I know that some guys are painting gel-coat with Imron, but I'm not so sure that this system is the best for gel-coats over a gel-coat specific paint system such as those one and two part urethane and polyurethane systems from Awlgrip, Petit, Interlux and others. Why? Gel-coats and their underlying substrates are subject to extreme stresses that automotive paint systems don't necessarily see.
Hang tight while I await a phone call from experts. I'm also going to take a drive tomorrow to speak to a man who uses the automotive Imron systems on his many gel-coat projects.
Below is post (starting with the quote and then my follow-up thoughts)I debated on posting. I've decided to go ahead and give my thoughts on the matter before speaking to those "in-the-know". Give me a few days and we'll see what kind of information we get, and I'll pass it along.
Something doesn't add up about the above statements.
I'll start with the following:
A white or "other colored" gel-coat surface, once oxidized can/will leave a similar color of oxidation transfered to a cloth after rubbing. This colored oxidation that was removed, in and of itself, does not mean a boat has been painted, rather, it (the colored gel-coat which has color all the way through it, or the gel-coat is clear) simply oxidized. My point; a base/coat clear coat paint system (which I'm not aware exists) should not rub any color off onto a towel no more than it would on a car. Why? Simple...the clear layer is the top layer and the base color would be underneath. IF this were possible to see a color on your rag with a base/clear paint system, then the top clear layer would be compromised. Meaning, there's a hole in the top clear layer, which is a significant problem.
I would also be worried about a basecoat/clearcoat paint system failing in a fiberglass/gelcoated surface because of being too brittle, i.e., not flexible enough for the stresses placed on the entire structures of a boat.
Please note that I am in no way saying that a basecoat/clearcoat paint system doesn't exist for boats, rather, that I am not aware of their existance.
I am aware of enamel topside paint systems (several brands), Urethane topside paint systems (Awlgrip), one-part mono and two-part urethane topside paint systems (Epifanes), one-part ad two-part polyurethanes (Interlux, Petit, etc).
Awlgrip does offer a urethane topcoat as well as base colors, as well as a high gloss clear. While this may clear can be added over a base color using the Awlgrip brand, that still leaves the clear layer on top. Therefore, if you take a rag to check to see if you will get paint transfer, if any transfer happens, it should be from an oxidized clear top layer, and NOT the base color transfering on the rag, towel, etc. However, a boat can be painted, oxidize, and have resuling colored residue come off on a rag, but this boat will not have clear on it.
So yes, boat topsides can be and are painted at times. Some may even come painted from the factory, though I can't be sure of this. I have been around 45'-50' Fountain racing boats that had colored gel-coat with zero paint that I am aware of. I've also seen custom paint jobs on those same Fountain racing boats that cost in excess of $100,000 dollars just for the paint and special effects in the paint job itself.
I'm not a paint expert, nor am I a boat/car guru. However, based upon a semi-educated guess, I don't think that we can just simply throw around terms such as "basecoat/clearcoat" expecting those paints to be the same for both automobiles and boats. A car/truck, at least in my mind, doesn't even come close to seeing the same stresses on it's body panels as a boat does on its hull and topsides, which are structurally tied together rather than siimply being bolted on (yes I know the tops are seperate from the bottoms, yet are tied together).
In short,
Non-painted gel-coat can be many colors. Oxidation can and will transfer that particular color onto a rag when oxidized.
A painted gel-coat can also transfer color to a rag if the color isn't topped with clear.
A painted gel-coat with a base color and a clear gloss top layer will also transfer oxidation, but it should be a powdery and more "milky" looking grime on your rag, NOT the base color.
Again, I am seeking definite answers from professionals...and the phone just wrang. Hang tight...
Hang tight while I await a phone call from experts. I'm also going to take a drive tomorrow to speak to a man who uses the automotive Imron systems on his many gel-coat projects.
Below is post (starting with the quote and then my follow-up thoughts)I debated on posting. I've decided to go ahead and give my thoughts on the matter before speaking to those "in-the-know". Give me a few days and we'll see what kind of information we get, and I'll pass it along.
Something doesn't add up about the above statements.
I'll start with the following:
A white or "other colored" gel-coat surface, once oxidized can/will leave a similar color of oxidation transfered to a cloth after rubbing. This colored oxidation that was removed, in and of itself, does not mean a boat has been painted, rather, it (the colored gel-coat which has color all the way through it, or the gel-coat is clear) simply oxidized. My point; a base/coat clear coat paint system (which I'm not aware exists) should not rub any color off onto a towel no more than it would on a car. Why? Simple...the clear layer is the top layer and the base color would be underneath. IF this were possible to see a color on your rag with a base/clear paint system, then the top clear layer would be compromised. Meaning, there's a hole in the top clear layer, which is a significant problem.
I would also be worried about a basecoat/clearcoat paint system failing in a fiberglass/gelcoated surface because of being too brittle, i.e., not flexible enough for the stresses placed on the entire structures of a boat.
Please note that I am in no way saying that a basecoat/clearcoat paint system doesn't exist for boats, rather, that I am not aware of their existance.
I am aware of enamel topside paint systems (several brands), Urethane topside paint systems (Awlgrip), one-part mono and two-part urethane topside paint systems (Epifanes), one-part ad two-part polyurethanes (Interlux, Petit, etc).
Awlgrip does offer a urethane topcoat as well as base colors, as well as a high gloss clear. While this may clear can be added over a base color using the Awlgrip brand, that still leaves the clear layer on top. Therefore, if you take a rag to check to see if you will get paint transfer, if any transfer happens, it should be from an oxidized clear top layer, and NOT the base color transfering on the rag, towel, etc. However, a boat can be painted, oxidize, and have resuling colored residue come off on a rag, but this boat will not have clear on it.
So yes, boat topsides can be and are painted at times. Some may even come painted from the factory, though I can't be sure of this. I have been around 45'-50' Fountain racing boats that had colored gel-coat with zero paint that I am aware of. I've also seen custom paint jobs on those same Fountain racing boats that cost in excess of $100,000 dollars just for the paint and special effects in the paint job itself.
I'm not a paint expert, nor am I a boat/car guru. However, based upon a semi-educated guess, I don't think that we can just simply throw around terms such as "basecoat/clearcoat" expecting those paints to be the same for both automobiles and boats. A car/truck, at least in my mind, doesn't even come close to seeing the same stresses on it's body panels as a boat does on its hull and topsides, which are structurally tied together rather than siimply being bolted on (yes I know the tops are seperate from the bottoms, yet are tied together).
In short,
Non-painted gel-coat can be many colors. Oxidation can and will transfer that particular color onto a rag when oxidized.
A painted gel-coat can also transfer color to a rag if the color isn't topped with clear.
A painted gel-coat with a base color and a clear gloss top layer will also transfer oxidation, but it should be a powdery and more "milky" looking grime on your rag, NOT the base color.
Again, I am seeking definite answers from professionals...and the phone just wrang. Hang tight...
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