Wheelhouse and Awlgrip 2000

Blue Swell · Senior Member

Wheelhouse and Awlgrip 2000

fingers crossed · Senior Member

HI Geoff.

I have'nt used Awlgrip myself but I have seen a yacht in the local yard that had been resprayed with Awlgrip after some pretty major repair work and I have to say the finished result was superb. I think the authorised agent had been asked by the customer to change the colour too. I don't know how the yacht looks now though some 3 years later though.

Have a look on the link. http://www.pedrosyachtrefinishing.co.uk/gallery.htm

hope this helps.

Cheers.

Dave.

Blue Swell · Senior Member

Hi Dave,

Thanks for your link...... think Awlgrip is the answer.

Still waiting for my estimate though. Have been advised that should be good for 20years as its a very hard finish. Im only going to have the wheelhouse done and although there is some general wear and tear on the toe rails its a commercial boat and dont want to be constantly touching up those areas from feet/rope marks etc.

Regards Geoff

chas · Senior Member

Hi Geoff

You said "having to flatten back to the original gelcoat" - has your wheelhouse already been painted?

I asked a fibreglass specialist who I know and sometimes use for an estimate for re-gelcoating and polishing the sides of my wheelhouse and from memory, he quoted about £1100.

IMO, the trouble with painting is where do you stop? and you'd probably never totally match the colour of the original gelcoat.

The sides are the only bits you really see when you are on the pontoon next to it.

See how much the quote for Awlgrip is but I can give you this guy's details if you are interested - he's at Hayling Island.

Cheers

Chas

Blue Swell · Senior Member

Hi Chas,

Thanks for your reply, my wheelhouse is still in original gelcoat but some previous repairs have proved that when the gel is wet sanded back it starts to show through/darken the area around the repair. Im presuming that basically the gel is not that thick,hence problem.

As for where to start and stop, ive decided to just have the whole Wheelhouse done (subject to price) stoping on the inside edge of antislip deck paint.

To be honest the ****pit is excellent and still a bright white as always had a cover and the toe rail area is ok,with the usual wear and tear.By not spraying these areas it will illiminate the problem of feet/ropes and scuffs around the toe rail area and rubbing paint off.

Alwgrip is certainly a very hard paint, reading some posts about it requires very little maintenance and i have been advised will be good for 20 years!. So its certainly worth some serious consideration.

Hope you are well and managed to get out with this good weather.

Geoff...................

Martin · Senior Member

Hi Guys

I wouldn't ever paint gel coat!! Having just stripped 4 buckets of paint flakes off my wheelhouse roof alone I would rather walk over broken glass than paint it for the first time. I think the Awlgrip sounds great if the gel coat is gubbed but paint never! Just my opinion and if I find the person who painted mine I would love to ask him a few questions. Lady Jayne was a creel boat for a while and still has evidence of the sacrificial glass patch put on the stbd side below where the hauler was, because of this the hull will never be pristine again but I would love to have it stripped back and re gel coated to original. Any ideas how much it would cost?

Cheers

Martin

Blue Swell · Senior Member

Hi Martin,

I feel your pain.....I watched in horror a Lochin 33 hull be hand painted many years ago with the frost melting on deck and running down the badly done brush job and no preparation.

If i decide to go ahead im having it professionally sprayed with epoxy primer and Awlgrip in a spray coat finish........ I have been advised the cost would be to great to re gelcoat all the wheelhouse with the other minor repairs required plus other issues created by stripping all windows/handrails fixtures and fittings.Although i will be removing as much as possible.

The whole boat and hull are in fantastic condition and original gelcoat. Its just the wheelhouse that i feel really needs some tlc to keep the boat looking great,along with some minor grp repairs needed which are going to create other problems as mentioned above. It is a really difficult decision what to do and not sure yet if it will get done this year due to costs but awaiting a price.

Best Wishes

Geoff...........

HanssonBrothers · Veteran Member

Hi there ! we use a 2 layer of epoxy then 2 layer DuPont paint system we were very pleased.we grinde all surface and the cabin and scandeck and use filler for all the holes ... ....We use airbrusch...But on our hull we use a paint that we use roller and the panit strech when it get hard same results as air brush..

I can recomend the Dubbelcoat

http://de-ijssel-coatings.se/ytbehandlingar

Best regards : Tobias

kees · Veteran Member

Hi Geoff

no experience with Alwgrip, We use De IJssel polyurethane two component coating.

it's on polyester base, becomes hard as concrete , is as good as scratch free and shiny as a dog ***** in the moonshine.

apply with a roller, it levels out so perfect that everybody will think it's done by a professional with a spray gun. Off course preparation is extremely important, if that is not done well, the result .................

br,

Kees.

Blue Swell · Senior Member

Hi Tobias and Kees

Thanks for your input, looks like De IJssel is very similar to Awlgrip.

Have just recieved the estimate which is slightly confusing but im going to discuss the options tomorrow. They use 4 coats of epoxy primer flatted down then 3 coats of Awlgrip.

Basically still at the discussion stage.

Geoff ..............

HanssonBrothers · Veteran Member

Hi ! good luck with your paint job ... Just finish the last layer of GRP on our engine bed 15 layers, a not very fun job but hopefully it will get strong. Many houres left in the plastic job...

Best Regards Tobias

Harold Timmer · Senior Member

Hi Geoff and everyone,

Awlgrip is certainly one of the best paints in the world. The reason I went for gelcoating is simply because that is what I do for a living and I was not going to pay somebody else to do an average paint job. However, in your case I would certainly go for painting, simply because it is cheaper and you will get a longer life out of it. If I would go to the extent of painting the wheelhouse, I would take the handrails off. Not only because of the fiddly masking, but also the boat is now over 20 years old and it wouldn't hurt to replace the sealant in between the handrails and the roof. Windows, I agree.. I wouldn't take them out! They can do a perfect job with masking. From memory there are only 12 bolts and nuts to undo the handrails. Last but not least, I would certainly ask the painter you are using, to show some previous work. It's a superb looking boat, so she's worth spending the money on her.

good luck with it all.

Harold

Blue Swell · Senior Member

Hi Harold and Lochin enthusiasts

Thanks for your input on Awlgrip. I have seen some of the spray work by my local yard and certainly think this is the way forward. They have since quoted to remove all fittings except windows although i have only 3 left to remove,reseal and refit.

The quote excludes doing the toe rails as i didnt want these done due to constant feet/ropework etc but everything inside of the antislip deck paint,so i will carry on with the wet and dry and polish back up these areas. The quote is going to be re negoiated later on as may take advantage of winter rates if they are a little quiet but still alot of money.

As you have seen my Lochin Harold, I too feel this is the way forward to keep it looking in superb condition, although now will be left till end of year or early next.

Blue Swell is booked for a lift out in May for annual maintenance/maintenance which i will be doing as usual,hope to post some photo's later on.

Best wishes

Geoff