My question is which first, topsides or bottom. I'll probably be going for 1 coat on the bottom and 2 on the topsides. Possibly putting in a boot stripe. Old was taped on with black and red tapes by a drunken sailor.

I didn't go back to glass, but have sanded off the gloss and made some repairs with glass tape and epoxy. Thanks

[sawcutmill]

Work your way down from the top.STEPHEN

[JMAC]

My top or your top, I've got the boat upside down right now. Are you thinking about drips or some other reason?

[sawcutmill]

The painting sequence is the same either from the top(upside down ) or the top right sidy up!
The reason is that in the work sequence, it is easier to keep the work in progress, ie:sanding dust,and drips of wet paint manageable.As gravity RULES! It also keeps it orderly, to a degree, in this process.Stephen

[Ian McColgin]

Actually, there is a bit more than gravity rules. I would paint this boat with her upside down for convenience. Within an area I'd go from high to low but I'd NOT paint the bottom first.

After the hull is fully preped, paint the boot first as it's the most tenacious paint in the world. It's well to have the boot properly taped though some think that that taping can be skipped as the topsides and bottom will be taped and you could lap the boot. Bad plan. Everyone knows I'm not too punctilious about painting but even I tape at every step.

The exception to boot first is if you're changing hull colour. Then you may well need several coats topside so tape the top boot line and paint to that first.

Small aside - let's assume that you have a good scribed waterline or that you'll use the level the boat carefully and water hose method or lasars or whatever to mark it. Waterlines always look better with a bit of flair. Get the bow mark perhaps 1" above true, stern maybe 1/2" above and flair the waterline up to that over the last three or four feet. If you have a boot, you might flair the bottom paint to boot a bit less and then flair the boot to topsides line a bit more. Don't be afraid to do several tapings and stand off for the critical eye.

Back to the sequence. I can't see why you'd put two coats of bottom paint on such a boat. One will do fine. So get the boot well taped, then do the bottom (boat upside down) followed by topsides same day.

I like to strip the tape off before the paint sets but after it's a tad tacky as that leaves a clean edge.

I use "fine line" which you can get at auto body suppliers if you don't see it in the better paint stores. It's got a little streatch so in taping you want to hold it from the center of the spool, thus avoiding having your thumb put a streatch that makes the edge not straight. It takes the curves of a boat better than house style masking tape, it's unlikely to pull the boot paint off, and it leaves an exceptionally clean edge.

Do you know how to work your way down, one hand holding the spool out in the direction of travel and the other tapping the tape in place, arms fully extended and eye very close to the hull. This gives you a good view of how you'r landing the tape. You actually correct the aim with the hand extended behind your head and the other hand just pressed the tape down, no shift up or down with that hand.

If you don't have a boot, do the topsides first, even if the boat's upside down. You'll not drip pver the fineline tape anyway and you'll not get a clean edge taping over bottom paint.

G'luck