JEM Watercraft

Hi folks.

Do I need to order fancy gel paint for my boat or can I use something cheap from my local hardware store?

What's good for the cheap/long-lasting/not necessarily pretty category?

Thanks,
Kevin

G'day Kevin,

I just use exterior porch paint, then sand it back a little and use quality high gloss marine varnish over that.

Comes up a treat and is surprisingly tough.

porch paint does the job well.

Hmmmm...... You've got me wondering. I don't think I've ever seen (or noticed) Porch Paint on the shelves.
Is that an exterior gloss enamel......? Or a different finish?

G'day John,

I called it Porch Paint cause that what our American cousins call it.

All it 'tis is acrylic exterior paint with a UV inhibitor. Something like Solarguard or similar. doesn't seem to matter much. Hi gloss marine varnish over the top brings it up like a mirror. - beautiful.

If ya want to get real flash, lightly rub the varnish back with 1200 grit wet & dry then cut and polish with a good auto polish. Turns something beautiful into something very special if done right.

Poly U 400, 2 pack varnish is very good but hard to get here. I think it is a Wattle brand.

Cheers Mick

Oh sorry. In the stores around here, it's called "porch paint" right on the label.


Here's an example. http://www.behr.com/behrx/act/view/prod ... s&catId=23

For the Assies, a mate of mine just pointed out to me the the Cabots polyurethane varnish is quoted on the tin as "marine grade"...

but not until I had forked out $70 for a litre of high grade marine varnish...

Tor

If you paint the hull, you don't have to varnish it as well. Varnish is mostly for the natural wood look.