Old boat, new paint, dumb installer

[ab8msmark]

I picked up a 1967 36' Chris Craft power boat. The previous owner must have gotten discouraged as he ripped everything apart and stopped there. I am in the process of prepping for painting the starboard side hull top side. I have repaired a couple of soft spots and will begin primering this weekend. I bought Gluvite for the primer. Am I headed in the right direction so far?
Help from any and all but do not get technical. (I just learned what a binacle was.) And why can't people just say right or left?
Mark

[On Vacation]

STOP. Do not use gluvit for a primer. It is an epoxy coating. I will let the more experinced wooders speak of the proper priming for your boat. Good luck with the refurbishing of this hull. The Hampton Maritime Museum in the Norfolk area has alot of archives on all chris crafts.

http://www.mariner.org/chriscraft/index.html

[ 08-31-2002, 08:13 AM: Message edited by: oyster ]

[TomRobb]

Your Chris is painted, not varnished? All the old Chris's I see are varnished. Seems to part of the "look."
Go to the search thingy on the upper right and search on paint or varnish and CPES. You'll get more than you ever wanted to know.
And don't go w/ GLOVIT. Ack :(

[Allen Foote]

The paints that I would recommend depend upon the type of construction of your Chris. Is it a Sea-Skiff of plywood lapstrake build? or is she a seam & batten express cruiser? Leave the Gluvit for the decking....read the label, thats what its for.

[ab8msmark]

My boat is plywood construction. Original paint was white. The decks are all covered in a vinyl type material. The only mahogany showing is a short deck rail around the back and the transom. These both being varnished.

[ab8msmark]

I should have added that it is a Cavalier class. 36' twin screw cabin cruiser power boat.

[Allen Foote]

The forum folks will recommend CPES as a primer. I don't use it and would recommend that the areas repaired (sanded down) be primed with 2 coats of thinned, Z-spar undercoating. Followed by a coat of Z-spar undercoating unthinned. The thinned paint goes into the wood better instead of laying ontop of it. As it is plywood, it'll only go into the first veneer anyway, the glue blocking any further penetration. Sounds like you're after building the paint up to the existing paint level surrounding the repair. I preffer the Z-Spar enamels because they are a more "elastic" finish and flex better with the wood movement. :D However......if the repair was done with an epoxy, that changes the whole scenerio.

[ 09-01-2002, 11:26 AM: Message edited by: Allen Foote ]

[ab8msmark]

Allen: I probably have further complicated things. While doing the rot repair, I laminated the repaired area(s) with West Systems epoxy. I purchased Gluvit as recommended by Boaters World. They said that I could hide a rough surface with 3 coats and I could top coat with just about anything. I would like to top coat with an epoxy. The rough surface I spoke of is chipped paint from previous poor painting of which has been removed.
Thank you, Mark

[Allen Foote]

So then you're looking for a "filling type" primer to go over epoxy? Why not use a fairing compound additive with another coat of epoxy and sand that down smooth? Then paint it.

[ab8msmark]

Allen: That's what I've done. I used West Systems 105, 205 and 407. Filled and sanded down. I'm on the last big repair now and may be done by the weekend. I would like to start prime coating Saturday. I bought 2 gallons of Gluvit and do not need to use this on the hull. I have plenty of other places to use it above the deck. I want to use a good flexible primer, 3 coats, sanded in between, and then leave it fot the winter while I work topside repairing the areas where the water is entering and remodeling the main cabin. I just want to protect the hull from the elements for the winter here in Michigan.
Suggestions?
Mark

[Allen Foote]

At this point, just coat the epoxy to keep the UV's off. Forget about automotive finishes. The whole Idea of 2 to 3 coats of a filling primer sanded ect...is for automotive restorations. You have a boat....a 30 some foot boat. Use a coat or 2 of brightside on the epoxy. Anyplace where there is plywood showing, brush on a thinned coat of Z-Spar. (If you paint the plywood with a hard finish it will develope hair line cracks in the finish). When you are ready for the exterior finish coats in the spring, then worry about fillers ect. smile.gif

[Allen Foote]

A trade secret......when using West System and additives (such as 410) when you have it faired and sanded as much as you're going to sand it, paint on a coat of resin/hardener over the top before any painting ect. It is the perfect filler ect and sets the 410 rock-solid. Its almost impossible to sand an overcoated 410 mixture. :D You didn't mention the 410...its what I like to use for fairing.

[Ian McColgin]

Almost anything is better for faring in a poor surface than gluvit. Gluvit's peculiar virtures are that it's a bit flexable and gets into leakydeaky places nicely. When I use it as a sealer, I spread it really thinly with a plastic, let it cure for a week or so and then sand like a lunatic.

On any surface, sanding is better than building, but in the end you may have to build a bit.

CPES is a nice sealer on a good surface. It does not fill or build.

Gluvit I mentioned at the start.

You may build with loaded epoxy's - like WEST - but there are other sanding sealers that build at least a little.

Get some smart on the spot advice on this one.

G'luck