Is your boat’s shine slowly fading? A coat of paint will do wonders for it and make it look as good as new. However, this kind of paint job can be quite expensive. As you will cover each area of the deck and other parts, gremlins will pop up, and you will spiral into a rabbit hole of fixing this and that.
If you are excited about the job, you might end up questioning yourself when a problem arises the third time, and you find yourself taking care of it first before continuing to paint the boat.
Our intention is not to stop you from taking on this task. It’s just that under your boat’s painted surface are laborious hours of back-breaking, knee-crunching, finger-flensing, and nitpicking prep work.
Are you ready for it?
If you have made up your mind, let’s take a look at some things you need to consider:
Painting a Fiberglass Boat
There’s not much difference between painting a wood and a fiberglass boat, except for a few details that go into the preparation and application. Instead of taking a brush or paint roller, which does a good job for a wood boat, a fiberglass boat requires special paint.
These include:
Single-Part Enamel
This is the most common type of paint used on fiberglass boats. It is less expensive but not long-lasting. It does not protect the boat from UV damage, and the gloss fades after a while if you don’t wax or maintain your vessel.
Single-Part Polyurethane
This pain is easy to apply and is a budget-friendly option. It gives a long-lasting finish, and the gloss tends to give your boat a fresh look.
Two-Part Polyurethane
Out of the three, this is the most expensive paint. It is also hard to apply because it must be mixed with an epoxy primer and applied at specific humidity levels and temperature. Many boaters claim that two-part polyurethane gives a better gloss than a boat’s original gel coat.
Now that you know about the paint options, here are the steps you need to follow for the job:
Clean the Boat
Wash the boat with a high-pressure hose. Use a marine-grade cleaner to scrub any grease spots and grime. Make sure to dry the boat thoroughly, or dust will mix will moisture again, making painting the boat difficult.
Remover Detachable Hardware
Remove anything that is not part of your boat. For example, grills, extra benches, storage bins, etc. This will make the paint job easy.
Remove the Wax Coating
Use a solvent to remove the old wax coating because you cannot paint on a waxy surface.
Make Small Repairs
If you see any holes or cracks on the boat’s surface, fill them will marine-grade proxy and use a 40 or 80-grit sandpaper to smoothen the surface.
You can now paint your boat!
We mentioned at the start that painting your boat can be challenging, especially when you have a 22 feet craft. However, a DIY job will work in your favor if your boat is in good condition. We suggest tackling this task over the weekend, giving you plenty of time to finish the job.
However, if you are worried you won’t be able to do your boat justice, simply hire a professional. Don’t forget to get an upfront coat after an inspection. This will save you from any unforeseen repairs that might halt the paint job.
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