Painting a plastic hull?
 

I am getting ready to paint my boat and I just wanted to see some different techniques that you all use. I do not have a spray gun, but i do prefer the look of a clean spray job rather then the old fashion paintbrush. I have used some of the airosol sprays before which came out ok but just wanted to aquire a little more information for the best turn out possible.

thanks

RE: Painting a plastic hull?
 

I'm no expert painter by any means but do have a couple pointers.

1) DONT try to cover the boat in the first coat - Be patient and thinking it'll take 3 or more passes of paint to cover completely.

2) Keep the spray can BACK - about 12 inches from the surface you're painting.

3) Pre-sand all surfaces to be painted with like 600-800 grit to give the paint something to bite/hold on. Then clean all surfaces... then paint or do your primer.

4) Depending on the final color and what color the boat is now, you MAY be able to get away w/o using a primer coat.... especially if the baot is all white (doubt that tho). To get a bright color to be bright, you usually want what's under the paint to be light/bright colored like a white. I've had what SHOULD have been a bright green turn out less bright because I used a dark grey primer color. Oh well! :)

RE: Painting a plastic hull?
 

<span style="font-family: arial; "><span></span></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; ">
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; ">Depends on the boat.  If you don't want light shining through what should be coloured panels, prime in grey first, then, if its going to be a light colour, prime with white.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; ">I never really got the hang of airbrushing, but I bought good quality real brushes and look after them.  Just a question of what you're used to.</span></div>

RE: Painting a plastic hull?
 

Is this a nitro or electric? You can use krylon rattle cans. they make there paints for ABS. If you prime the boat. Make sure you use white primer or white paint as your base coat. By doing this your colors will come out nice and bright.

RE: Painting a plastic hull?
 

its an electric boat.. i plan on just priming with white and then doing a nice blue color. IM pretty sure im going with rattle cans bc i feel like it will give the boat a more clean look then if i were to use brushes. thanks for the info.

RE: Painting a plastic hull?
 

A final comment (because it hasnt been mentioned) - be sure your final coat is something nitro fuel proof. :D

RE: Painting a plastic hull?
 

its electric so i dont have to worry about that this time, but thanks!