Renew dull paint

[JKC]

My 1978 boat's finish, which is the original Imron I assume, is chalky. And due to an encounter with a dock, needs some paint on the starboard side. I am using Awlgrip paint and will end up painting about half the hull. As for the other half, to renew the original Imron, what should I do? I see that Awlgrip has a product called AWLCARE (Awlgrip does not recommend wax); is there a similar product for Imron or will AWLCARE work? Or should I paint the whole boat while I'm at it (I'd rather not)?

[skindr1999]

Hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but reality's a bitch. After pushing the inevitable paint job by 2 yrs I on my 53 I can tell you that once the paint starts chalking it's shot. I tried every product in the books from awlcare, collinite, teflon, compounding professionally, etc. none lasted more that 2-3 months and the chalking was back. I saved a bundle by only doing the hull in the yard and the rest was done at my dock on a canal. Yard costs run around $4000 per month, not including the actual paint job. They charge for each tarp, moving the boat into and out of the covered shed, every rag, storage, etc etc. by the way I got awlgrip put on by brush, 4 coats and it looks great 2 yrs. later. My advice, forget about temporary measures, bite the bullet and get it painted unless you're going to sell it quickly and let the next guy eat it.

[jim rosenthal]

with skindr, paint the whole boat, but I have seen twenty and thirty year old Imron jobs which can be buffed out and look terrific. One of them was in Tom Slane's shop- it was amazing how well it came back. Awlgrip will not do this, it is not acrylic urethane as Imron is, and once it is dull it is basically shot. AwlCRAFT is their acrylic urethane which is similar to Imron and can be buffed and spotted in. Both of them are excellent paints and will look good brushed or rolled when applied by someone who knows what they are doing. As in any paint job, the prep work is 3/4 or more of the final result.

[phoenix1979]

In my experience, Imron should be able to undergo paint restoration just like other paints, whether on fiberglass, metal or RV filon.

It's not a secret but any quality auto clear coat can do a very good job of paint restoration. Although not strictly an automotive clear coat, Vivilon (800-VIVILON) can restore or rejuvenate dull, chalky, oxidized, faded or sun weathered paint to like new color tone, luster, gloss and shine without the need to repaint. The slick coating it leaves behind is excelllent long standing protection against UV radiation (sun damage), acid rain, bird droppings, salt, deisel and even algae.

This "miracle" is acheived by re-wetting the pigments and restoring their spericality that restores original color and shine to paint. As I say, Auto clears like Spies-Hecker, DuPont, PPG, etc. will restore faded surfaces too. The thing I like about Vivilon is that no mixing is required and you don't need a hazmat suit with air supply to spray it.

But, either way, Vivilon or one of the other aut clear coats, try them and be suprised at the results you can get. Just my 2 cents worth.

[SKYCHENEY]

In my experience, Imron should be able to undergo paint restoration just like other paints, whether on fiberglass, metal or RV filon.

It's not a secret but any quality auto clear coat can do a very good job of paint restoration. Although not strictly an automotive clear coat, Vivilon (800-VIVILON) can restore or rejuvenate dull, chalky, oxidized, faded or sun weathered paint to like new color tone, luster, gloss and shine without the need to repaint. The slick coating it leaves behind is excelllent long standing protection against UV radiation (sun damage), acid rain, bird droppings, salt, deisel and even algae.

This "miracle" is acheived by re-wetting the pigments and restoring their spericality that restores original color and shine to paint. As I say, Auto clears like Spies-Hecker, DuPont, PPG, etc. will restore faded surfaces too. The thing I like about Vivilon is that no mixing is required and you don't need a hazmat suit with air supply to spray it.

But, either way, Vivilon or one of the other aut clear coats, try them and be suprised at the results you can get. Just my 2 cents worth.

What is your affiliation with this company?

[ohiohatteras]

Before I bit the bullet and had my whole boat re-painted, I got rid of the chalkiness in the Imrom using 3M Heavy Duty Rubbing Compound. It's literally liquid sandpaper....so be very careful cuz you can burn right thru the paint! After the HD, I went over it with 3M Finesse It, followed by 2 top coats of Colonite fiberglass boat wax. It looked great....but only lasts about 1 Great Lakes season.
Then....each consecutive year after the initial job.....a complete detail with just the Finesse it and wax kept it looking good.
Cheapest alternative....but a boatload of work!

[MikeP]

"What is your affiliation with this company?"

Sky, I'm shocked at your cynical nature! I checked their website and they say the "finish" will last 10 years. Pretty impressive - neither Imron nor Awlgrip make that claim. And heck it's here on the internet so it MUST be true!

;)

[SKYCHENEY]

"What is your affiliation with this company?"

Sky, I'm shocked at your cynical nature! I checked their website and they say the "finish" will last 10 years. Pretty impressive - neither Imron nor Awlgrip make that claim. And heck it's here on the internet so it MUST be true!

;)

Sorry if this is legitimate, but I just noticed that this is the first post by this person and that he doesn't own a Hatteras and hasn't even filled out all of the registration fields. He doesn't actually say that he has even tried it on a boat of any kind. I would want to see the results of this product on a boat before I tried spraying it on mine.

Cynical....Yes.

[Mike36c]

JKC, if you don't mind spending more than a few hours this will work. Tool required: A variable speed 7" buffer w/extra wheels. Start with 3M Perfect-It III which will bring back the gloss, then move to 3M Finesse-It II to remove any swirls and improve the gloss. Finish with a coat of Awlcare sealer (by hand). I spent two days on my plane using this method and WOW! I don't work for 3M and their products are a little pricey but they do work well. Most of our local detailers use this same process.

