Did I Get Screwed?

[jasonsnova]

Originally Posted by fishstick

I can take my fingernail and scratch the paint right off. This boat has been sitting outside, in the weather, for 25 yrs. Could it be since sitting outside so long that the glass had soaked something in and sanding released it?

its possible....but can you see is there any primer over the glass? if not paint will not adhere directly to fiberglass .....if it wasnt primed its gonna peel period.

[rjcappy]

Jason's right. If these clowns didn't put any primer down it's not the prep nor the gel-coat. The primer is what sticks to the surface and what the paint sticks to, so without it you can actualy scrach it off. Ask them what primer they used. If they didn't i would go straight to small claims court and get a prof. painter to do it right.

[fishstick]

They straight out told me that they never use primer or a sealer on fiberglass.

[jasonsnova]

Originally Posted by fishstick

They straight out told me that they never use primer or a sealer on fiberglass.

then they screwed up.... period. automotive style paint will never adhere to glass, must be primed or sealed 1st..... sorry
even worse is its gonna have to be stripped.....i'd recommend having it soda blasted and start over with some one who knows what they are doing

[Jkeane]

I've painted a bunch of boats.. Yes, gelcoat is the best.. BUT.. is not my first choice for refinishing.. If you're just fixing in a localized spot, then without a doubt, gelcoat the heck out of it.. (tough to color match though, and near impossible on an older boat.. even if you match perfectly, over time the gelcoat will fade differently.. new gelcoat fades sooner than older.. so in a year or so, you'll see a ghost of a repair.. then next year, expect to see more and more..)

The last hull I painted, a 40' sailboat, was done with a basecoat / clearcoat automotive paint. I chose this stuff because the quality is much better than anything in the marine world... The automotive BC/CC (basecoat clearcoat) paint is repairable.

Prep is KEY...
sanding the boat without first wiping it down with acetone or lacquer thinner before sanding the boat the first time was the killer to your finish.. when sanding, you just embedded any wax that has ever been used on your boat into the gelcoat.. once that happened, any wiping down afterwards will be useless..

Any spots that you missed sanding will also keep the paint from adhering properly.. and will come off with a fingernail once cured.

I've always used a primer; I am using a polyester primer on a 21' Mako i'm restoring, it is like a thin gelcoat that is easier to sand.. it uses polyester catalyst (MEKP).. Then I'll go with a BC/CC automotive finish.

If you do strip, be careful of any chemicals.. make sure they're safe for fiberglass.. some will soften the gelcoat. and don't use anything with a sharp corner for scraping..

find an auto body supply house, and don't be afraid to ask for advise.. leave the shop's name out of any discussion.. the shop will likely be a customer of the supply house.. but it kinda sounds like this guy is more of the 'shade tree variety'
Good Luck!!

[fishstick]

So what would be the best way to remove their paint job, and start new? Sand or some kind of striping agent? I'm just going to do this myself. The glass already has many stress fractures.

[jasonsnova]

soda blast would be best, or you can get the "FOR PLASTIC " paint stripper,(if you do do a small test areas 1st) or sand off....pretty much your only options

[fishstick]

I just don't want to do any more damage, since it's so old. Also, if any of you guys that paint, restore, or know anybody that paints or restores boats for a living, please email me of the proper way it needs to be done. The more proof I have to show the original painters that they did it wrong, the more they might refund my money. Just email me at [email protected]. Thanks.

[jasonsnova]

Originally Posted by fishstick

I just don't want to do any more damage, since it's so old. Also, if any of you guys that paint, restore, or know anybody that paints or restores boats for a living, please email me of the proper way it needs to be done. The more proof I have to show the original painters that they did it wrong, the more they might refund my money. Just email me at [email protected]. Thanks.

i am a painter and a auto body shop owner.....

[fishstick]

I talked to a store that sells auto supplies. He has a paint stripper for fiberglass. He said it should take off the paint and anything that was on or in the glass before it was painted.

[jasonsnova]

yep that will work, do a small area at a time(like 12x12" or 12x24") wear gloves(stuff burns) and use a plastic putty knife or bondo spreader to take off the paint once it curls, also after you are done with each section wash with soap and water good ( you dont want a little of that stuff on there when you go to repaint , and its hard to get off when it drys)
good luck!

[fishstick]

Sounds like it may be easier to just sand it off.

[fishstick]

How do I get out the wax, or whatever may have been on the surface, out of the gel coat that I already sanded?

[jasonsnova]

Originally Posted by fishstick

How do I get out the wax, or whatever may have been on the surface, out of the gel coat that I already sanded?

thats not your problem, problem is they didnt use a primer, use your paint stripper, wash with warm soapy water then wash with a pre-paint wax and grease remover( get at automotive paint supplier) resand hull with 320 grit, wash again with w&g remover then put 1-2 coats of epoxy primer as a sealer coat on, wait to flash(roughly 45min) then top coat, on a boat emmron would be best, whick you can get in either single stage or base/clear........good luck

[fishstick]

I heard of spraying the paint, or of rolling the paint on with that self leveling paint. What do you think would be the easiest and most forgiving for a first timer?