Favunclerich
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2010
- Messages
- 203
- Fluid Motion Model
- C-248 C
- Hull Identification Number
- FMLT2542G708
- Vessel Name
- Roam (2008 #42)
This posting is intended to provide a detailed description of the process involved in having an Awlgrip paint job. I hope that it will provide useful information to others considering having their boats painted.
Roam is a 2008 R-25, and her red hull was molded over ten years ago. I used to buff and wax the hull myself, but as she ages, it has become a professional job. It usually costs around $600 for just the red and beige areas. Unfortunately, she has started oxidizing and turning pink after just a few short weeks. Here is a picture of the hull prior to the work.
We really like the boat and want to keep her, but it was clearly time to look into other restorative options. I'm aware of two systems for painting fiberglass boats; Imron and Awlgrip. Both are multi-part, epoxy-based systems that are generally regarded as best left to the professionals. I'm told that some shops roll and/or brush the paint on, but I've seen these jobs and am wholly unimpressed with the quality of the finish.
There has also been a posting on this site about a red R-21 of similar vintage that was treated with a new product called Gtechniq C1 Crystal Lacquer. The preparation and application cost $3000, and the before and after pictures showed impressive results. Time will tell how well this holds up, but I prefer a product with more history, and Awlgrip has been around for decades. Well done Awlgrip jobs are still looking good after 20 years.
Based on recommendations from friends, I arranged to have the work done at St. Clair Marine in LaSalle, Ontario. The owner, Paul Dezell, stopped by our marina to view the boat. We struggled to get the local shops in the Detroit area to even return a phone call. Americans are currently enjoying a strong currency exchange rate. They also agreed to a discount during their slow months of July and August. I delivered the boat, and for a small, extra fee, they exported the boat back to Michigan and thereby spared me the Canadian taxes. We contracted to have the hull, beige side band, the band on the smoke stack, and the eyebrows painted. The standard terms are 10% down at booking, 40% when the job commences, and 50% upon completion.
I met Mark, the painter, who has been doing this work for over 15 years, We selected from the dozens of Awlgrip colors available. The plan was to keep the colors as close to original as possible, and he came fairly close. The hull color selected is Claret Red, and the beige stripe is Castle Tan. His plan was to do this in three sections, first the upper red, then the center beige band, and finally the hull. He estimated that the job would require two weeks.
I had previously removed the vinyl name and hailing port from the transom and the Ranger Tugs sticker from the smoke stack. Mark's first step was to slide the trailer's bow stop forward to provide access. After removing the registration stickers, navigation lights, trailering lamps and swim platform, he masked and covered everything else. The red piece above the cabin door was removed altogether and painted separately. He first sprayed five coats of a primer/sealer, then three coats of Awlgrip. Two days after the hull was sprayed, Mark decided that he was not satisfied with the job, so he sanded it down and sprayed three more coats on the hull; a total of eleven coats.
Here's a picture of Roam enjoying her day at the spa.
The Awlgrip manufacturer states that the paint is dry enough to pull tape after one day, light usage after three days, and fully cured after two weeks. It ended up taking four weeks before the boat was ready to export back to the states. But, as you can see below, it was worth the wait. The paint was not fully cured, so we left the bow roller a couple of inches forward, so the paint would not rub as she bounced down Michigan's bumpy roads.
I bought new vinyl lettering for the name and hailing port from https://doityourselflettering.com/info.htm for about $50 and can recommend their service and product. It only took about ten minutes to apply. I taped the registration stickers to the windows. For a documented vessel, Michigan allows the stickers to be anywhere on the forward half of the boat.
Pulling the masking tape did remove some small sections of bottom paint. I touched these up before relaunching.
I'm not going to publicly post what I paid for the work, and you'll need to do your own negotiating. I'll only say that the cost was less than I would have spent to have it professionally buffed and waxed twice a year for the next five years. If you really need to know, please send a private message with your phone number. By the way, Cheryll wants new upholstery now, so if you really want to calculate the true cost, you'll need to include that.
I can definitely recommend Mark and St. Clair Marine to others located in the mid-western states or Ontario. Experienced boaters have examined the work closely and pronounced that it was the best boat paint job that they've ever seen. We're currently out cruising, and many people have stopped by to admire Roam and tell us that the boat looks new. These boats are not commonplace in these parts, and I haven't replaced the Ranger Tugs sticker that was on the smoke stack. So a lot of questioners start with, "What kind of boat is that?"
Others have said that it's really going to suck when I get the first scratch. Awlgrip is easy to maintain with just dish soap and water, but touch-up is the work of a professional. There is no more waxing.