[Brian Degulis]

What is your affiliation with this company?

Good work sharp as a tack at least somebodies paying atention around here!!!

Brian

[Maynard Rupp]

Our '86 36C has the original Imron and still looks like new. It was chalky when we bought the boat. I just wheeled it with 3M Finesse it II and it looked great. I repeat that procedure annually. With the boat now in Miami, I am still able to maintain the gloss for a year. I was told that using 3M foam pad polishing glaze is better than Finesseit II. I guess it stays wetter longer and is the same grit, (or lack of grit). I will try that soon as it is the time of year for my sore arms to re-appear.:)

[Angela]

I just met with a professional boat detailer who takes care of the real big boats! Now, that I've found a way to pick my bottom jaw up off the floor, I thought I'd share with you what he had to say about restoring chalking, 28 year old Imron! But I'm still grinning ear to ear!

Nice guy...I met him at Hopkins-Carter while in there buying some stuff to try to bring the shine back, as well as trying to fit Ed's grinder/polisher with an appropriate pad. The products I had selected are those he actually uses, though he was there buying them by the gallons! Anyway, he stopped by this afternoon just to show me the tricks of the trade. He brought his tools and materials to demonstrate the "how-to." I told him that we preferred not to wax, but to "Finesse-It" instead since wax last about 3 months and Finesse-It lasts a year. He uses yellow wax because he's in the polishing business and it keeps him coming back every three months to work on the boat. :) That said, he whole-heartedly agreed that Finesse-It instead of wax was the way to go...after all, he wasn't here to sell me anything. This is one of those situations where perhaps I got a little something back from sometime I may have helped someone else with something...good carma. :) He just stopped by to show me what to do out of the goodness of his heart. The store clerk at Hopkins-Carter also told me that this guy is very good and knows his stuff, so he wasn't just some guy off the street, either.

He also gave me some tips on keeping the vinyl covered cushions white. He said to clean them with with a microfiber cloth and acetone (lightly) and then apply insulation wax to them. Collinite makes an insulation wax - it's a wax for metal.

I learned a lot from him today. He used the 3M Perfect-It III Extra Cut Rubbing Compound with the Meguiar's foam pad (the W1000 pad) - not the Milwaukee - the Meguiar's is softer - I saw the difference for myself - no swirl marks with the W1000 Meguiar's. He used a Makita 9227C polisher on speed 4. No pressure, but use slow lateral movements and then vertical movement, and keep the pad moving. Add a very small amount of mineral spirits to the Perfect-It to keep it from drying out so quickly. He put it in a squirt bottle with a cap like you'd find on the mustard bottle for ease in reapplying it as he was working, and he used the stuff generously. In just a few minutes, he had one corner of the raised house area on the boat shining like new. I was totally impressed! And then when I ran my hand over it...WOW. The compounding is something he said I'd only have to do once assuming I kept up with the annual maintenance thereafter.

If you're going to wax (and I'm not going to wax my paint), use yellow wax and apply it with microfiber pad, and remove it with a terrycloth. He used a vibrating polisher to apply the wax, let it dry and removed it by hand with a terry cloth. I think he uses the polisher to remove it when doing a larger area.

He also put yellow wax on one of my clear window panels in the aft deck canvas enclosure. He said they will stay clean longer this way and won't get water marks on them.

You can use that 3M compound on your stainless, followed by a quality metal polish.

Lastly, he said when you've used your microfiber bonnet to the point that you're quite done with it, pour some acetone on it and run it along your shore power cables to clean them like new, then toss it.

I took some photos, but they really do NOT do justice. The new finish is really hard to capture in a photo. I'll post them anyway. The first one is before and then the next one is the SHINE. In person, the finish outstanding and I can't keep my hands off it!

Sanctuary IS going to shine again!

[Maynard Rupp]

Get it nice once, Ang, then just use Finessit II annually. We use a variable speed Makita with a hook and loop plastic driver and Meguires foam pads. This year I am going to try 3M foam polishing pad material instead of Finesseit II. A guy that does it for a living said the stuff stays wet longer and doesn't turn to powder. He said it is easier to work with and does the same job. I will let you know as I will start the process in a week. First I have to install our new Raritan Atlantes Freedom head. Thank god I don't have 3 of them like you do.:)

[Angela]

Maynard, just so you can feel more sorry for me...I have FOUR heads, not three. :D LOL

My guy said the secret to keeping the polish or compounding material wet was adding a "little" mineral spirits. Mineral spirits won't evaporate like water. Likewise, my guy also spoke highly of the McGuire's foam pad. It's softer than the other. And now, I have witnesses to the miracle I saw performed on my boat. Pascal and Naomi have seen and felt it for themselves. Awesome! I can't stop walking out there just to pet that spot on the boat. My cat is concerned.... LOL

[SKYCHENEY]

You'll also find that it's much easier to clean. The grime just slips right off.

[MikeP]

"My cat is concerned"

"You'll also find that it's much easier to clean. The grime just slips right off"


Yeah, if I was the cat, I'd be concerned too... :)

[SKYCHENEY]

The boat, not the cat. Of course if you compound the cat, it will be easier to clean too.

[Pascal]

yep... we were ordered to feel her and pet her.. (the boat obvously) the minute we got on board last night. i must say the difference is incredible.

"Maynard, just so you can feel more sorry for me...I have FOUR heads, not three."

??? four heads and you ended up using the ...

never mind :-)