My 268DA - No more sun faded stripe!!

[Getaway]

After many years of dealing with sanding/polishing/waxing that upper red stripe on my 268DA, it still never looked good. Inevitably, it would revert back to that chalky whitish/gray crappy look after being exposed to the sun and rain. It bugged the crap out of me! Somehow water droplets would actually impregnate the paint and leave it looking really bad. I set out on a mission to fix this one way or another for the 2016 season. After speaking with the previous owner, I found out he had painted the stripe with Awlgrip around 1999-2000 time frame. My first thought was to get some Awlgrip and re-paint the stripe above the rub rail. Well, that stuff is not cheap. I was looking at around $500 in materials to start and that was to do the entire job myself. Also, I knew the new paint would only last about 10 years like the old stuff. A quote came back from a local marine paint shop for $1800-$2000 so I was not going that route either.

Well, to make a long story short, I already have a couple quarts of a PPG product called DAU75. This is an automotive clear coat that is tough as hell. I've used this stuff for many years for clear coating raw metals like aluminum and steel. I've made quite a few radar arches in the past and I've always clear coated them with this product. It's a lacquer based clear coat with UV properties that do not yellow in the sun and I've never seen it crack or peel off. Not to mention it is very forgiving to work with. It was actually designed for guys (mainly motorcycle owners) who want to put a protective finish on their polished aluminum motorcycle parts.

So, a couple weeks ago, I started sanding the red stripe down with 200 grit to get the gray crap off and put a good bite in the paint. After doing a test patch successfully, I went at the entire stripe and taped off the boat.

Yesterday it was 45+ degrees here in Michigan and quite honestly, a beautiful day with little wind and best of all NO BUGS out yet!! So, I pulled the boat out in the drive way and sprayed the stripe. It turned out absolutely beautiful!!!! Best of all, I'll never even have to wax the damn thing again if I don't want to. I am absolutely amazed at how well it looks.

Take a look:
Taped off, sanded and ready for clear:

Shooting the clear

Tape and newspapers pulled. Looking shiny!

HUGE difference and saved a ton of money!!!

A little sanding help from my middle son. He likes to put his touch on projects like this.

I sure love making this old boat look better than new.

 

[Getaway]

Here's a close up of the test patch. This shows better what the stripe looked like before clear coat.

 

[Jimmy Buoy]

Looks awesome! I had a 1989 268 which had a green stripe, but only below the rub rail. It was bad enough near the stern for getting chalky, but I was glad not to have it above the rub rail where the sun could really beat it!

Where did you get the product?

 

[bahamabreisus]

Looks great !!!

 

[Getaway]

Thanks Jim.

Local Carquest Auto that carries PPG products.

Why don't they clear coat boats like they do cars anyways?

I've never understood why boats are 15-20 years behind cars...

 

[Gofirstclass]

That looks great! Did you hand sand the stripes or use an electrical sander? After you sanded it with the 200 grit what did you do before painting on the clear coat?

What a difference!

 

[Getaway]

Just hand sanded the stripe and whiped it down with a clean cloth and lacquer thinner. That's it Mike!

 

[Kirat41]

Hello Getway, nice boat you got there love it! I'm new to the forums and just picked up my new to me 87 Seray 268 this Sunday... Here is a quick pic of her looks very similar to Getway's 268...

 

[Getaway]

Looks awesome! Clean 268DA. Welcome to the club!

I want your trailer! LOL

 

[Sous]

That looks sweet, you did an awesome job, and I love the 268 you've done a great job with her.

 

[MonacoMike]

Very good work!

MM

 

[1956olds]

Nice work,should spruce up the corner this summer.

 

[KC_Sundancer]

Very nice!

Our 22 Pachanga was terrible for that with the blue deck stripe.
3 weeks if lucky and we had a full cover when not in use.

Great Job - more time for fishing now eh!

 

[Getaway]

Very nice!

Our 22 Pachanga was terrible for that with the blue deck stripe.
3 weeks if lucky and we had a full cover when not in use.

Great Job - more time for fishing now eh!

Yes sir!

It sure is curing nice in my warm barn. I'm still amazed at how nice she turned out. The first nice day in March, I'm going to pull it back out and run a buffing wheel over it to really make her glisten.

 

[Strypes]

:thumbsup:

 

[Sublimetime]

If you wetsand it with #1000 or 1500 wet sand paper, then buff it outwith compound, then a coat of wax, it will look like glass.

Awesome job.

 

[Getaway]

If you wetsand it with #1000 or 1500 wet sand paper, then buff it outwith compound, then a coat of wax, it will look like glass.

Awesome job.

Thanks! I was just going to run the buffer with a 3M buffing compound, but you think a light wet sand will polish it up even better eh?

 

[Sublimetime]

When you wet sand it , you will remove any dust and air bubbles as well as any orange peel texture. It makes the paint absolutely flat before you buff it. Sanding before buffing is what gives the show cars that mile deep shine and reflection.

 

[Getaway]

When you wet sand it , you will remove any dust and air bubbles as well as any orange peel texture. It makes the paint absolutely flat before you buff it. Sanding before buffing is what gives the show cars that mile deep shine and reflection.

You talked me into it! Thanks.

 

[boatman37]

yes. i used to wet sand and buff my old cars. looks like glass but i was scared to death the first time i did it:wow: