Awlgrip vs Imron vs Gelcoat??

**Tinbanger1979** · 01-04-2016, 10:44 AM

Hello to all, I'm in the process of getting ready to refinish the outside of my 1978 Mako 21. I have sprayed new gelcoat on the transom area when we I enclosed the transom, but I'm looking for an alternative to all the sanding and buffing involved with gelcoat. I was thinking about roll and tipping or spraying gelcoat on the bottom for durability and imron basecoat/clearcoat or Awlgrip on the sides. What's everyones opinion on awlgrip or awlcraft paint? My plan in the future is to repaint the inside in a year or two after I finish the outside.

**home made tunnel** · 01-04-2016, 02:44 PM

You'll never get any paint as tough as gelcoat. Scratch resistance - ease of repairs, etc. it's worth the extra work for sure.
Is your mako a fish boat you don't mind a few scratches in? I'd recommend just top coat paint in those circumstances.

**Tinbanger1979** · 01-04-2016, 02:51 PM

Yeah it's definitely a fishing boat. Not to worried about a scratch here and there. My 6, 4 and 2 year old kids take care of adding more just about every time we take it out. Just looking for something to make it look good and be a pretty strong finish.

**XstreamVking** · 01-04-2016, 03:56 PM

Gell on the hull, paint for top. IMO

**CottagerGreg** · 01-13-2016, 04:54 PM

Go for VC Offshore from Interlux for the hull. It is meant for underwater use and semi-shiny. Easy to apply via spray or roll/tip.

as for topsides... awlgrip or Brightside works good or go with perfection for something a little more durable. Awlcraft is not as durable from my research.

**Carter Powell** · 02-01-2016, 05:24 PM

I have painted many boat bottoms with Imron and have never had any of it come off. I have personally left a boat in fresh water for almost a month with absolutely no moisture intrusion into the paint. In my opinion, I truly think that Imron is the most durable paint I have ever come in contact with.

Carter Powell

**Tom Foley** · 02-01-2016, 06:18 PM

I have a 1979 Mako that I will be painting and have been advised by my go to painters in the Tampa Bay area , a major boating re-build and refinish mecca that Awlcraft 2000 is the paint to go with . I have painted boats and many things with the old Imron but the new stuff is not the same . Now PPG has some amazing 2 part Urethane paints that stand up to 60 % Nitro in our RC boats and would also be a great paint in my opinion . All these chemicals are very expensive . Good Luck !!

**ridgerunner** · 02-02-2016, 09:41 AM

My .02 I have a Awlcraft 2000 painted 1983 20' Wellcraft. Van Wagoners did the spraying. Good epoxy primer underneath. The entire Awlcraft 2000 system and that was over 10 years ago. Shines like it was just sprayed with little to no maintenance. Fairly scratch resistant. Gellcoat would never stay as shiny with such little care. Just don't go with Snow White, Mistake I made.... I leave the boat in the water for weeks at a time with no issue with the paint or water intrusion. Like Foley said it ain't cheap.. It can be rolled and tipped if desired. It can be sprayed with non-skid added, I like the finish although it might be too slick for hardcore fishing...Awlcraft, (unlike Awlgrip) is a linear eurethane, meaning little scratches and scuffs can be buffed out it is the same color thru and thru. Aside for a carleless LEO doing a safety check and the occasional grounding (some intentional) no real bad scratches. Mind you and this is important, this boat is a trailer queen only.. I don't think ANY paint can endure the constant submersion of a boat being moored for long periods of time.. Gelcoat is the toughest but even gelcoat isn't impervious to water intruson forever, that is why moored boats get their bottom painted in the first place. No doubt gel is tougher. Not sure which way is the most work to be honest. Lots of prep sanding and painting, or sanding and buffing. Take your pick. The Albatross of a 1983 Steplift 20 that I still love to this day.
http://www.vanwagonerboats.com/fiber...at-repair.html Third boat from the top on their website. When it was painted back in 2006

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**RobF** · 02-02-2016, 10:42 AM

there are many types of imron , it is a brand onto itself now
common would be called medium solids but you can order the MS600/m2100/ms1 line with is a dedicated marine line, 3.5+, 2.1, etc so forth

the new awlcraft 2000 low voc converter does allow it to spray very nice I have tried it on a couple boats I like the way it sprays. Time will tell how it stands up though

**Tom Foley** · 02-02-2016, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by RobF

there are many types of imron , it is a brand onto itself now
common would be called medium solids but you can order the MS600/m2100/ms1 line with is a dedicated marine line, 3.5+, 2.1, etc so forth

the new awlcraft 2000 low voc converter does allow it to spray very nice I have tried it on a couple boats I like the way it sprays. Time will tell how it stands up though

Thanks Rob , good info !

