The original gel coat is a lot tougher than paint. The paint will get
scratched showing the old color beneath.

If you paint it, it will look GREAT, for a while. Five years from now
it will look terrible.

If you don't paint it, five years from now, it will look just as it now
does.

Walk around and look at fiberglass boats that have been painted. Short
term thinking.

Wax what you have and be happy with it.

I have an all fiberglass trawler that has been painted. There is no
where that I have removed the paint that does not look perfectly acceptable.

If you were to see it, you would think that the surfaces that still have
paint need to be repainted.

Some day, I'll have it all off.

You can patch gelcoat.

Jim

Jim Thompson wrote:
On Fri, 25 Mar 2005 02:57:07 GMT, Jim wrote:


You will be sorry you painted it.


Why?

A different Jim

Dumb question from a newbie: If gelcoat is tougher than paint, why not prep
the boat and put on a new layer gelcoat with a color the boat owner likes?
You mention that gelcoat can be patched; if an area of gelcoat can be
successfully replaced, it would seem that the entire boat can be re-coated.
I realize the replacement gelcoat might not be factory-quality, but wouldn't
it be at least as good as a coat of paint, and more durable?

Alex

"Jim" wrote in message
ink.net...
The original gel coat is a lot tougher than paint. The paint will get
scratched showing the old color beneath.

If you paint it, it will look GREAT, for a while. Five years from now it
will look terrible.

If you don't paint it, five years from now, it will look just as it now
does.

Walk around and look at fiberglass boats that have been painted. Short
term thinking.

Wax what you have and be happy with it.

I have an all fiberglass trawler that has been painted. There is no where
that I have removed the paint that does not look perfectly acceptable.

If you were to see it, you would think that the surfaces that still have
paint need to be repainted.

Some day, I'll have it all off.

You can patch gelcoat.

Jim

Jim Thompson wrote:
On Fri, 25 Mar 2005 02:57:07 GMT, Jim wrote:


You will be sorry you painted it.


Why?

A different Jim

Auerbach wrote:

Dumb question from a newbie: If gelcoat is tougher than paint, why not prep
the boat and put on a new layer gelcoat with a color the boat owner likes?
You mention that gelcoat can be patched; if an area of gelcoat can be
successfully replaced, it would seem that the entire boat can be re-coated.
I realize the replacement gelcoat might not be factory-quality, but wouldn't
it be at least as good as a coat of paint, and more durable?

Alex

Re-gelcoating is done all the time. Ask at your favorite yard.