Cost of Painting Hull

[Maynard Rupp]

I have now seen 2 examples of fenders rubbing through the finish with Awlcraft.
I probably have some perfect examples of the durability of Imron and Awlgrip. My 35' racing sailboat was painted with Awlgrip in 1986 by a very reputable group in Sarnia Ontario called Captain's Yacht Services. It still looks OK, but wheeling it with Finessit II doesn't bring the shine back very well. Our '86 Hat has the original Imron and still looks like new. I wheel it once a year. I am now using a 3M polish called "foam pad polishing glaze-light" #05995. This stuff works just like Finesseit II but stays wet longer and is a bit easier to towel off. Either product works great and keeps our Imron like new. I have touched up our boat with Imron using only the paint # to buy the paint. The match has been perfect with both the white and blue.

[MikeP]

"BTW MikeP if you knew the Bailey's post was there why didn't you point to it as the "support" you were looking for contradicting your position?"

A valid question!

I never heard of/saw the Baileys post until you posted your response, which I thought was very good. Then I decided to do some searches of my own on Awlgrip vs Imron to see other views and Bailey's article showed up.

Re those searches, one yacht site poster mentioned that clear evidence that Awlgrip was "better" is because Boeing uses it on their aircraft. But they don't. They use Imron. All it requires to determine that is to do a search and find this quote from Boeing's approved vendor list for aircraft and helicopters which can be found at:
http://www.boeing.com/companyoffices...dhs/splrdj.pdf (choppers)
http://www.boeing.com/companyoffices...tcmdhs/hms.pdf (aircraft)

Frankly, I don't care what Boeing uses, MY problem with all this is that EVEN when a search is made, it doesn't mean the info found is even valid. The guy who stated that Boeing uses Awlgrip is wrong so how can I assume ANYTHING he says is correct? Perhaps Boeing USED to use Awlgrip. But if so, the poster should have said that or, said, something like "as far as I know..." or "as I recall..." It requires a LOT of searching to even begin to separate the wheat from the chaff. And, in the end, you still have to decide whether the info applies in your situation.

Oh well, I seem to have digressed here but bad information seems to be rampant...NOTE: I am not saying that about "your" post re Imron/awlgrip, I am not disputing the issue re the paints themselves.

You might want to check out my Brian Surgery Site!

just kidding

[dmichaudri]

I have restored / upgraded 5 different boats over the past 12 years. I have been given quotes for a 53 MY for awlgrip or Imoron (my choice) for $150 to $200 for the entire hull (topsides below the rail) by a couple of very good smaller yards in Maine. I have used these yards before and they are indeed a pleasure to work with and very thoughtful people.

The key is the weight of the yacht and the height. One yard has a 30 ton travellift and the other uses a tractor pulled trailer (on an old marine railway bed) that can go a bit higher. Thus, I think the 53 is about the comfortable limit for either yard.

Regarding the height, with a radar arch bridge a 53 MY would not fit inside their barns. The apporach is to erect a temporary building and do the work that way.

If one want to obtain the best value, the approach would be to arrainge for the yard to so the work after the first week of July, back in the water mid-August. They all have a slow 6-8 week period in the summer and hence will sharpen their pencils a bit. The key is value, not just price, and to look at some of the yards' completed work and talk to owners.

In my estimation the Maine yards are some of the best ways to go (just stay away from Hinckley unlesss you drive a Bentley) for high quality value price workmanship. Once the yacht is relaunched you can cruise in reasonable comfort until mid September before heading south or laying the yacht up.

See you on the water.

[TedZ]

I understand MikeP.

Nice answer BTW.

Thanks.
Ted

[Brian Degulis]

Gentlemen,

Regarding the life span of either Imron or Awlgrip, I have had both over the years and as stated by you folks both have their benefits and shortcomings. My first Awlgrip job was done in the late 80's in Alabama by a well know yard and the job looked great.... for a while. Within a few years it started to dull and in some areas over aluminum it actually peeled. A few years later with another Hatteras - this time painted on the Chesapeake (on Kent Island), the contractor applied many additional coats and the result was magnificent. The boat was sold about 9 years ago to a friend so therefore I get to see it often. The shine is still blinding and flawless. All that is done is he applies a coat of Awlcare polymar annually. I lost touch with the painter but would love to find him again. His name by the way was (is) Mike Stein, so if anyone knows of his whereabouts, let me know...

Walt

That's the key with awlgrip to build up enough mill thickness in one spraying operation. The resin layer floats to the top as it flows out if you let that first coat dry to the point where it is very tacky then apply more the second coat blends into the first bringing (theoreticaly) twice the resin layer up to the surface. You can do as many coats as you like I generaly do a total of 4 or 5 the last coat is thinned with a slower reducer like 50% brushing reducer mixed with the spraying reducer. I try to hit that point where it flows out completly but doesn't sag. When done this way it will have a initial shine not obtainable with imron it almost looks like you could jump into it and the (no maintenance) lifespan will be very good.

If I were rolling and tipping I would not use Awlgrip. Because you must wait for each coat to dry you will only get the resin layer from the last coat you put on. It works and it looks good but it won't have near the life of a good spray job.

Brian