The clearcoat on my boat is coming off, can I just put a new coat over the old or do I have to sand & reaint?

Question

The clearcoat on my boat is coming off, can I just put a new coat over the old or do I have to sand & reaint?

Answer 1

GO TO http://www.boats.com/news-reviews/articl...

THIS IS WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY ABOUT PAINT BOATS

" Wax removal is critical. It should be done with a commercial wax removing solvent. If any silicone polishes (Star Brite, etc.) have ever been applied, be sure the solvent is blended to remove silicone. Use the remover generously on a clean cloth pad. Rotate the pad often to expose fresh cloth. A double de-waxing would not be overkill.

Gouges and scrapes should be filled with epoxy putty. Let the putty stand "proud" above the surrounding surface so that it can be faired and smoothed by sanding. Epoxy filler is tough, so power sanding is recommended. A dual-action rotary sander is the professional's first choice, but a good orbital palm sander will suffice. Rough sand the patch with 60 grit before switching to 80 grit to get the final contour.

Fiberglass gel coat is not an ideal surface for paint. It is so slick and has such low porosity that paint has a hard time adhering. A primer coat that chemically softens the gel coat and bonds to it should be used prior to applying the first finish coat of paint. Special fiberglass primers are made just for this purpose.

According to International Paint (Interlux), the use of this type of primer results in better adhesion of the finish coat than can be obtained by sanding the gel coat with 80 grit production paper. Always choose a primer that is compatible with the finish coat paint. If sanding is chosen instead of a primer coat, the goal should be to remove all gloss and establish a good anchor pattern for the paint.

Primer can be applied with a brush or a roller. Using a roller speeds up the work and provides a more even film thickness. Don't worry too much about looks at this point. Just be sure that all of the hull is given a thin coat with no skips. To understand how a fiberglass primer works, think of flypaper that is sticky on both sides. The primer softens and bonds to the gel coat on one side. On the other, it provides a chemically compatible base for the first coat of finish paint. Professionals often refer to this type of primer as a "tie coat." The chemical bonding to the finish paint works best when the primer is still quite fresh, usually less than two hours old. " {CITED http://www.boats.com/news-reviews/articl...

Answer 2

We're not talking cars here....boats don't have clearcoat. Period.

Are you talking varnish?

Sand locally to feather the edges then revarnish. try to match the old product.

There will be a tint difference unless you strip,sand and then varnish.

Answer 3

sand /yes

Answer 4

It will cost more but it is best to repaint,or it will come off again later..

Answer 5

to do it properly you will need to have what is left of your clear coat wet sanded and a new coat of clear coat applied.

Answer 6

If the base is not faded you can apply new clear to get by BUT it has to be done by a pro or at least with a quality marine paint that won't react with the clear that's there. They use different catalyst with the good paints than a spray can.