Painting A27

[JT48348]

Painted the deck and pilothouse of my Albin 27 using an airless sprayer (groco x7 with 417 tip). The paint is Rustoleum marine topside sprayed over Zinser Cover Stain primer. The advantage of painting is it allows you to repair all deck gouges, cracks, dings, damaged gelcoat. You can also add raised deck fills, stand outs for running lights, etc.

Deck & pilothouse took approximately 2 gallons to spray the primer and approximately one gallon to spray the white cover coat. Improved on my spray technique by messing with pressure setting so no runs. Splatters and mistakes fixed by foam brush while spraying.

Next up a custom non-skid pattern in contrasting color.

[JT48348]

More photos of the paint job. Spraying takes about an hour each time.

[JT48348]

Final coat of paint. The Rustoleum marine topside lays down very well. It flows even on horizontal surfaces in about ten minutes. Light coats work best.

[JT48348]

Proposed non-skid pattern. The tentative plan is to do the non-skid using a product called SoftSand which I used on my Compac Pilothouse. You paint your contrasting color then sand then paint again. Thinking about Rustoleum marine battleship gray since the boats colors are a deep red, white pilothouse/deck, and black accents.

I'll be doing a test on the cockpit hatch doors to see how everything works and to make sure the colors not too dark.

May not get to it until next year as the season weather is cooperating less and less.

[tego]

Joe, Light grey looks great on the decks and won't suck up so much sun heat. Mine is about the color of Seattle sunshine (early morning fog) and doesn't get hot even on upper 90's days. Sounds like you've got a good color scheme planned. We've got the same weather here-mid 90's last week to lower 70's this week, with lows in the mid to low 40's. Not good paint weather! Ben

[2manyboats]

I agree with Tego. I once painted my decks, (none Albin) Gull gray. On a hot summer day in Maine it made barefooting a little uncomfortable.
Wayne

[JT48348]

Test run on the A27 engine hatches. After cleaning the hatches down to bare fiberglass I coated them with the Rustoleum marine paint. I used a non-skid product called SoftSand which is a fine rubber like bead. I've used this before on the inside of a motorcycle sidecar tub and most recently on the pilothouse sailboat decks. It's got a nice texture and I find its courser than the Interlux nonslid product I used years ago on my 30 ft sailboat.

You lay down one coat of contrasting paint and then sprinkle the SoftSand. I've experimented with a variety of sifters and shakers, from a pepper shaker, to a powder sugar broadcaster. By adding extra mesh to the broadcaster I can cover a good area evenly.

Once the paint drys you sweep up the excess SoftSand and re-use. Then final coat if paint.

[JT48348]

Finished engine hatch awaiting hardware

[JT48348]

Cockpit lazarette hatches & aft cabin hatch. Interesting find: the cockpit lazarette hinges are aluminum not stainless. The rest of the hatch hardware a combo of stainless & chromed brass. These appear to be original.

[rnummi]

Make sure you go to an auto body supply store and buy the hook and loop disks from 3m. The harbor freight random orbital plus the 3m disks really kick a$$. Glass like finish when your done.

[JT48348]

Couldn't resist, had to dry fit the engine hatches and cockpit hatches so I can imagine what the non-skid will look like.

[sail149]

JT looking good!

for the less ambitious among us..... did somebody find a paint that was a fair match for the deck gelcoat? rick was that you?
warren

[Sprig1]

Captain Vic mentioned it was Rustoleam Oyster White was a good match. I think I have some out in the garage I just haven't gotten around to checking