**Tom Foley** · 02-02-2016, 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by ridgerunner

My .02 I have a Awlcraft 2000 painted 1983 20' Wellcraft. Van Wagoners did the spraying. Good epoxy primer underneath. The entire Awlcraft 2000 system and that was over 10 years ago. Shines like it was just sprayed with little to no maintenance. Fairly scratch resistant. Gellcoat would never stay as shiny with such little care. Just don't go with Snow White, Mistake I made.... I leave the boat in the water for weeks at a time with no issue with the paint or water intrusion. Like Foley said it ain't cheap.. It can be rolled and tipped if desired. It can be sprayed with non-skid added, I like the finish although it might be too slick for hardcore fishing...Awlcraft, (unlike Awlgrip) is a linear eurethane, meaning little scratches and scuffs can be buffed out it is the same color thru and thru. Aside for a carleless LEO doing a safety check and the occasional grounding (some intentional) no real bad scratches. Mind you and this is important, this boat is a trailer queen only.. I don't think ANY paint can endure the constant submersion of a boat being moored for long periods of time.. Gelcoat is the toughest but even gelcoat isn't impervious to water intruson forever, that is why moored boats get their bottom painted in the first place. No doubt gel is tougher. Not sure which way is the most work to be honest. Lots of prep sanding and painting, or sanding and buffing. Take your pick. The Albatross of a 1983 Steplift 20 that I still love to this day.
http://www.vanwagonerboats.com/fiber...at-repair.html Third boat from the top on their website. When it was painted back in 2006

barn kept Keys trip

Good post buddy !

**tunnels** · 02-03-2016, 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by home made tunnel

You'll never get any paint as tough as gelcoat. .

sorry I disagree !!
Point to remember and everyone does it Gel coats are many and varied !!within each manufacture theres a range all made for special purposes !! Ok lets think about this ! The supplyer tells and sells the boat manufacture one type of gel coat But does the boat manufacture really understand what hes got ?? The small powerboat manufacture really need a gel coat that's more flexible and more scratch resistant But those two factors don't go together in most cases ! To be flexible hardness has to be sacrificed and vice versa !!
Now we come to the application process !! How its applied has a great deal to do with the way it will behave !Thin is best for flexibility and reducing spider webbing as the gel has the glass much closer to the surface !! Thick on the other hand gives yet another set of problems as it makes for brittle and crack easy egg shell type surface !! not for getting the possibilities' of porosity Just behind the beautiful shiny surface we see !! So in a few years time when the sun and Uv have done there thing and the owner wishs to get back that nice finish Buffing is the first thing then In bad cases sanding and oh dear it never seems to ever get that factory lustre it had when it was new !! Porosity is the usual cause !!
The person spraying the gel coat has a enormous respectability !! he has to spray to the right wet thickness that's recommended and the correct catalyst ratio not forgetting the correct catalyst has to be used as well ! Get that wrong and yet more problems !!
The spray equipment also ahs a hand in the final process as well !! Pressure pots , and internal mix dedicated gel coat guns !! Or as a lot prefer the external mix gun also dedicated gel coat guns !There are so many things that are related to the gel coat process ! And that's just to spray it onto a mould !! Then we have people wanting to spray it onto a surface and mix all kinds of other products into it to make it behave like paint !!

As for hardness there are 2 pot paints on the market that are as hard and even harder than Gel coats will ever be !! My son is a aircraft finisher and the spray 3 pot titanium paints on the entry nozzles of jet engines , Its also used for the leading edges of Propeller blades ! Paints are paints and gel coat is NOT PAINT !! myself over recent years have had good success using INDUSTRAIL two pot paints !Open the tin pour and mix with a little thinners and spray !! In 4 hours can be buffed if needed or fine sanded and then buffed and is really hard in 24 hours

**tunnels** · 02-03-2016, 06:19 PM

If you really what hardness in Gel coats for wearing surfaces like keels and strakes forefoot of the bow and across the backs of hulls and edges of transoms then try this !!, tooling gel coat mixed with fine Silica sand in combination of carborundum powder all 800 grit size !!
Even a angle 36 grit disc on a grinder has a really hard job just to scratch the surface !! Its what we used during the manufacture of moulds around the top edge as a first and second coat hand brushed !!
Also on the bottoms of surf life saving boats that get dragged up on wet sandy beach's and left in the surf !!
Then you have hard gel coat !! and cannot be sprayed !!

**Tinbanger1979** · 03-09-2016, 07:18 AM

I like the toughness of gelcoat, but not all the sanding and buffing involved with it. I think I am going to use the following products for my project. Below the waterline, Apply 2 coats of hullguard extra then 2 coats of 545 primer then top coat with Awlcraft 2000. Above the waterline I will apply just the 545 primer and top coat with awlcraft 2000. The hullguard extra and 545 are both epoxy primers. Has anyone sprayed any epoxy primer or awlcraft 2000? I have a sweet satajet hvlp gun I shoot base/clear with, but was thinking about buying a pressure pot setup. Thanks for all the comments.

**XstreamVking** · 03-09-2016, 07:32 AM

545 is good and easy to spray..2.0 tip. Awlcraft is good stuff too and easy to work with. 1.6-1.8 tip Don't let it cure too long before cutting and buffing as it will get real hard after 24 hrs. I prefer gell on the bottom for durability and the ability to let the boat sit in the water for longer periods of time. Paint is not recommended for below the waterline.