Here's a picture of Roam, back from the spa, anchored and stern-tied at Croker Island in Lake Huron's North Channel.
Roam is a 2008 R-25, and her red hull was molded over ten years ago. I used to buff and wax the hull myself, but as she ages, it has become a professional job. It usually costs around $600 for just the red and beige areas. Unfortunately, she has started oxidizing and turning pink after just a few short weeks. Here is a picture of the hull prior to the work.
We really like the boat and want to keep her, but it was clearly time to look into other restorative options. I'm aware of two systems for painting fiberglass boats; Imron and Awlgrip. Both are multi-part, epoxy-based systems that are generally regarded as best left to the professionals. I'm told that some shops roll and/or brush the paint on, but I've seen these jobs and am wholly unimpressed with the quality of the finish.
There has also been a posting on this site about a red R-21 of similar vintage that was treated with a new product called Gtechniq C1 Crystal Lacquer. The preparation and application cost $3000, and the before and after pictures showed impressive results. Time will tell how well this holds up, but I prefer a product with more history, and Awlgrip has been around for decades. Well done Awlgrip jobs are still looking good after 20 years.
Based on recommendations from friends, I arranged to have the work done at St. Clair Marine in LaSalle, Ontario. The owner, Paul Dezell, stopped by our marina to view the boat. We struggled to get the local shops in the Detroit area to even return a phone call. Americans are currently enjoying a strong currency exchange rate. They also agreed to a discount during their slow months of July and August. I delivered the boat, and for a small, extra fee, they exported the boat back to Michigan and thereby spared me the Canadian taxes. We contracted to have the hull, beige side band, the band on the smoke stack, and the eyebrows painted. The standard terms are 10% down at booking, 40% when the job commences, and 50% upon completion.
I met Mark, the painter, who has been doing this work for over 15 years, We selected from the dozens of Awlgrip colors available. The plan was to keep the colors as close to original as possible, and he came fairly close. The hull color selected is Claret Red, and the beige stripe is Castle Tan. His plan was to do this in three sections, first the upper red, then the center beige band, and finally the hull. He estimated that the job would require two weeks.
I had previously removed the vinyl name and hailing port from the transom and the Ranger Tugs sticker from the smoke stack. Mark's first step was to slide the trailer's bow stop forward to provide access. After removing the registration stickers, navigation lights, trailering lamps and swim platform, he masked and covered everything else. The red piece above the cabin door was removed altogether and painted separately. He first sprayed five coats of a primer/sealer, then three coats of Awlgrip. Two days after the hull was sprayed, Mark decided that he was not satisfied with the job, so he sanded it down and sprayed three more coats on the hull; a total of eleven coats.
Here's a picture of Roam enjoying her day at the spa.
The Awlgrip manufacturer states that the paint is dry enough to pull tape after one day, light usage after three days, and fully cured after two weeks. It ended up taking four weeks before the boat was ready to export back to the states. But, as you can see below, it was worth the wait. The paint was not fully cured, so we left the bow roller a couple of inches forward, so the paint would not rub as she bounced down Michigan's bumpy roads.
I bought new vinyl lettering for the name and hailing port from https://doityourselflettering.com/info.htm for about $50 and can recommend their service and product. It only took about ten minutes to apply. I taped the registration stickers to the windows. For a documented vessel, Michigan allows the stickers to be anywhere on the forward half of the boat.
Pulling the masking tape did remove some small sections of bottom paint. I touched these up before relaunching.
I'm not going to publicly post what I paid for the work, and you'll need to do your own negotiating. I'll only say that the cost was less than I would have spent to have it professionally buffed and waxed twice a year for the next five years. If you really need to know, please send a private message with your phone number. By the way, Cheryll wants new upholstery now, so if you really want to calculate the true cost, you'll need to include that.
I can definitely recommend Mark and St. Clair Marine to others located in the mid-western states or Ontario. Experienced boaters have examined the work closely and pronounced that it was the best boat paint job that they've ever seen. We're currently out cruising, and many people have stopped by to admire Roam and tell us that the boat looks new. These boats are not commonplace in these parts, and I haven't replaced the Ranger Tugs sticker that was on the smoke stack. So a lot of questioners start with, "What kind of boat is that?"
Others have said that it's really going to suck when I get the first scratch. Awlgrip is easy to maintain with just dish soap and water, but touch-up is the work of a professional. There is no more waxing.
Here's a picture of Roam, back from the spa, anchored and stern-tied at Croker Island in Lake Huron's North Channel.
