Paint or Gelcoat?
 

Got my eye on a new boat, all white, price includes custom paint.

What is your opinion on paint v. gelcoat? Should I wait for one to be manufactured with my design gelcoated in or is it all bad to take this boat, the perfect one and have it painted?

depends if you plan to leave it in the water. More then two or three days and anything but gell coat is a crap shoot. Some times paint will last other times not. Awlgrip will last longer then Imron.

Jon

I don't think this could be done in gel-coat...so i vote for painT:p

I agree with Back4More. The level of detail and beauty cannot be duplicated with Gel. So spill the beans. Whatcha lookin' at?:confused:

29 Magic Wizard with enough motor to get 80 mph. Don't know which engine yet. Actually just found that the one we were going to look at wasn't there, so have to order a new one anyway.

I want detail! I want something great, not just so so. Paint seems like the right way to go. Anybody have any experience with Magic/Sleek's custom painters? I'm sure they outsource but don't know who yet.

Thanks! I might just email them!

I agree with Mike, Gel fades after awhile and paint buffs out. Also you can't get trick design with gel. Paint with layers of clear is the way to go. Wardey

yep . . .paint is the only way to go if you want detail :cool: . there is some awesome talent out your way . i have always noticed a great deal of cool stuff in the west coast hot boat scene. find your self a painter/artest whos work you have seen and like. make sure it is someone you can bounce your ideas off and work with. spend some time developing layouts on paper to find what your looking for and give your graphics guy some flexability. above all . . and this is the most important if you use someone other than Magics out sources . make sure it is someone used to working with marine graphics as size and scale are VERY different than automotive type graphics. good luck . . .oh and dont forget to post pics :cool: :cool:

You can do things with gel you can never do with paint(effect in the flames on my boat). However like in my case no one will even try to repair a scratch. Go with the paint.

Paint
 

Quite frankly gel sucks, it's porous, the best of the high end fiberglass yachts are painted ( Awlgrip) the same color as the gel as soon as they come out of the mold ! Gel really only looks great when it's cleared ( painted !)

JD

I'm actually surprised by all of this. The vote is definitely off from the messages, but I'm really tilting towards paint.

I have a gelcoated boat now, no fade (that I notice) and scratches that everyone says will be hard to fix/match. I always said my next boat would be white with stickers or paint. Boy am I leaning that way.

Paint without a doubt. More flexibility in terms of graphic design, and you can always change it. And for those oops that come up every now & then, its easier to cure a case of dock rash.

i have used ppg deltron on my boats and they stay in water all season and the paint look great after 10 years

Re: Paint or Gelcoat?
 

Paint it, but keep the graphics above the water line. My graphics are painted. I have one spot that is below the water line in them and that spot is rough and feels like 600 grit sandpaper.

Re: Paint or Gelcoat?
 

Yes it can........It does require years of experience though....but it can be done.

Re: Paint or Gelcoat?
 

I know this post is way old but since it's back to the top I will reply anyway.

Yes that can be done in Gelcoat but there are only a few builders with guys talented enough to do it. One of them is Lavey Craft. Eliminator can also do some way detailed work with Gel and Cole Custom Boats was also top notch until Jim closed the doors.