Marine Paint - Gel coat - other?

[Wookie]

Starboard ? I love that material! but you mean a solid piece shoved up there. How?

I'm not sure if the photos show, but it isn't flat, it has a curvature to it, plus we have all kind of things in there. Probably will require more precision than we can provide, but for sure will look amazing forever.

You can join it if you have patience and a great straight edge.

But the way they put up your headliner was they glued the covering (maybe it's carpet, maybe it's something like carpet) to the 1/4" or 1/8" luan plywood and brought it int he house, tucked in the first corner, and tucked it into place. Same way your headliner comes out. I say that because you'll need a template to build the new headliner, whatever it is. I say 3/16 or 1/8" starboard because it bends and takes the shape just fine. I used it on the Spree in the outside head and used 1/4", but never had a problem with it taking the shape of the overhead and bulkheads as long as the radius wasn't too tight.

You won't get King Starboard in anything thinner than 1/4", but there are lots of folks that make UV resistant polyethylene white sheet in 1/8"....

 

[Ana]

Removal of the carpet has began.

We are doing a small section as a test. If it comes up badly it shouldn't be the end of the world because it will be mostly covered.
Also it will get redone by professionals, but I really hope we produce an acceptable result.

This section is on the port side where whoever is not at the helm leans on the wall when facing forward. Many times with a wet wetsuit.
We decided to skip the awl-grip, the instructions for application was way too intense. I'm sure it was the best product but if the carpet lasted 16 years, I'm hoping the this one part paint will last about the same or more.
We decided to go with the Bridghtside from Interlux with the pre-kote primer. Feels like a better match to our abilities.
So the carpet on that section wore out the most. And the other day just passing the hand over produced a hole.
The photos show different levels of prepping. Everything is nice and smooth ready for the primer. I was hoping for the 1st coat to be today but this rain - sun - rain- sun- rain nonsense going on all day made us call it.

We'll try tomorrow . Meanwhile here are some photos of the process.
Removal of the carpet was a non event, the prepping of the surface started a bit rocky but following a suggestion from another Parker owner we got this wheels for the angle grinder and that went well. Took care of the glue nicely and then the regular steps of sanding gave us a nice smooth surface. Nowhere close as smooth as the hull but hopefully smooth enough.

Hopefully tomorrow I'll add some photos with that section covered with the primer.

 

[Wookie]

Removal of the carpet has began.

We are doing a small section as a test. If it comes up badly it shouldn't be the end of the world because it will be mostly covered.
Also it will get redone by professionals, but I really hope we produce an acceptable result.

This section is on the port side where whoever is not at the helm leans on the wall when facing forward. Many times with a wet wetsuit.
We decided to skip the awl-grip, the instructions for application was way too intense. I'm sure it was the best product but if the carpet lasted 16 years, I'm hoping the this one part paint will last about the same or more.
We decided to go with the Bridghtside from Interlux with the pre-kote primer. Feels like a better match to our abilities.
So the carpet on that section wore out the most. And the other day just passing the hand over produced a hole.
The photos show different levels of prepping. Everything is nice and smooth ready for the primer. I was hoping for the 1st coat to be today but this rain - sun - rain- sun- rain nonsense going on all day made us call it.

We'll try tomorrow . Meanwhile here are some photos of the process.
Removal of the carpet was a non event, the prepping of the surface started a bit rocky but following a suggestion from another Parker owner we got this wheels for the angle grinder and that went well. Took care of the glue nicely and then the regular steps of sanding gave us a nice smooth surface. Nowhere close as smooth as the hull but hopefully smooth enough.
View attachment 752049 View attachment 752050View attachment 752052View attachment 752054View attachment 752055View attachment 752057View attachment 752058View attachment 752048View attachment 752056View attachment 752051
Hopefully tomorrow I'll add some photos with that section covered with the primer.

I didn’t realize the carpet was on the bulkheads as well. It’s your sound deadening. You will miss it.

 

[Ana]

I didn’t realize the carpet was on the bulkheads as well. It’s your sound deadening. You will miss it.

Supposedly that was the case with louder engines before 2000 or 1999 not sure the year.

Having the carpet was extra around that time with the base having gelcoat on the bulkheads, headline, and deck. Everything nicely finished.
After they started putting carpet and charging a bit extra for it, they obviously realized things didn't need to be nicely done because it will be covered with the carpet.

All that is what I've read from other Parker owners.
From all the many naps I've taking over the years i know you hear the water hitting the bow while underway. Also having all the windows open, it is somehow noisy if going fast.

We are considering an adventure, real plan hasn't started yet but it will involved several months on board. If the noise becomes and issue we'll have to find a solution, we have few years to decide.

 

[Ana]

Well things are slowly happening.
2 layers of primer have been applied with sanding in between.
Looks kind of meh, but feels very smooth to the touch.

