How much paint?

Jeff Reardon

Jeff Reardon

Well-known member
I've got 2 boat projects that both need to be painted before duck season.

Boat #1 is a 14 foot Lowe V hull, currently unpainted except for some anti-fouling paint on the bottom. Plan is to sand off the old bottom paint, sand the bare aluminum inside and out, and paint. No fancy paint joeat needed. It's a beat-up old aluminum boat, and I just want to cover the shiny aluminum in dead grass green. Will probably roll the paint on. I'm planning to use the FME paint after priming with an etching primer.

Suggestions for primer? How much will I need?
How many gallons of paint should I plan on for decent coverage?

Boat #2 is a 15 foot sculler I am reglassing. Bottom will be painting over new epoxy/glass; interior and top side will be a cover coat over the old paint.

Per the instructions on Lou's site, FME needs no priming on glass or over old paint. Can folks confirm? How many gallons to cover? (Again, planning to roll or brush the paint on, as I have no spray gun.)

Both boats will be the same color, and I don't mind some leftover paint in the barn for touching up or my next project, but I don't want to end up with a ton of extra paint, either.
b
 
No expert here, but on my mallard last year I used most of 1 gal FME (bit less than a qt left over) 2 coats inside & out. I brushed it on over sanded new epoxy. Lou said apply thin coats & I tried to brush it out. Hope this helps.
Dennis
 
Jeff,

If you have a sprayer or can borrow one the paint will go along ways. I just sprayed Mike Trudel's 18 ft. deep V Mirro Craft - 3 coats over two days and we used half a gallon. We only did above the waterline up to and over the gunnel caps, transom. If you thin the paint as you should, it will go a long way. I would think that a gallon will work for both your boats but the best is to call Lou and ask him - he's the expert.
 
Thanks for the thoughts above. I'll definitely check with Lou when I order. Based on the information above, it seemd that even with thinned paint and a sprayer, I'm looking at the need for more than one gallon of paint, and probably less than 2 even if I brush it on.

Thoughts on sprayed paint vs. brush or roller?
 
I did two coats on my 16' sculler, inside and out, with a brush, and only used 1/2 a gallon. How's your sculler coming along??
 
Thanks. More confirmation that two gallons will easily cover both boats and give me enough for touch up or even another small project.

As for the sculler, I am rededicating myself to it starting this weekend. I have the motor running well. I got about half the glass off, then the good May/June fishing came and went and I was a little distracted. (It turns out that little kicker motor works pretty well while trolling for togue.) I'm hoping to make a good dent on the rest of the stripping this weekend, and am putting together my list of things to order for re-glassing and painting. The glass needs to be completed before things cool down and the good fall fishing is on us. :) I hope to break in the sculler on some early fall duck scouting/trout fishing so I have the bugs worked out by opening day.

Just to keep myself from getting idle hands, I decided to throw in a paint job on my tin boat while I'm at it. I don't use it a lot for ducks, as my buddies have a nicer rig, but it will look better during fishing season with a paint job, and I have to order the paint anyway.
 
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