Hi All,

I have a 17' fibreglass ski boat I'd like to repaint.
I have painted 4 or 5 cars with good results, both SS and bc/cc.

The boat will have no metallics, so I prefer to use a SS paint.

Q1. I have read that painting SS over sanded gelcoat requires no primer, but I think a coat of epoxy will be beneficial for adhesion and sealing. Do you all agree?

Q2. Should I look at using a marine urethane, like Awlgrip, or simply stick with the automotive urethane I'm used to? Is the marine stuff any better for any reason? More durable? Does it spray nicely? The boat will be stored indoors when not in use.

Any tips'n'tricks and advice on gelcoat prep that I might find useful?

As always, thanks for your input

Always prime or seal over gelcoat.

When sanding the gelcoat to prepare it, go easy. Gelcoat plays an important role in sealing the fibreglass underneath, so try not to sand through. P400 should be more than coarse enough if you're sealing over it.

I prefer to use specific marine paints, or industrial paints. They're much tougher than automotive paints and will cope with the abrasion from water much better.

Thanks for your input.