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Painting saga about to begin

Jim you might want to re think that in the future, Thinning and using paint that's exceeded it's pot life is not such a hot idea especially with the chemistry in Awlgrip. That paint is diffrent than most others there is a resin layer that floats to surface after it's applied that makes the shine and protects the base below. After the paint has exceeded it's pot life even if it's still liquid the resin layer won't float up as designed.
 
I didn't know that. FWIW, the area that I did with that paint has already had a second coat laid over it, but I'll bear it in mind for the future. I just didn't want to throw it out.

I also just found I have enough Flag Blue to repaint the flybridge stripe.... hmmmmm....
 
jim rosenthal said:
It is hard to see the paint as it goes on, especially since we are recoating using the same color as before.
Click to expand...

I don't know if this idea is legit or allowed or will even work, but what about spraying a light "speckle" coat of a darker color primer on the unpainted areas so you can see where is done and where is not.
 
I use that sometimes in areas where I'm sanding, so I can see where I've been and not been. The AwlGrip video I bought from Jamestown Distributors suggested this, and to use lacquer, which dries fast and sands off easily. So yeah, this does work.
 
An update, although no new photos since there isn't much worth posting. I have finished the starboard cabin side, which looks pretty good- some areas look like they were sprayed (others don't but at least they don't look like they were done with a mop) and got the rail back on. Today I began the cabin top on the port side, which will get a second coat tomorrow before I go to work. Following that, I think I will have to turn her end for end in the slip to get the port side close to the finger pier so I can paint the port cabin side.

Interestingly, all the work I've done so far has used up one quart of AwlGrip paint. (plus converter, brushing thinner) I just opened the second quart today. Also the other day I bought an additional gallon of paint, 1/2 gallon of converter, reducer, etc. If I was paying list for this I'd be broke. List is EXPENSIVE.

I tried the tape trick on the foam brushes and it helps, thank you. They do get floppy after a few minutes with solvent in them. I think it's the reducer but who knows.....

After the second coat is on tomorrow, I can replace the flybridge ladder, which is off for painting; I still have to work on the bridge deck itself, but that is going to get rolled with nonskid- a separate operation. After tomorrow, I will have done all the glossy parts of the bridge deck, I think.

Since I can't do the entire boat at once, I have to spend a fair amount of time figuring out which parts to do first. The two general directions I am working with are 1) from center laterally and 2) from up to down. This way I get to sand out and paint over the drips and runs..... :)

And I have to hurry up and finish so it's safe for Mike to come back to Maryland...:)
 
Turned her end for end tonight (interesting in the dark and with all that stuff to trip over on the aft deck) I had ground out and filled an area on the stbd toe rail which was cracked, and had faired it as well. And then I found some AG in the freezer where I'd put it the other day. Decided it was perfect for a discloser coat to see whether the filled area is fair enough to paint (I'm going to sand it off anyway) The good news: the paint worked. Bad news: still needs fairing.
 
Got some progress accomplished today, despite the heat. First coat on the port cabin side, and recoated some other areas I had to sand runs out of, like the front of the brow. Tomorrow the area I did today will get a second coat, and then I think it is on to the bridge deck, two coats up there. We're moving along.

I am still working out how I am going to do the foredeck/sidedecks. They are a continuous area reaching all around the outside of the cockpit area. I can put this off a few days since I have to do some small repairs to the deck where I used to have anchor chocks mounted (do NOT drill holes in cored decks!!! if you can possible avoid it. Go to any lengths to avoid this. It will lead to nothing but trouble. There ought to be a law) In order for the nonskid to blend on the repaired areas, I think I am going to feather them into the old nonskid and then resand everything and paint over all that. I still have the problem of how to paint the entire deck without stop and start marks, walking on it, etc. Essentially I have to "paint myself off the deck" walking backwards, more or less. The foredeck hatch may come in handy here.

