Painting/sealing wooden hull

[Hoontar]

So I'm arriving at the painting stage of my wooden boat project. The hull is completely sanded, and I need to know what type of paint you guys typically would use on a wooden hull, and more importantly, what sort of protective stuff you paint overtop to make it watertight and to protect the paint from the water?

Thanks.

[Rob_P]

I guess what you use will depend where you are in the world and whats easily available.

In my book its whats under the paint thats the important barrier to protect the wood.
On areas of wood that are not going to be painted with a colour finish, like inside a hull, I give it three coats of "hot fuel proof". While this is nasty stuff to work with (strong odour) it gives a very resiliant near clear finish.

For say, the outside of a hull thats going to be painted I use three coats of "Nelsons" epoxy primer. This is water soluble, best applied with a sponge brush and has no odour, meaning you can paint without up setting anyone.

For top coats you can again use Nelsons water soluble paint and with the additive is very resiliant to fuel so water is not a problem. Again no smell and easy clean up.

The alternative for the top coats is Krylon spray paint.

There are plenty of ways to do it, this is just what I find works for me,

[patmat2350]

For any wood planked hull that you intend to keep, I can only recommend a layer of fiberglass (not just resin). Every planked hull I ever made, prior to adopting 'glass, opened its seams after a few seasons, even when coated with resin. It's more the humidity swings through the seasons that moves the wood, than any exposure in the water. Glass locks things together. And don't even start to think that "sealing" the wood will stop humidity from moving in and out... all plastics (including our super thin layers of varnish or whatever) will breath and allow the wood to equalize water content with the surrounding environment.

You may not have the issue if you don't have much in the way of humidity swings-- west coasters, for example. In the Midwest, it's murder on boats.

[steveciambrone]

Same problems on the west coast Pat, fiberglass and resin is the best way to ensure a boat lasts a long time.

Thanks
Steve

[patmat2350]

And once again, as found in the Sticky in "Scale Boats", Pat Tritle's treatise on 'glassing. Note that perfect clarity and clear coating are unneeded for a painted hull...

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=329811