Welcome Guests!!!

[egaito]

Just took a look at who's online, and notice 10 guests on the site.

Just wanted to say Welcome! And to encourage you to join if you have an interest in classic Hatt's. We love'em and are here to help you with shared information and opinions....and you know what they say about opinions.

It's been amazing to see how the forum has grown since I started visiting, and even more amazing to watch the number or folks that just stop by.....the numbers are growing all the time!

To our visitors, don't be fooled with all the technical talk...we try to stay on focus in the forum and save the silliness (well most of it anyway) for the water!

The pool is open, the water's fine...jump on in.

[Freebird]

Well said there Ed. Just don't forget your water wings!

[Chesapeake Dan]

Well let me say Hi to everyone, and introduce myself. My name is Dan, I registered a couple day's so I could reply to the EZ2CY thread.

I no longer work for them, I work at Oxford Boatyard in Oxford Maryland on the paint crew, been there two years now.

I have been working on boats for over 20 years now at all different capacities, from commercial, to charter, then private, now married with kids and working on them now, bu have to go home and leave them behind ( am very happy )

Out of all the boats that I have worked on and all, my dream is when I retire, or when the kids leave the house ( which will probably be first ) would like to sell the house and the wife and I move on a Hatteras Yachtfish, I just really like those boats.

I have looked at the directory to see if any of my old customers from my EZ2CY day's were on here ( and there are quite a few ) but did not see any.

Glad to be here, and maybe some service to the board when some paint, varnish, enclousure problems turn up, hopefully I will be able to give some help. I am on a few other boards, and a very big fan of them, is a wealth of information .

Dan

[Gina Marie]

Welcome Dan glad we now have a resident painting expert I am sure you will be well recieved. Gina Marie, Boca Raton Fla.

[Chesapeake Dan]

Thanks to the Sunshine state Gina. I spent 6 winters down there, mostly sub contracting in Palm Beach Co, and the Keys!!! Miss it down there, esp. in the winter

[Walter P]

Welcome Dan,

Great timing.... I'm planning on some work on my 1982, 48 MY including a complete paint job. The problem is I need to decide pretty soon which paint to have applied. My choices are Awlgrip, Imron or Awlcraft 2000. As I understand it they all have good and bad points. I have had boats sprayed with Awlgrip and Imron and I think the Awlgrip is smoother looking.

What in your opinion is the best bet for me.. I'm not looking for annual waxing but I understand that wax is NOT recommended for either of the above paints. My previous Hatteras was awlgriped and after 7 years still looks like it was done last week. The only maintainance has been an annual (spring) application of awlcare polymer. I understand that Imron (and Awlcraft) can be repaired if necessary. I guess my concern is that most painters that I've talked to seem to prefer applying Imron or Awlcraft 2000. Is it because they can "repair" a run or orange peel or because it is really better to do Imron?

Walt

[67hat34c]

awlcraft 2000 is not good, does not hold up. Use Regular awlgrip.

[ThirdHatt]

It really is tough to beat regular Awlgrip. That's what all the new boats come with. I've been told that you can repair Awlgrip, just not quite as easily as Imron.

[jim rosenthal]

They can all be repaired (anything can) but it is easier with Imron and Awlcraft. Of those two, I would use Imron. Awlgrip can be retouched, but it is more difficult and it can't really be buffed out. A major consideration is who is doing the painting; painters typically will be comfortable with a particular finish and want to use that. I would use either Imron, which has incredible longevity, or Awlgrip. I used 'Grip.

[Fanfare]

I find I need to paint every 12-15 years. Boat is always outside. Tried Awlgrip three paints ago, last two have been Imron Matterhorn white. I have been satisfied, but you probably can't go wrong with either.

Both paint films are very thin, so surface prep is essential. With both paints I found that if I left the cushions out in the rain the standing water would cause blisters under the cushions if I did not raise them to dry out before storing.