Anyone used Totalboat Elixir?

[dbp1]

So apparently System Three is permanently discontinuing their water based polyurethane paint (what used to be called WR-LPU, and recently changed to Pennant Topsides). I only used it once (panted the inside & outside of a 16ft boat), but really liked it: no fumes, and at least to me, much easier to use than at least traditional oil enamels. I looked around at the only replacement that I could find is a product by Jamestown, "Totalboat Elixir" which looks on the surface pretty similar. Anyone used it?

(The obvious alternative is the one part solvent based polys: brightsides or ez poxy, but not quite ready to give up on water based stuff yet).

[wizbang 13]

So, have you tried sanding the old junkimeanwaterbasepaint off?

[dbp1]

So I guess that’s a no to my actual question Bruce.

[Jfitzger]

So, have you tried sanding the old junkimeanwaterbasepaint off?

WR-LPU is a linear polyurethane just like Awlgrip. It cures because of a catalyst not because of evaporation. I've used both and sanded both with no problems. It does not gum up sandpaper like latex. I used WR-LPU on my dingy five years age and I've been shocked by how tough it is and how well the paint has held up.

Based on the price, and the fact that they are comparing it to oil enamel, I would expect Totalboat Elixir to be softer than WR-LPU. I think a closer equivalent would be a water borne acrylic urethane. Awlcraft is a solvent borne equivalent. They're becoming the dominate car paint in large part because of California.

Sorry I don't have a better answer to your question. Elixir is cheap enough I could see buying some just to make some test samples.

[dbp1]

WR-LPU is a linear polyurethane just like Awlgrip. It cures because of a catalyst not because of evaporation. I've used both and sanded both with no problems. It does not gum up sandpaper like latex. I used WR-LPU on my dingy five years age and I've been shocked by how tough it is and how well the paint has held up.

Based on the price, and the fact that they are comparing it to oil enamel, I would expect Totalboat Elixir to be softer than WR-LPU. I think a closer equivalent would be a water borne acrylic urethane. Awlcraft is a solvent borne equivalent. They're becoming the dominate car paint in large part because of California.

Sorry I don't have a better answer to your question. Elixir is cheap enough I could see buying some just to make some test samples.

Unfortunately it is no more…

When I search for “water based acrylic urethane”, the only things that come up are non-marine products (eg, Ben Moore COMMAND). Is that what you were thinking of? I know people use house paints (even latex stuff), but I’m not sure if I want to experiment.

If I stay w/ marine, and want stuff that is reasonably easy to use, does that mean a closer equivalent in terms of end result would be a two part poly (interlude perfection, epifanes poly, etc)?

[Jfitzger]

Unfortunately it is no more…

When I search for “water based acrylic urethane”, the only things that come up are non-marine products (eg, Ben Moore COMMAND). Is that what you were thinking of? I know people use house paints (even latex stuff), but I’m not sure if I want to experiment.

If I stay w/ marine, and want stuff that is reasonably easy to use, does that mean a closer equivalent in terms of end result would be a two part poly (interlude perfection, epifanes poly, etc)?

Command is one part. I was thinking of the 2 pack urethanes that are used for painting motor vehicles. https://us.ppgrefinish.com/PPG-Refin...gh-Performance. or
http://sdstds.crxcolor.com/Doc/TDS/EN/EN%20CRPRBC.pdf

They both have to be sprayed and aren't particularly user friendly. If I were painting another boat I would use Envirobase or Alexseal. I don't know of a waterborne paint marketed as marine that would be as good as WR-LPU or the 2 part solvent borne polyurethanes.

Amazon still has some of the WR-LPU in stock

[peb]

So apparently System Three is permanently discontinuing their water based polyurethane paint (what used to be called WR-LPU, and recently changed to Pennant Topsides). I only used it once (panted the inside & outside of a 16ft boat), but really liked it: no fumes, and at least to me, much easier to use than at least traditional oil enamels. I looked around at the only replacement that I could find is a product by Jamestown, "Totalboat Elixir" which looks on the surface pretty similar. Anyone used it?

(The obvious alternative is the one part solvent based polys: brightsides or ez poxy, but not quite ready to give up on water based stuff yet).

How do you know they are discontinuing it? I am painting my boat with it as we speak. It was marked as out of stock on their website, I had already painted my cockpit area and wanted to use it for the deck and topsides. I called and they had stock for phone orders, the lady on the phone said they were having to sort out some supply issues and do some testing on some replacement. She said it would be readily available for summer when I want to buy some more.
If they are permanently discontinuing it, thats a big disappointment.

[peb]

Ha, I see that system three is now removed from their website.

[dbp1]

Ha, I see that system three is now removed from their website.

I tried to order some color samples from duckworks. They initially said it was delayed, for exactly the reason you said: testing, etc. then the other day they told duckworks (who told me: wonderful people!) that they had decided to pull it entirely. Best guess is something must have come up in testing and they didn’t want to fix? If I was in progress I’d reach out to try to find out what, but for me it just means I need to find something else…

[peb]

I tried to order some color samples from duckworks. They initially said it was delayed, for exactly the reason you said: testing, etc. then the other day they told duckworks (who told me: wonderful people!) that they had decided to pull it entirely. Best guess is something must have come up in testing and they didn’t want to fix? If I was in progress I’d reach out to try to find out what, but for me it just means I need to find something else…

I did that, and now have a dilemma. Apparently they had a customer up north whose boat had blisters after being covered with snow for a while. They were able to reproduce the problem in the lab by leaving the paint submerged for a couple of days. They said it was a continuous submerging, not cumulative time, so the heeling of a sailboat should not be a problem. But I am in north Texas, and we do have snow and ice storms and my boat will be left in the water in the marina. Typically melts off within a couple of days. Don't really know what to do now. Just putting final coat on today. I have under a rather tight schedule also. I actually bought too much, and was have another boat to paint and was planning on using what I bought. Won't do that.

Major bummer. I was actually going to come to this subforum and write a review of the application. It does not level perfectly using roll and tip, I can normally get a near perfect finish with Perfection. But its certainly a 3-5 foot finish and the ease of use (no sanding between coats), and lack of smell, certainly seems worth it. I had done my cockpit last summer and because a change in the way I was dogging down the sole hatches, I sanded those off and refinished them. From the sanding experience, I can tell its a dang hard paint.

Oh well.