painting wood hydroplane with automotive paint.

[dmillar]

Hello all. I am restoring a 1960s 10 foot hydroplane and would like to paint a portion of it with PPG JE shop line acrylic enamel. My question is surface prep. What sealer or primer to use? Epoxy, filler primer, ect ? I haven't contacted PPG yet but have visited there site. Any advice from this expert panel would be appreciated. Thank you.

[XstreamVking]

Awlgrip makes some really good epoxy primers for various substrates. Check out their website for recommendations for your particular needs. Sealing the wood with an epoxy resin might be a good 1st step before primer. PPG is good stuff and prob have their line of primers that would do a good job also. I just prefer the awlgrip.

[Mugs914]

..And post pics of your project!!

[H2OPERF]

Yea post a pic threads go no where here w/o pics, might need some featherfill if its rough/cracks.. The green akzo FR epoxy sticks to everything..

[dmillar]

Thank you all for the info and advice. I will try to post pics. photos added

[dmillar]

added photos, 20 hp merc restored and hung on garage wall till hull is done!!!!! The red primer shot is how I bought the boat. Currently sanding off several layers of paint. The wood underneath is in fantastic condition!!!!

[Mugs914]

Man, I love that thing! Any idea what the design is called? Great lookin' little boat!

[dmillar]

Man, I love that thing! Any idea what the design is called? Great lookin' little boat!

Thanks! I am not sure who made it or if it was a kit boat. Looking at Google images and some internet searches I haven't seen another with the exact lines. I found it by accident in my home town while buying some old merc parts for another project. When I saw it I had to have it!!!! I have since found a period correct steering helm and a dead man throttle too. I guess I'll move the pictures and start a thread in the " Boat Restoration " category as I make progress.

[tnelsmn]

That thing is sweet! Keep us updated with a build thread.

[LakeRacer99]

I that a Carl Staron hull? I think that is what it looks like. I have its twin, mine has a windscreen on the front cowl. It'd be a shame to paint it though. Epoxy it and paint the seams=vintage.

[Instigator]

Looks like a Craig Craft to me. Built by Craig Selvege (sp?).

Very popular, very fast and won a lot of races in the early ‘80’s.
They built/sold them and also sold plans for them, of which I used to have a set.

It would have had a clear lexan windshield above your cowling.

If/where you have bare wood, I’d use a good, marine/spar varnish thinned approx 20% to fill the grain and build a base for a good automotive epoxy primer and then paint.

Make sure the primer/paint is flexible as your boat likely has an 1/8” deck which will flex very easily.

Great looking Merc and will be great on there.

Do you know where the hull came from? A buddy here in Ohio built one in early 80’s.

[H2OPERF]

Garys raced and built a bunch of wood boats so hes a wealth of info on these for set up/rig ect.

[hydroo]

Wow!
Great looking project.
If the wood is in presentable varnish condition, it would look amazing with some gloss white stripes.
When I was a teenager I saw a Hydro with that design. I always wanted to paint a boat like that.
Keep the pics coming
Thank you for posting

[dmillar]

Thank you all for the help and advice!! I do plan on keeping the natural wood areas as much as possible depending on wood condition probably cleared with spar varnish or epoxy. Maybe only have to paint top deck. The bottom and sponsons will all be natural wood.The man I bought it from said he got it in Wilmington NC. but that's all the history I have on it. As far as clear coating the natural wood areas what would be better Epoxy or Spar varnish?