tophatyachts.com

Hi all . wondering has anyone painted their top hat on the topside . I guess as the boats get older some protection is required ?

I have painted bits and pieces on the topside, not done the whole lot. Mainly painted over repairs I did as epoxy is not UV proof and needs a coating of paint.

Used Boatcraft Aquacoat two pack, water-based epoxy paint. I find it easy enough to use and left over paint seems to keep well enough as I put it in smaller containers with little airspace. Once painted, it dries quickly [best to use in cool weather as in the tropics it dries too quick to get a reasonable finish in summer] and hardens up nicely over time. On the negative side, I find it thin and a bit more tricky to get a nice finish. That's just my opinion and I am no expert. I liked using it inside as very little fumes though always need to be careful.

troppo

I did the topsides on jillpanger early this year, there where a fairly large number of repairs that really wanted covering up and the existing layer of paint , was becoming fairly crap looking. I was lazy and stingy and just used single pack (toplac). did it in the water over a couple of really carlm days. being verry carefull to not drop paint in the harbour.

Sam. How is the top lac finish quality and durability. Lasting well ?

Fibreglass fibres were lifting & irritating me so I scrubbed the deck with fresh water & painted with 2 coats of house paint." Solarguard".
Flat finish, so it does not look flash but has lasted 2 years & looks better than when I bought it.
Cheap Cheap.

I painted the deck of Storm Petrel with two coats of a single pack deck paint with grit in it that I bought form Bias (interdeck or weatherfast I think?). When I sold her the paint had been on 5 years and still was grippy and looked good.

I used Awlgrip on Sundowner it was the only paint that was suitable for the top sides for a yacht that has an outboard in a well. I believe you can use a cheaper brand of paint on the inboard models.

Hi Rob, do I take it that now you have swallowed the anchor, you are looking to relieve your boredom by reigniting the inboard v outboard debate? I too am contemplating a winter refurb. of the topsides. I put more trust in the wisdom from the members of these sites than I do from the sales people... My problem is I have inboard and have an outboard for the well.... what paint do I use???

look I swear by the Awlgrip, I used the soft one that can be sanded and touched up, which also scratches easier I guess, rather than the hard one. As Shaun or Phillip about the finish they saw her at Camden Haven (and someone else) trouble was its very expensive, I also paid someone to apply it as I didn't trust myself. The trick with it is not to polish it because as it takes the protective skin of it and you have to keep polishing it. ( thanks bundaberg travel lift for the acid wash that did same ) That being said anything is better than nothing isn't it?

I can assure all that Robs topsides look like they had been done the day before when he arrived at Camden Haven way back when.

New blog will go up today, see below for link.