Paint Choice

[thegammas]

I am getting close to the point where I can re-paint the repair areas on the upper hull, which at this point is really just the stem cap and a few places that need touch up. I've already got the bottom paint, where most of the repairs are, so no worries there.

So my question - do I really need to go with a (likely) more expensive marine paint that won't match the rest of the hull, or can I go with a high quality exterior paint that I can get matched at a paint store, such as Ben Moore, or depo/lowes? I've no idea the source, brand, name, or type of paint that is on the hull now.

[Michael J. Seiber]

I used Valspar Tractor and implement paint on mine. I've been using it for years on aluminum boats and have had great results with it. It's an oil base paint that you can add hardener to if you wish. It's tuff and stays nice for years. When I used on my wood boat I only used a little bit of hardener in it, that way it stays a little more flexible. Nothing seems to stick to it. When I come home from the river theere's never a water line mark on it. All my other boats always have a water line mark on them that's really hard to get off. The Valspar always comes home clean. It's not exactly cheap but it's alot less expense than marine grade paints. You can get it at the tractor supply store. The only problem is it doesn't come in very many colors but the white is great or you can mix it to get the color you need. It also brushes on very nice. If you use the right brush you won't see any brush marks. Mike

[Bill E]

Peter,

You're going to be doing a major restoration "before long" anyway, right? Will that include stripping the hull and repainting? (Remember, it's probably lead-based paint if it's original, like mine was....) If that's the case, I'd go with a good-quality exterior oil from any source you like. This may be shaking the tree a little, but even an exterior latex house paint would do, especially if you're talking above the waterline. I built a little plywood skiff in 2004 and painted it with latex house paint (the "oops" paint at HD/Lowes for $1/qt). While the boat was seldom in the water, it was left outside for a good bit of the time. I let that boat go when I sold my sailboat this past Jan. when I bought the Thompson. Still in great shape.... Besides, think of what exterior latex house paint is designed to do. Keep water out, protect from the elements, etc.

Now, if you must go marine grade, there's a company I've looked into, even spoken with the owner by phone, but haven't bought any paint from. Check out http://www.ipaint.us/blwamatopa.html and see what you think. If you buy it, let us ALL know what you think. When I was going to do more extensive hull work on my Catalina 22, this is the paint I was planning to use.

Keep us posted!

-wte