Hope a hurricane doesn't appear each time we want to complete one if the items on the "make the boat great again" list.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Well things are slowly happening.
2 layers of primer have been applied with sanding in between.
Looks kind of meh, but feels very smooth to the touch.

Hope a hurricane doesn't appear each time we want to complete one if the items on the "make the boat great again" list.

What kind of primer?

 

[Ana]

What kind of primer?

Pre-Kote from Interlux, added about 5% of the 333 Brushing Liquid, just to be safe.

So far it is behaving as well as can be expected; drying within a reasonable time, and not gumming up the sandpaper. Hope to move on to the paint this weekend, assuming Nicole (the Storm/Hurricane) doesn't get in the way.

 

[bakodiver391]

I just did the same with my 26 footer. i had a mouse-fur looking headliner that looked terrible after 3 decades of use. Luckily the glue was so old it crystalized and was easy to sand off. i really recommend a detail sander like the Rockwell sonic one with all shapes of attachments for corners, etc. It was a lot of work but now have the International primer on and with another sanding it should look OK. Probably too late but i would really recommend a 2-part polyurethene paint instead of the one part. Adhesion, durability, resistance to chemicals is all much greater than the one part, and you can overcoat 2 part paint with one part but you can never overcoat one part with 2 part, so if you go with one part you can never go back unless you sand it all off. I've been messing about with boats for 40 years, just my 2 cent's worth.

 

[Ana]

I just did the same with my 26 footer. i had a mouse-fur looking headliner that looked terrible after 3 decades of use. Luckily the glue was so old it crystalized and was easy to sand off. i really recommend a detail sander like the Rockwell sonic one with all shapes of attachments for corners, etc. It was a lot of work but now have the International primer on and with another sanding it should look OK. Probably too late but i would really recommend a 2-part polyurethene paint instead of the one part. Adhesion, durability, resistance to chemicals is all much greater than the one part, and you can overcoat 2 part paint with one part but you can never overcoat one part with 2 part, so if you go with one part you can never go back unless you sand it all off. I've been messing about with boats for 40 years, just my 2 cent's worth.

I recognized your point is valid. Once @Johnoly suggested awl-grip I was sure that would be ideal. We seriously considered it. If we were hiring someone to do it, for sure it would've been a 2 part.
We will see, hopefully soon.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I recognized your point is valid. Once @Johnoly suggested awl-grip I was sure that would be ideal. We seriously considered it. If we were hiring someone to do it, for sure it would've been a 2 part.
We will see, hopefully soon.

Like @bakodiver391 said, once you put a one part alkyd down you can’t put a hot two part like Awl Grip over it because it will lift. Same with the primer, it’s a single part air/oxygen polymerizing product. Oil based alkyds are really ideal for wood boats, but they can be used for what you’re doing too.
In a fiberglass boat cabin like what you have, I used to mop on a few coats of gelcoat with a lot of finishing wax in it. The first coat no finishing wax, the second coat a lot of finishing wax. The only complaint we ever got was the resin smell. The benefit of gel is that you’re using the same type of material as what the boat is laid up with. All that stuff is polyester based resin using MEKP catalyst. Gel takes a bit to understand, it’s hazardous as hell, and it can be a pain to use. So for those reasons I would leave gel work to the pros.
Awl Grip is great too but I think it might be slightly overkill for an interior. I’ve used it inside semi open sail boat cockpits and in the salon areas of some covered deck areas of motor yachts but those also get some weather and direct sun. For rolling and brushing (tipping) Awl Grip has a special catalyst and reducer. Awl Grip is also hazardous as hell and you need to be careful.
I think what you’re using is fine. The Interlux products are great and I’ve used them extensively.
It’s a quick and easy solution.
If you want the topcoat to dry faster and have a little more durability you can add up to 10% generic acrylic enamel catalyst hardener to it which will convert it into a two part. It will cross link then. I’ll post a pic of some stuff that works, but any auto body supply store will carry a small bottle of generic catalyst. The magic ingredient in any catalysts are the isocyanates, that’s what makes paint chemically harden and convert into a cross linked film and it works with alkyds too. However, isocyanates are hazardous so please wear a mask when mixing and applying, actually always do that anyway with any of this crap regardless. I have a lifetime of using this crap so I know!
Reduce it a little with your 333 or zylene. Don’t over reduce it or you have a runny mess. Usually Interlux is pretty thin anyway. Take your time and don’t hog it on. It’s going to take at least two coats, use a grey scotch brite in between coats. Wear a mask please, brain cells are a finite resource. Open some windows up front and get a fan going at the back doorway to pull some fumes out. Don’t let fumes concentrate into an explosion hazard.
Alkyds have a nice oil based smell too when they dry and cure out.
Good luck!