WHAT PAINT DO I USE ON A FIBER GLASS HULL?

[Gdgough12]

So, i Just bought a 1997 Seadoo XP 800.
Been wanting this project for a LONG time, finally found one for the right price!
my goal is to COMPLETELY tear it down & restore the Ski!

the problem him having is figuring out the right paint/epoxy or whatever combo to use!
i want to use my paint gun and don't want to role it of or use a can!

any advice??
also, the other guy put a 99' silver hood in it cause he liked the look better. personly i LOVE the Classic Yellow! so thats what im going to paint it to be. but i want a metallic Yellow! with black trim.
Lastly? any suggestions on performance mods??

 

[mikidymac]

Paint will never last or be as durable as Gelcoat. If the factory gelcoat isn't too bad you cna wetsand and buff to make it look like new again.

IF the factory gelcoat can't be saved and you want to redo it your best bet is gelcoat.

@GGuillot had a really good restoration thread on redoing gelcoat but it is a very time consuming process.

 

[GGuillot]

any advice??

Stripping down completely and building back up isn't a bad idea, especially if you're not rushed. You'll get to go through everything, verify, clean, replace, etc. It took me nearly a full year to do this process on each of my skis. Mine were bad, total turds for a couple hundred each so they needed a full resto, cosmetics can add up, but it was worth it to me.

Personally I wouldn't paint it, it's not nearly as durable as factory gelcoat. The re gelcoat process is definitely a lot of work, you wet sand forever to get it smooth before you polish, but the reward is wax/polish once a season and it'll last for another 20+ yrs. With painting, the best it'll look is the first day you finish it, all downhill from there. I know people that after painting just 2 to 3 launches and below the water line was trashed.

Check out the builds in my signature line, I gelcoated top and bottom on the GTX and partial bottom and full topside on the GSX.

 

[Gdgough12]

Stripping down completely and building back up isn't a bad idea, especially if you're not rushed. You'll get to go through everything, verify, clean, replace, etc. It took me nearly a full year to do this process on each of my skis. Mine were bad, total turds for a couple hundred each so they needed a full resto, cosmetics can add up, but it was worth it to me.

Personally I wouldn't paint it, it's not nearly as durable as factory gelcoat. The re gelcoat process is definitely a lot of work, you wet sand forever to get it smooth before you polish, but the reward is wax/polish once a season and it'll last for another 20+ yrs. With painting, the best it'll look is the first day you finish it, all downhill from there. I know people that after painting just 2 to 3 launches and below the water line was trashed.

Check out the builds in my signature line, I gelcoated top and bottom on the GTX and partial bottom and full topside on the GSX.

They look GREAT! What gel coat did u use?& yeah I don’t To paint it to change the yellow to a metallic yellow

 

[GGuillot]

They look GREAT! What gel coat did u use?& yeah I don’t To paint it to change the yellow to a metallic yellow

I used a brushable gelcoat product from FGCI coatings FGCI | Fiberglass Coatings. You mix the catalyst in and apply, pint at a time as it starts to gel within 10 minutes. Only drawback with rolling it on is the extra wet sanding to get it smooth, not as bad if you spray.