On Saturday I am taking a break from all this- to paint my friend's race car (American Iron Mustang) with black AwlGrip. Well, at least it's a different color. :)
 
Jim,

My foredeck (1981 48MY) may be similar to yours so FWIW I'll describe how a 'pro' painted mine a couple of months ago. Actually this will describe his second go at it... the first was a disaster and had to be sanded smooth.

First of course, sand, prep, clean and mask.

Starting from the aft end of the starboard catwalk, the painter rolled on Algrip while working (moving) backwards toward the bow. A second guy sprayed a very very light coating of powder nonskid (SharkSkin) over the painter's shoulder using a common spray gun, but keeping it out of the wet edge. Yes, this is dry spraying. Using a 'big salt shaker' caused the first mess.

When the painter got to the large foredeck, he worked his way forward and toward port while the second added non-skid dust. The painter then continued aft on the port catwalk all the way to the wing door. Since this was a non-skid surface, the less than perfect wet edge was no problem.

The next day, they vacuumed and dusted off the excess dust and rolled on a gloss finish coat, thinned a bit more than normal. This was done in Florida in mid May early in the morning after wiping off the dew and allowing it to just dry.

The result meets my standard and I suspect more than meets most owners standards. Others here will tell you I'm fussy.

Bobk
 
You know, that might just work. If I began at the place you describe, the meeting line where I had worked my way around the boat would be as small as possible. I had never thought of that method. Brilliant!

I do have to do the toerails as well, and I had thought to do them at the same time as the decks. But maybe that isn't such a great idea. I think I should do them first- I can turn the boat in the slip to get them done, working partly from the deck and partly from the finger pier and dock- and then paint the decks as you suggest.

The decks will need two coats. For that, there is no alternative other than to let the first rolled-out coat cure completely before I go back to do the second. That's okay. Much of this process consists of waiting to get things done.

Like today- I went up to Hampstead to help a friend with a car project, and it took me nearly three hours to get home- two of which was spent trying to transit Annapolis and just get the two or three miles to my house. NYC and DC do not have a monopoly on miserable traffic. Not by a long shot they don't.
 
Most 2 cmponent paints have a window when re-coating. Directons are usually on the can. I usually see a 24 hour window to recoat, after which you will have to scuff the finish for the new paint to adhere. Hate to see you waste all that time and the paint isnt cheap either.
 
Jim,

If you really need to do it in sections you can make the sections look like they are part of the plan by simply using 1" masking tape to make attractive glossy strip sections. Just make the intersections rounded. That's not a good description. Picture a glossy strip down the center of the foredeck, or athwart ship glossy strips where the catwalks meet the foredeck. You apply the gloss first, then mask and paint on the non-skid. PM me for a phone number if you would like a verbal description.

Bobk
 
I understand what you mean; you see this sometimes on production boats. It's worth keeping in mind. Today I finished the epoxy repairs to the foredeck, and the last thing I did before the light totally went was to roll AwlGrip primer on the repaired areas. I will probably scuff them and roll another coat of primer on tomorrow AM, and then I am going to try to roll on paint with a small amount of nonskid in the paint to match up the nonskid that's still there. We'll see how this works. It's worth trying, because the areas are small, but I may end up sanding it all off again.

As far as how to paint the foredeck, I think I am going to prep and paint the toe rail first, all the way around to the sheerline break, on both sides, and THEN tackle the nonskid areas of the deck. First, though I am about ready to roll the flybridge deck, which I hope to do tomorrow as well. If I can get that done, I will be close to having only the main deck areas and surrounds left to do- that is still a lot, but nowhere near what I was up against at the beginning of the project.
 
I've experimented with this a little and found that fine Awlgrip Griptex and a lot of it makes the most even job. If you ad just a little it won't distribute evenly it really needs to be near 100% coverage. I would mix it into full gloss topcoat then overcoat with a 100% ad of flatting agent. Thin the final top coat well and brush and roll as little as possible. The flatting agent is not intended for brush aplication and you can get shearing which will result in glossy spots. Thinning 40% with very fast reducer or MEK and not moving it around to much minimizes the possibility of shearing. Full grit coverage and flat finish will look the best and be an efective non skid.
 
