Said I'd never do it again.. However planning to spruce up my decks/cockpit.
Not planning to go 'Too Fussy' and keep it quick/simple/cost effective.
Plan was to:
Clean, quick sand, clean again then
a) Deck Paint
b)Prime/Undercoat/Deck paint.
Thinking of using Norglass Weatherfast Deck paint, as total coverage including non-nonslip areas(trims and vertical surfaces),anyone had experience?
Is the nonslip any good?
is nonslip to grippy for trims/cockpit vertical surfaces? And hard to clean, or water run off? Is this only for nonslip areas, similar to kiwigrip? No as regular smooth paint?
Is it worth the Norglass 2 pack primer/undercoat to go over cracked gel coat surfaces?
Understand Prime/UC would be the best, however is deck paint alone good enough for a few years?
Thoughts?
Ideas?
Suggestions?
Experiences?
I'm contemplating painting my deck also, and come to the conclusion you can't get away without the primer stage.
someone has previously painted my deck presumably without primer, it's now peeling off in spots, so I'll have to give it a good wet and dry sand.
My plan was to use the Shipshape primer everywhere, then the Norglass weatherfast on the areas that aren't non slip, not needing to mask off the areas will make this stage quick. I'd then leave it for a week or two, wash it, then masking tape on the freshly painted non nonslip areas, and paint the non slip areas with Norglass deck paint.
Sounds to me like a job best left to spring or summer.
My deck is now finished. The bare epoxy fibreglass cloth was painted with 3 coats of White Knights oil-based paving paint. The cabin top and sides are in this paint as well. The deck was then covered in Kiwi grip which is just really thick acrylic paint that is rolled to get the desired effect. This stuff is brilliant. I taped up the areas I will walk on and did two or three areas each day. The Amel in the picture behind has Kiwigrip on the decks and it has been there for a very long time and still looks excellent. I used to use the White Knights paving paint on all the uppers on my fishing vessel and it handles abuse very well. Does not chip just wears and is easily touched up. No primer, just paint 3 coats. It's also the only paint I found that sticks to hardwood in the direct sun. It's not as glossy as ordinary paints.
There are plenty of videos on Youtube using Kiwigrip. Freerange sailing uses it on their clansman. I went with a very aggressive finish and this has the advantage of covering up any blemishes, the finish is probably 1 to 2mm thick!
I painted my decks with International Perfection 5 years ago, pretty well still look like new.
This a photo of my deck this morning to show the Kiwigrip profile I went with. The hole there is for the deck prisms, one on each side.
Have used both Kiwigrip and Norglass Deck Paint with the plastic nonslip granules in it. Both good. Kiwigrip doesn't scuff up your shorts nearly as much as the Norglass - but I am going again with the Norglass on a 35yr old 1/4 tonner soon. Always best to use the primer/undercoat first. Any paint you put over cracked gelcoat surfaces will not hide the cracks - no matter how fine they are. Suggest fill them with Septone Gelcoat repair putty first (sand and acetone wash first), sand flush, prime and topcoat.
Imho paint all the existing nonskid areas with the nonskid deck paint, and paint all the rest of the deck / cockpit / vertical sides which are white at the moment with a white or off white polyurethane. Doing the whole lot with nonskid will look not good at all and scuff up more than your shorts. The nonskid result depends on the masking tape application accuracy - take your time to get the tape on very accurately and use a good quality masking tape.
For the white areas (anything not nonskid) we have had excellent results using Resene Uracryl 402 semi gloss, colour milk white - they can tint many versions of milk white for you. The semigloss doesn't show up the brush marks nearly as much as gloss and the 2 pack formula will be a lot harder than a single pot poly. Check with Resene but if you prepare the white gelcoat properly with 600 wet and dry and acetone degrease (or IPA degrease check with them) the Resene will probably go straight over it in one coat.
Select to expand quoteRamona said..
This a photo of my deck this morning to show the Kiwigrip profile I went with. The hole there is for the deck prisms, one on each side.
Thanks, Familiar with KiwiGrip from previous Deck painting
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Sailing/General/Painting-Deck?page=1#16
Select to expand quoter13 said..
Have used both Kiwigrip and Norglass Deck Paint with the plastic nonslip granules in it. Both good. Kiwigrip doesn't scuff up your shorts nearly as much as the Norglass - but I am going again with the Norglass on a 35yr old 1/4 tonner soon. Always best to use the primer/undercoat first. Any paint you put over cracked gelcoat surfaces will not hide the cracks - no matter how fine they are. Suggest fill them with Septone Gelcoat repair putty first (sand and acetone wash first), sand flush, prime and topcoat.
Imho paint all the existing nonskid areas with the nonskid deck paint, and paint all the rest of the deck / cockpit / vertical sides which are white at the moment with a white or off white polyurethane. Doing the whole lot with nonskid will look not good at all and scuff up more than your shorts. The nonskid result depends on the masking tape application accuracy - take your time to get the tape on very accurately and use a good quality masking tape.
