fairing a spindrift

[Scott H.]

Is it important to epoxy coat the boat before filling and fairing? Also, does anyone have experience with System Three LPU top coat paints? Thanks for your help, Scott

[Designer]

I prefer to fair before coating because you usually sand through the coating while sanding the fairing. After the seams are all faired then you can roll and tip a couple of coats of unthickened epoxy all over the hull. After a light sanding you are ready to paint.

Easy sanding fillers will absorb moisture after long term immersion, while this is not usually a problem with small boats it is good to seal them with the epoxy coating.

[Scott H.]

Thanks for the replies. I guess my question now is with grossly 40 percent of the glass tape disrupted throughout the boat what options do I have? All of the seams are faired and I am ready to epoxy coat. Thanks, Scott

[Dale Niemann]

Scott,

I used System Three LPU top coat paints on my Bananas ten years ago and they have held up very well. I did not baby it. Sailing onto beaches etc. and it is still in pretty good shape.

I also used it in my just launched "Lively" so we will see how it now holds up.

Dale

[inboil]

for what its worth- System three lpu is the only "marine finish" I have used, so I have nothing to compare it to. As with concrete,epoxy and most other goops I have a love/hate relationship. The end result is a film that is tougher than any in my experience. But getting there seems like a constant battle. Have only sprayed with hvlp, never rolled and tipped this product. Tip selection and correct thinning ( way more than recomended) seem very important. Their epoxy primer does sand well ( good thing cause that gets rid of my inevitible orange peel). Overspray and milder orange peel are my concerns with topcoat. If i used Ray's topcoat with clear gloss method my results would not look satisfactory to me. I have taken to using their satin clear coat on final topsides coat which hides a multitude of sins and makes ME happy with the results. Also reduces glare from the sun. What is intrinsically great about a gloss finish?? Old style varnishes and urethanes were much harder in gloss forms due to waxes etc added to satin forms, but i find no mention of less hardness in the lpu satin. I suppose the gloss will show off a job well done, and one day I may get there. Seems like,for the price, it ought to jump out of the can and perfectly onto the boat---- but even with my struggles I do keep using it. Keep in mind that i am a boatbuilding idiot( or perhaps an idiot trying to build boats )

[Charlie Jones]

Humidity below 50%?

Haha :twisted: haha :twisted: haha :twisted: haha :twisted: haha!!!

In the absolute dead of winter MAYBE!!

[Charlie Jones]

Yeah- we ran into that when we drove to New York in November to pick up Tehani. After two days we could barely talk our throats were so dry ( and sore). Never so glad to get back south to have something in the air to BREATHE!!!

[darin32002]

We have so much humidity here that you sometimes can't tell when or where the sea and sky meet.

Yeah Christiansted, USVI