What is more work, steel or polyester?

[Pascall]

Because a steel ship is not known to many on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean and also in other parts of Europe, I want to share this information with you.

Our boat, now 30 years summer and winter in the salt water, is still in new condition.

What does it take in terms of work to keep it that way?

Well, after our trip to Scandinavia, we parked the boat inside in a shed.

My wife and I then started sanding and painting, the entire boat!

7 days later it was completely painted, of which two half days and two days I worked alone.

After a week of hairing, the boat goes back into the water, the boat can be used for at least 7 years!

I spend max 1 day a year on rust prevention.

When I see around us how much work it takes to put a polyester ship in the wash, and how long it retains its shine, I wonder what is more work, steel or polyester?

The gloss of a new coat of paint will last at least 5 years.

What does play a role is that the ship has been painted in a good paint system from the moment it was built.

Greeting,



Pascal.

 

[Bmarler]

A paint job will last the same on a plastic boat as it will on steel. The thing that makes the most impact is the choice of paint system. Better materials last longer.
What made me switch from steel hull back to plastic was the lack of places to properly do a bottom job. It’s almost impossible to find a place that will allow blasting the bottom to bare metal so you can properly coat it with something like tar epoxy before using anti fouling.
Back when we were able to use tin based anti fouling it wasn’t as big an issue, but those days are long gone.
I can do a top side with good coatings like awlgrip (LPU) and it will look perfect for ten years or more.
Love your boat btw, looks very stout.

 

[SteveK]

Pascal, Your paint job looks professionally done, and in just one week, a miracle. Well done.
I cannot even think/plan out that job, let alone actually do it.
I do know that it only took a trained crew 3 days the polish the hull. So a week to polish all maybe.
Painting I expect would be up to a month.

 

[Pascall]

Finding a location to bare or sandblast an underwater hull can be a problem.
But sandblasting happens after 25 to 30 years and costs about 5000 euros for our boat including antifouling.I had sandblasting done after 25 years, there was no rust at all on the underwater hull but it was no longer slippery with the many layers of antifouling.
There are many blasting companies especially for blasting ships in the Netherlands, which is no problem at all.
A good varnish, or paint system, is of great importance for the preservation of the ship.

Degreasing, sanding and degreasing the hull takes the two of us a day, a good sander and good sandpaper is of great importance! Next day, degreasing, masking and varnishing, working time 5 hours for two.
Summary, a day and a half of work and at least 5 years of fun.

Greeting,

Pascal.

 

[Pascall]

Pascal, Your paint job looks professionally done, and in just one week, a miracle. Well done.
I cannot even think/plan out that job, let alone actually do it.
I do know that it only took a trained crew 3 days the polish the hull. So a week to polish all maybe.
Painting I expect would be up to a month.

Yes it is a sturdy boat, we are very happy with it!

The front and keel is 4x6 cm solid steel, the collision bow is double constructed, we hit the rocks a few times without any dent, only that dent then in my image!

Greeting



Pascal.

 

[Mac2]

Beautiful boat and beautiful hull shape! You're lucky to find a shed to paint your boat. I've been trying to find a shed/enclosure to paint my boat as well. Seems to be a monopoly around here to paint a boat.

 

[Max1]

Wow. Nice work. That shine hurts my eyes.

 

[cfr]

which paint and roller did you use, i painted my alu 44 ft sailboat 5 years ago but not as smooth like yours, took us 3 days too but only outside in south italy. good job

 

[Pascall]

Hello,
The paint is from the brand; https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=8b1e...wNzBEQjBGJnlwaWQ9WU44MDAweDUwMzQ5ODM0Ng&ntb=1

The rollers also come from here.
It is a user-friendly lacquer of very high quality and that is easy to paint with a temperature between 15 and 20 degrees.
The easiest way is to apply the paint in a confined space, but it is also possible outside, but then there should be absolutely no wind.

Mvg,

Pascal.

 

[cfr]

thanks, i used veneziano paint 2 k , got a little bit orange peel surface but holding is good. now 5 years in greece, very strong sun and no freshwater rinse ..,.

 

[Hippocampus]

We came very close to buying a puffin. A Dutch Fe sailboat before deciding on the outbound. Then went through investigation of suitable yards in our area. Unfortunately no problem for mega yachts and ships but knowable people with steel experience was limited. Somewhat of a catch22. Few steel recreational boats so yards doing the work or letting you do the work are limited. Agree with you. On several levels metal boats should be more popular in the US.