For the white areas (anything not nonskid) we have had excellent results using Resene Uracryl 402 semi gloss, colour milk white - they can tint many versions of milk white for you. The semigloss doesn't show up the brush marks nearly as much as gloss and the 2 pack formula will be a lot harder than a single pot poly. Check with Resene but if you prepare the white gelcoat properly with 600 wet and dry and acetone degrease (or IPA degrease check with them) the Resene will probably go straight over it in one coat.
Excellent, Thanks. I spoke with the guys at Norglass today and got similar feedback on using Deck Paint everywhere.
have you got any photos of what the texture looks like?
Will research into Resene, Never tried 2 pack, however if I use the Primer/Undercoat in 2 pack from Norglass, might as well try for Topcoat.
The single pack from International was great to use, however need tippy toeing around, otherwise would chip/wear etc.
Any other Primer/Undercoats you suggest?
Sorry don't have any photos showing texture of Norglass Deck Paint. The finish is essentially equivalent to all one pot deck paints.
As regards any other primer/undercoats suggested I have been trying to buy 5litres of this from Wattyl for the last couple of months but they have a supply issue and as far as they told me out of their Padstow store they will call me when they get stock in. It is now called Macropoxy or something similar after their recent buy out by Valspar or someone else forget which.............
wattylindustrial.com.au/documents/pcm/tds/Epinamel%20PR250.pdf
Anyway expect it is an excellent epoxy primer/undercoat and hope to get my hands on it sooner rather than later.
The process has started.
Went the Norglass 2 pack route, 1st coat of Shipshape Primer/UC. 2nd coat tomorrow, wait for the next weather window for Northane on smooths, then Weatherfast Deck on treads.
Though only 1/3 of the way, can see the light at the end of the tunnel
Big effort Cabron
Looking great.
For a minute there I thought you were going for the boat version of a Rat Rod 
Superb after just one primer/ucoat the finish will be better than new. Excellent masking out preparation obviously.
Almost there, what doesn't show is the 2-3 coats primer/uc, 2-3 Urethane white coats, and today's first deck coat. final coat tomorrow, peel tape off Sunday. Bed all the removed deck gear. sailing next weekend I hope ??
Good for a few more years!!
Did I say I'd never paint a boat again...???
Looks fantastic, any problems with the tape peeling off any of the Northane when you removed it?
Select to expand quoteBlueMoon said..
Looks fantastic, any problems with the tape peeling off any of the Northane when you removed it?
Where in areas that it was too thick, eg cleats, stanchion bases etc, I had to use a razor to cut, and got mixed results. Though it was a throw on job to suit weather windows painting in the middle of winter and a quick slap on good paint on what is my 30 something year old neat mooring minder.
Problem I had with Northane was it was too thick, and mohair roller creates orange peel texture.
They suggest thinners for hot weather, maybe I should of heated my tins??
Where a brush was used, it self levelled. Roller wasn't a super smooth finish, same goes for Shipshape primer/uc.
If to repeat, I'd play with thinners, and allow for almost half their coverage recommendation.
Select to expand quoteCabron said..BlueMoon said..
Looks fantastic, any problems with the tape peeling off any of the Northane when you removed it?
Where in areas that it was too thick, eg cleats, stanchion bases etc, I had to use a razor to cut, and got mixed results. Though it was a throw on job to suit weather windows painting in the middle of winter and a quick slap on good paint on what is my 30 something year old neat mooring minder.
Problem I had with Northane was it was too thick, and mohair roller creates orange peel texture.
They suggest thinners for hot weather, maybe I should of heated my tins??
Where a brush was used, it self levelled. Roller wasn't a super smooth finish, same goes for Shipshape primer/uc.
If to repeat, I'd play with thinners, and allow for almost half their coverage recommendation.
I've never tried it but one day I'm going to give Penetrol ago as a paint additive to get a smooth finish.
great job Cabron, especially for one done on the water.
I did the cabinsides using Northane, and have also used Altex, both 2 pac, and both rolled and tipped.
Using the brusher or retarder is a definite, especially if you are doing it when there's any sun, and well shelling out more $$ for.
It helps the roller release the paint, and gives it time to pull out when curing. Mix the ratios, let it activate for 15 minutes, then add the brusher. And keep adding it while your working as well, especially if theres any wind, which I found evaporated the thinners from the roller tray, and ended up thickening as was mentioned.
My only other tip for anyone contemplating a job while on the water, watch out for dew.
I had to redo my blacked out areas because of it.
The boat looked perfect when finished, absolute 100% perfect, jeeze I'm great etc etc. time to go home.
Came back the next morning to take the masking tape off, and it looked all matt and dull, dew killed it overnight.
The only shiny spot was where a stray halliard tail had fallen onto the deck, and inadvertently protected one area.
All good advise, dew point is a trap, beware it can effect oil base similarly! And penetrol is an excellent additive to oil base paint to get a good finish, but if you put it over a vinyl paint it will fry up.
Select to expand quotewoko said..
All good advise, dew point is a trap, beware it can effect oil base similarly! And penetrol is an excellent additive to oil base paint to get a good finish, but if you put it over a vinyl paint it will fry up.
dew and humidity will kill the gloss on any paint. Awesome job Cabron. Not easy to do afloat. I could smell you from the Taplin Park boat ramp the other day 
