Decisions - Boat Painted

Todd320

Well-Known Member
Jul 21, 2016
1,508
St. Petersburg, FL
Boat Info
2007 Sea Ray 320DA
Engines
Twin V-drive 5.7L 350 Horizon
I have decided to get my 320 painted. Decisions Decisions.
It’s currently a dark red. Current favorite is the Salsa Red... price, <6k. Which is like 6 detail jobs...
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What kind of paint? 6k to prep and properly paint a 32ft boat is very cheap.
 
Awlcraft SE, all he does is paint boats. His words: 40% less than yards because that’s all I do. A friend is getting his trawler done there, if it doesn’t look good, I can cancel, but not concerned.
 
are you sure you want a metallic? much harder to match or touch up in the event a need arises
my thought on the non metallic is that the slightest water spot, the slightest bit of dust will show. Thinking the metallic will hide some of that, not convinced though.
 
Send us some pics before and after. Sounds like a fun project!
 
What was the trigger to go from Gel to paint?.... did you wet sand? Run out of gel?
 
What was the trigger to go from Gel to paint?.... did you wet sand? Run out of gel?
I get it professionally done once or twice a year, but it just doesn’t last. Wet sand the first time in 16, lasted the longest then. Oils probably do it again, but that’s another 1k+. Thought is, get it painted, be “done” with it. Also, boat has several issues from PO where the gel coat does not match after a repair. I’ve done the hull(compound/polish/wax) myself twice, but my body was not liking it afterwards! I’ll definitely be taking before and after pics. And hopefully I’ll get some during pics from the painter.
 
I recall reading that red gelcoat is the worst for oxidizing for some reason. Not that you are asking for votes, but I would think hard about going solid color and not metallic. Maybe just me, but if I was buying and saw a boat painted metallic, I would not buy it. One major scratch and the repair is a complete repaint of a hull side. Its almost impossible for a repair not to show. Unlike a car, you can't just do the door or fender. It will stand out from others, and not in a good way.
 
I recall reading that red gelcoat is the worst for oxidizing for some reason. Not that you are asking for votes, but I would think hard about going solid color and not metallic. Maybe just me, but if I was buying and saw a boat painted metallic, I would not buy it. One major scratch and the repair is a complete repaint of a hull side. Its almost impossible for a repair not to show. Unlike a car, you can't just do the door or fender. It will stand out from others, and not in a good way.
From what I understand, That’s not the case with Awlcraft SE. but I will check again. He explained it is easy for a good yard to fix scratches, not the case with AwlGrip. It is true the red paint will fade the fastest. However, I am stored in a covered dry rack, so very little direct sunlight. If I get it painted any other color, a scratch will show through the original gel coat color, so choosing to stick with a dark red so any scratches will be less noticeable. If the metallic is drastically harder to repair, I will definitely consider an alternative.
 
For $6k I’d have it done every 2-3 years that’s ridiculously low. Have you seen his work? I’m only asking because of the price.
 
I recall reading that red gelcoat is the worst for oxidizing for some reason. Not that you are asking for votes, but I would think hard about going solid color and not metallic. Maybe just me, but if I was buying and saw a boat painted metallic, I would not buy it. One major scratch and the repair is a complete repaint of a hull side. Its almost impossible for a repair not to show. Unlike a car, you can't just do the door or fender. It will stand out from others, and not in a good way.
Red is worst for uv rays from sun, boats, cars, barns, house shutters, etc. color don’t hold well,
 
For $6k I’d have it done every 2-3 years that’s ridiculously low. Have you seen his work? I’m only asking because of the price.

Agreed hence my comment in post #2. 6K would be the price to do a 26ft boat around here.
 
Have a buddy from St. Pete that had a '69 45 Hatteras. He would get it painted every 2 years. Looked brand new all the time. Those were Awlgrip days. Late 90's. We did the Post, with a yellow hull, and it looked great as well. No more waxing.....
Are you going to the Ft. Meyers/Port Charlotte guys, or someone in Tampa Bay? You have my attention. I got quoted 28,000 to do Beach House but that was top to bottom and the cockpit.
 
We have had 5 boats from Fort Myers painted in the last 2 years in Charlotte, all quoted around $200 a foot. It is excellent work and they no longer have the up keep of a painted hull. With these new paints and the clear they put over the metallics I would not be worried about the red.
 
Formula does a fantastic job on their metallic paints they seem to hold up fine. I always admired a red 320 that was on CSR years ago unless you bought it from that member red/white/black canvas looks great.
my own opinion on metallic is it has to just be a tad of metallic otherwise it looks like a carnival ride metallic. Either way the red looks awesome I’d stay red.
 

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