Preping old flake finish for paint

**wogi** · 03-19-2018, 08:43 PM

Hey all, have some questions for you boat finish guru's. I'm redoing a V-king, the same old same old core, floor and transom. Repairs that I have done many times with great results, if I do say so myself. All my other hydro-stream rebuild had good enough finishes and colors that I left as was or had a body shop burry the flake in clear because of the factory gel coat being gone.
Well my new project V-king has the same gel coat gone to the point that you can feel the flake when you rub your hand over it. If I liked the colors I would do what I done in the past, have my body shop buddy burry the flake in clear again and be done with it. But this boat has the worse flake color combo that I have ever seen on a Hydro-Stream, even if it was shiny again I would have to put bag over me head to run it, its that ugly! It has a piss colored goldish silver main with bright red high lights down the sides, across the back and under the windshield into the dash, just god awful to look at on a good day.

With all that said, I want to paint the boat in a color that don't cause me to loose my cookies ever time I look at it. Thinking a nice blue. So what I would like to know is what I have to do to the old flake finish or whats left of it to ready it for a good paint finish, I know that the prep work is 99% of the paint jobs out come, and I want a paint job that I can be proud off that is durable and makes the boat look like it was done right. What do I have to do to the old fake? What primer do I need to use? What is a good paint to use for a novice at best painter? I do have hvlp paint guns. Any and all tips and help is greatly appreciated THANK YOU ALL

**crazy horse** · 03-20-2018, 01:34 PM

Hey Wogi, How you been doin man? Damn that color does sound really awful. What year is that critter?

**1980 ENCHANTER** · 03-21-2018, 10:23 AM

we want to throw up to lets see a pic lol. it depends on how bad they are but usually 320 grit on a da sander will knock em down enough for a good 2k primer to hide them then of course sand your primer and so on...

**wogi** · 03-21-2018, 08:32 PM

Originally Posted by crazy horse

Hey Wogi, How you been doin man? Damn that color does sound really awful. What year is that critter?

Hey there buddy how have you been, get a chance to wreck that super speed master that you stole from me LOL. The boat is a 79

**wogi** · 03-21-2018, 08:35 PM

Originally Posted by 1980 ENCHANTER

we want to throw up to lets see a pic lol. it depends on how bad they are but usually 320 grit on a da sander will knock em down enough for a good 2k primer to hide them then of course sand your primer and so on...

Hey thanks for the info, I'll try to sneak up on the ugly thing with a camera and take some picks and post tomorrow, but beware I can't be held responsible for loss of work do to a upset stomach

**1980 ENCHANTER** · 03-22-2018, 06:52 AM

my checkmate had the same problem the gel was gone and you could feel the flake pretty bad.After sanding the boat. I used 1 coat of epoxy primer first (not sure it was necessary but did it as precaution) that stuff is like sanding concrete lol. Then 2 coats of regular high build primmer. its basically like you were talking about burying the flakes with the clear but instead its with primer. I use matrix paint products but that's just my preference.

**SCT** · 03-22-2018, 07:25 AM

Wogi, I'm doing a similar project. The clear on the deck was sun burnt off and it was rougher than hell with the old flake. Took a lot of DAing to get it smooth enough for gel coat for the new metal flake base.

Good luck-

**wogi** · 03-22-2018, 10:39 AM

Well after tossing my cookies, I snuck up on it and got theses, VEIWER DISCRECTION IS ADVISED

**wogi** · 03-22-2018, 10:50 AM

Well, i'm feeling ill going to lay down now

**crazy horse** · 03-22-2018, 03:06 PM

Wow, That old girl sure is dog ugly? Ya know Brian I thought I would have busted that SSM by now but it's still turns over real smooth. I haven't kept track of the total hours on the case. I have always pumped fresh lube every two hour or there about. I think the homemade vent kit has help, I've never have had water in the case. I don't run it in rough water. When it does let go I hope I don't loose one of my props or bust the main drive shaft. I hope your doing well, Take care and cover that thing up.

**nitro_rat** · 03-22-2018, 04:09 PM

That’s a “silverstreak.” It looks like maybe somebody cleared it with some cheap auto paint that yellowed? It should be bright silver and bright red. Looks nice when it’s not covered in a coat of amber...

**wogi** · 03-22-2018, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by crazy horse

Wow, That old girl sure is dog ugly? Ya know Brian I thought I would have busted that SSM by now but it's still turns over real smooth. I haven't kept track of the total hours on the case. I have always pumped fresh lube every two hour or there about. I think the homemade vent kit has help, I've never have had water in the case. I don't run it in rough water. When it does let go I hope I don't loose one of my props or bust the main drive shaft. I hope your doing well, Take care and cover that thing up.

I had Steckbaure go threw that case before you beat me up and stole it LOL, I agree that that expansion tank saves on the seals by not letting pressure build up in the case. Did any of the props you got out of me work on your setup? Good hearing from you again and glad to hear you have got good use out of the super speed master

**wogi** · 03-22-2018, 08:36 PM

Originally Posted by nitro_rat

That’s a “silverstreak.” It looks like maybe somebody cleared it with some cheap auto paint that yellowed? It should be bright silver and bright red. Looks nice when it’s not covered in a coat of amber...

Beauti is in the eye of the beholder I guess. Thanks for the reply

**nitro_rat** · 03-27-2018, 08:55 AM

Originally Posted by nitro_rat

That’s a “silverstreak.” It looks like maybe somebody cleared it with some cheap auto paint that yellowed? It should be bright silver and bright red. Looks nice when it’s not covered in a coat of amber...

Actually there is another possibility, it could be “sunset” which is supposed to be sand metalflake with apricot shearline accent...