Because I have always had a racing sailboat, I am sort of an expert on the subject of non-skid. I have sprayed Awlgrip with their fine or course powder, rolled Awlgrip and sprinkled the Awlgrip powder in the wet paint, mixed the grit in the Awlgrip etc. Spraying with the powder in the paint and a large tip worked best. The last time I did this I realized that the grit lasts about 5 to 7 years. Why do you need a fancy paint like Awlgrip for this purpose. I now use Interlux anti-skid paint. This is a quality single part paint that has the grit in the paint. It rolls on nicely and looks very proffessional. The grit seems to be lasting at least as long as the much more expensive Awlgrip, and it is much easier to use.
 
Well, so far, here's what I am doing- I AM using AwlGrip and I am mixing the nonskid into the paint tray. Right now I am replacing the nonskid where I had to sand it off to repair the deck. I know at least one person who had the nonskid areas done with a one-part paint and I don't think it's holding up real well; and my boat isn't under a shed roof like his is. Mine is out in the open nine months a year. I am also going to leave out the flattening additive this time around- I think it makes the paint age faster and not shed water and dirt as well. So what I am going to have, at least initially, is a shiny deck with rolled-on nonskid. I did the bridge deck today, and it actually looks quite good- nice and even. Of course, most of the time the bridge deck is under a cover, not out in the open like the fore and aft decks.

We'll see how it works. The area of the deck that gets the most wear is the aft deck, from people walking on it and dirt from the dock and land. The area that gets the most sun is the foredeck, which really aged a lot since the last paint job. Also the toe rail area which has no gloss left at all. My plan is to paint the toe rail first, taping off all the hardware, and once I've got two coats on that, let it cure completely and then roll the deck. I also have to do the foredeck hatch, but I can do that off the boat- there are a LOT of advantages to having her under cover where she doesn't get rained on. I can also do the aft deck hatches off the boat; I could take them home and do them in the garage.....hmmmm.
 
FYI
I tried rolling non skid in with the paint once and it came out terrible. The non skid tended to clump up on the roller.

Art
 
Much progress today; had a friend come help me and we got the new rubber seal installed between the bridge and the cabin roof. We had to elevate the bridge molding in some places with wooden shims, but it all went together very nicely. Interestingly, the front of the bridge, which I thought would be the most difficult (the gap was the narrowest there) turned out to be the easiest. What do you know.

Following that, I rolled the last coat of paint onto the bridge deck. I will remove the tape tomorrow; I think I can get up on the bridge without stepping on anything recently painted. The nonskid seems to be working out fine. I mixed it into the paint after induction time and before the reducer. I have also started using the accelerator as well, just a few drops.

You know you're making progress when you are putting hardware back ON the boat instead of removing it. The cabin rails are on, the ladder to the bridge, the running lamps, and the horns, although those last no longer work (see other thread) I have also begun sanding the toe rail on the port side; my plan is to prep and paint the toe rail all around at least to the sheerline break, and then roll the fore and side decks as per the method that Bob outlined. I can't think of a better way to do this: much obliged, Bob. I also finally got some photos today, which I will post when I am not quite so worn out. Today was a long day.
 
You are welcome Jim. I'm looking for an oppportunity to get to your marina and see the finished product. Any news on the shoaling on the north side of the narrows?

Bobk
 
MikeP can get in and out with his 53 MY, drawing about five feet. I think it helps to arrive at high tide; obviously you'd want the current against you as sometimes there is a pretty strong rate of knots in the Narrows. I have seen a 2-3 knot current in there, I think. I did not have any difficulty getting in the Narrows from the North, but I only draw three feet.
 
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