Source of interior paint used in early S/R's

[slyclops]

I am looking for the brand (or something simular) epoxy type paint that was used in the bilges and storage areas of 88 Sea Ray Seville Bow Riders. If you've got a clue, please email:
slyclops@gmail.com
Thanks.........

 

[fwebster]

It isn't paint.....it is a special gelcoat that cures with a waxy type finish to repel water. I've never seen it anywere but at Sea Ray dealers. If you need to match the existing bilge like for a repair, that is your best hope.

If you are adding something that just needs to be gray and look decent, Interlux makes a paint that resists oil, gas and sludge called Bilgekote. I've used it on a tool box I made for the engine room and it does a good job, its just not as tough as gelcoat.

Answers to questions are best done on the forum so others can see and perhaps benefit from the result...........so I hope this works for you.

 

[slyclops]

Thanks Fwebster,
While looking up "Bilgecoat" in a West Marine catalog, I found a product called "Watertite Epoxy Filler", it sort of sounds like a pretty stuff as it is a two part epoxy, but I'm going to try and find a S/R dealer that might have a quart of the original in stock, wish me luck. Thanks for the tip, and yes, I agree, answers should be posted here, don't know what I was thinking, Da!
Slyclops

 

[boatmailster]

searay used bilge grey and bilge beige gelcoats - not epoxy.

 

[slyclops]

Can you brush on gel coat or is there special procedure?
The place I'm repairing (a storage area) has a 1X1 stapled all around (all 4 sides) the interior surface. One of the 1X1's was crushed thereby allowing water to get in and cause some dry rot. I have removed as all the dry rot I can see and feel, anyone know what kind of wood is used in these general purpose storage area's that are covered with the gray bilge gel coat sealer?
Thanks............
Slyclops

 

[RobF300]

you can buy bilge gray from the dealer, you can buy gray from any fiberglass supply house, just add TFA or wax additive to it so it dries without being sticky.


Clean the area really good, when its clean wipe it with acetone and brush your gelcoat in there, make sure the gel has wax in it or you add it, and of course you add the MEKP.

btw- the wood used was lucky if it was AC FIR let alone marine ply- AC FIR will be more then adequate for what your doing- just dont use pressure treated.

 

[slyclops]

Holy Moly! I called my nearest S/R dealer today re: the gel coat paint, he said it was $95 a quart, plus a special $25 hazardous UPS shipping fee from back east. Needless to say I'm not buying that stuff! The salesman did give me the name of a local paint distributor (SVENSENDS in Oakland Ca), which I called and explained my project, he said "Why not just epoxy the hole, then paint the epoxy", sounds sort of logical, but I'm gonna go with FWEBSTER's suggestion and use BilgeCoat at $34 a quart from West Marine. I can't get started for another 10 days or so, so if any of you have any other suggestions, I'll be check the forum each day. Thanks for your input.
Slyclops

 

[RobF300]

the bond with gelcoat-gelcoat will be far superior then cleaning the surface you have now and brushing cheap west marine paint on it.

check yellow pages for local fiberglass supply and buy gelcoat from them.

 

[Pcola200]

just dont use pressure treated.

Why shouldn't pressure treated wood be used?

 

[fwebster]

Rob does this for a living, so believe his answer before mine.

In my experience, pressure treated wood is #3 or worse (cheapest available), full of knots, so wet with the treatment chemicals that nothing will stick to it and its worst characteristic is that it will shrink 15-20% over the time it takes it to dry. If you do get a bond with resin/epoxy or whatever you use, it won't last because the parts is going to shrink.

In very rare instances, some people use kiln dried pressure treated and select or #1 wood for stringer replacement. It is hard to get and very expensive then it must be sawn or planed to straighten or shape it. The glass guy at our marina puts stringer in about one Sportcraft a year and that is what they use.

 

[slyclops]

OK, I've found a paint supply that sells gel coat by the pint ($15) + $5 for the hardner. Is there anything else I need to add to the gel coat (gray coloring, etc.)?
Is there any special preperations needed other the clean and dry (like roughing up the edges, etc. etc.) before I apply the gel coat?
Hey guys, your help is appreciated.
Slyclops

 

[fwebster]

What you found isn't what you asked about initially. If you have to add color, you found common resin. It won't match and it will not have the waxy additive that your current bilge finish has.

You might want to go back and re-read my first answer to you in this thread.

 

[RobF300]

between frank's and my posts we have answered your questions already, but to recap- you should be buying gray gelcoat, ask for it with wax, and $5 for hardner for a pint of gelcoat is robbery as you literally will be using a few teaspoons worth.