Carvel planked painting help needed

[JGPierce]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2341/2213139368_f41cbbd19f.jpg

I am finished filling in the screw holes, caulking, and fairing my Haven 12 1/2 ....now on to painting. I live in New Hamsphire and things are mighty cold this time of year. I can get the garage up to 45 F., but probably not much more. Is there an issue with painting at this temperature?

My second question will open a can of worms, but here goes: after talking with some wooden boat owners and the technical consultant at Interlux I have a recommendation to paint the bottom with Interlux Micron-extra with no primer and the topsides with their Pre-Kote primer and then with Interlux Brightsides. The Brightside is a polyurathane paint: is this going to be too hard for a boat where the cedar planks are going to move? I am planning on keeping the boat in salt water at a dock.

Thanks for the help.

John

[dstreck]

No suprise that an Interlux rep would recommend Interlux products. Personally, I'd leave the high-tech paints for the high-tech boats and do it the time-honored way: red-lead primer for BTW, white undercoat above, finishing off with Kirby's Marine Enamel top coat and old-fashioned copper bottom paint. The "zero-maintenance paint job" is a myth, especially on a woody, and Kirbys paints have proven themselves for a hundred years or so. In either case, if you can't get the temp up, you might need to wait until spring. Either that or cast the lead ballast in the shop. That ought to get things nice and warm.

Just my 2 cents. Looks like a nice job, btw. Well done.

[Thorne]

For a slightly less trad coating system, consider CPES as a primer/sealer and either Kirbys, Rustoleum Marine or house/porch paints over that.

That said, I've had reasonably good luck with red lead and Kirbys/Rustoleum as above on my fir over oak dory skiff, but haven't left it in the water more than 3-4 days. Where the fir is particularly porous on the bottom planks, I've gotten some small bubbles in the Rustoleum over both red lead and CPES.

[Ken Hutchins]

Do other things on the boat for a few weeks, best time to paint is fast approaching, March thru mid April, warm enough but before black flys. Some days in January are warm enough.

[pcford]

Brightsides is an excellent product.

A few people on this forum advocate Kirby's paints. I think it's because of the olde-tymey looking can label. It's pretty much nonsense as far as I can tell.

Many, many people have used Brightsides and have had fine results. Easypoxy is another good paint.

[JGPierce]

I've used Kirby's red lead on all my faying surfaces, frames, floors, keel, etc. and have been happy with it. A lot of people are happy with Kirby's traditional paints for topsides and bottom and I have no question that they work well as the company as been around for many a year. They are one of the paints that I am considering.

The reason I am asking people's experiences with the newer paints, such as the Interlux products, is to see whether the extra cost of the paint really pays off especially on bottom paint where they claim that the newer paints last for several years before a repaint.

[wbrent]

I used Easypoxy on my Haven, after using Kirby paints first. I much prefer the Easypoxy for both ease of use and finish but that I think is just a matter of personal preference.

[Bob Smalser]

I can get the garage up to 45 F., but probably not much more. Is there an issue with painting at this temperature?



Paint cures, but likes to run and sag badly in cold weather. Plan on doing a whole lot of tipping and very little rolling and a lot of thin coats. And I don't find marine-grade poly paints any better than alkyds in this regard.

Hypergloss plastic paints weren't around when your design was originally built; you have to decide how original you want the boat to look.

[Lew Barrett]

Which paint to use; a hotly contentious topic that fills the archives with
vitriol and discussion!

I have had excellent results with EasyPoxy and Brightsides, both of which will provide higher gloss and better initial flow than traditional enamels. However, the look is different, so it becomes a matter of preference. If you want a tougher higher gloss finish, then Brightsides
is probably the direction you should take. Enamels will be duller, and will chalk a bit faster, but have that old timey look some prefer. Personally, I like a bit more gloss and sheen, but it's a personal call.

Either way, I'd wait until the weather warmed another 10 or 15 degrees though. At that point, you'll have no risk of curing problems and the job should be a bit easier and more comfortable for all concerned.

[DaveWhitla]

Not what you are asking but ....

I'd be concerned about painting in an enclosed space the size of your garage at all without fume extraction and/or breathing apparatus.