3870 hull SF?-gctid342959

[boatworkfl Supporting Member Find all posts View Profile Close boatworkfl]

Does anyone know what the SQ FT is for a 3870 hull sides only, I may be re-gelcoating this spring; no I will not paint!

I need to calculate the amount of gelcoat for about 35 mils wet, 1 gal for 35 SF. I am estimating 10 gal. white.

[kwb Guru Find all posts View Profile Close kwb]

You are going to average a bit more than 5' from waterline to rub rail - sides are going to be ~40' Transom is really close to 13' and ~4' above waterline

452square feet give or take.

I understand the desire (durablity to dock rash) to not paint to some degree but it washes and holds a shine so much better I think that is the direction I would go.

[boatworkfl Supporting Member Find all posts View Profile Close boatworkfl]

If there is an insurance claim with paint, the whole boat must be painted, or it will never match, this is what an insurance agent teaching at the Chapman school of marine surveying instructed us that would occur in a claim, it is easy to repair a standard color such as white with gelcoat. I knew someone woud suggest paint, I have seen too many issues with paint, my next door boat owner has the kind of issue I am suggesting, very expensive fix. Large yachts when the paint is compromised by an accident, they (the ins. co.) paint the whole boat. End of subject of paint here! I figured 350 sf for a full 35 mils, I can get by with 30 mils if I can spray with-out a lot of orange peal to sand off.

I do appreaciate the input though.

Pat

[kwb Guru Find all posts View Profile Close kwb]

boatworkfl wrote:
If there is an insurance claim with paint, the whole boat must be painted, or it will never match, this is what an insurance agent teaching at the Chapman school of marine surveying instructed us that would occur in a claim, it is easy to repair a standard color such as white with gelcoat. I knew someone woud suggest paint, I have seen too many issues with paint, my next door boat owner has the kind of issue I am suggesting, very expensive fix. Large yachts when the paint is compromised by an accident, they (the ins. co.) paint the whole boat. End of subject of paint here! I figured 350 sf for a full 35 mils, I can get by with 30 mils if I can spray with-out a lot of orange peal to sand off.

I do appreaciate the input though.

Pat

Apparently cars never match when they are repaired either...

Paints will match great if you have the formula/code that was mixed, blending them in is a bit harder but still very doable if the painter has any skill. If a quarter fender is repaired on one side of the car - the entire roof and other quarter don't get painted just because there is no hard line to mask to.

I have had more trouble matching old gelcoat than paint.

Each has its merits but so long as you are not routinely bouncing off docks/boats as you come into port a paint job is lower maintenance than gelcoat and the little bit of work to take care of it is easier.

[NeilW Guru Find all posts View Profile Close NeilW]

In the long run Awlgrip really is more practical, better finish and will last longer unless you're going to go with a plain white color, then gel coat probably is better. If you do go with LPU, in the case of an accident you do not have to paint the whole boat, just one side.

Interlux is close to making a new LPU that you can sand and buff, just like gelcoat that will be "fixable"

[boatworkfl Supporting Member Find all posts View Profile Close boatworkfl]

I was quoting an insurance adjuster that works in the corporate hq, of a major boat insurance company, he referenced a large yacht that was damaged slightly while at dock, the insurance co. painted the whole boat.

When painting only part of a boat, there needs to be a match line, it is rather hard to hide that match line with the thin paint on a boat.

Get a scrape on the side of the hull with paint and try to hide it, very hard to do, easy with white gel coat, painting a car and a boat is quite different, most boat paints are not able to be buffed.

Most if not all large yachts are sanded and painted, try and tell one of those owners that they should settle for a patch paint job, you will loose the argument.

Now if your adjuster can talk you into 1/2 of a paint job, it is your fault.

There will never be any paint on my boat, I even re-gelcoated my bilge while the engines were out.

reprinted from the bertram31 site

The resulting finish and the nature of the gelcoat will far exceed a painted surface in terms of longevity and repair ability, but you'll see why painting is the less expensive alternative. Gelcoat is less expensive in terms of material costs, but that is outweighed in terms of labor costs... Over a 20 year period the gelcoat becomes more cost effective, especially when compared with Awlgrip on topside surfaces since there would be at least 1 if not more re-paint jobs needed.

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Your gelcoat may match perfectly initially but unless you have the exact formula of the original, it may age differently. There are many ways to get to the same color and all age differently.

Just saying that just because one guy said one thing it may not apply to all situations.

But you asked for the square feet, got it, so good luck with your project

[boatworkfl Supporting Member Find all posts View Profile Close boatworkfl]

boatommy wrote:
Your gelcoat may match perfectly initially but unless you have the exact formula of the original, it may age differently. There are many ways to get to the same color and all age differently.

Just saying that just because one guy said one thing it may not apply to all situations.

But you asked for the square feet, got it, so good luck with your project

Going with pure white iso gel coat. Not the first boat hull I have sprayed. Thanks.

[NeilW Guru Find all posts View Profile Close NeilW]

Like I said, if your going white gelcoat is preferred, no doubt about it. I don't buy into the gelcoat will last longer than LPU in a colored boat hull though, blue, green, red gelcoat hulls look terrible within just a few years as they fade where LPU keeps its color much longer.

Good luck with the project

[boatworkfl Supporting Member Find all posts View Profile Close boatworkfl]

NeilW wrote:
Like I said, if your going white gelcoat is preferred, no doubt about it. I don't buy into the gelcoat will last longer than LPU in a colored boat hull though, blue, green, red gelcoat hulls look terrible within just a few years as they fade where LPU keeps its color much longer.

Good luck with the project

Thanks, Pat S.