When polishing cannot bring the colour back
Topsides fail slowly. The finish goes chalky, then dull, then scratched in the places the fenders never reached. Old gelcoat that has been compounded year after year can run thin, and at some point another polish only takes more of it away. That is usually the moment a hull stops being a detailing job and becomes a paint job.
Some owners are not fixing damage at all, they are changing the boat. Gary Bolton's 2012 Sea Ray 270 SLX started out navy, and Paul painted it an ice blue Awlgrip finish. That is why the colour consultation comes first: going from navy to ice blue is a decision worth making carefully, before the first coat of primer.
Primer, two base coats, then clear if the job calls for it
The yard paints with Awlgrip, Awlcraft and Alexseal, on hulls, decks, cabins, rub rails and housings. Each boat is washed and inspected first, and any cracks, chips or soft spots are repaired before primer goes on, because paint only shows what is underneath it. Repair and paint happen under one roof, in the same protected indoor bays on Bluffton Road.
The coat schedule is primer, two base coats and an optional clear coat. Non-skid deck coatings are available for the decks. Then come the finishing details: painted or vinyl boot stripes, decals and the boat's name. One sailboat left the bay with a new red boot stripe over dark bottom paint.
Paint is unforgiving, and the yard does not pretend otherwise. On one custom 20 foot panga a hatch picked up contamination while it was being painted. Paul fixed it immediately and had the hatch back in a timely manner, and the owner still called the work phenomenal and said the budget they discussed held throughout.
A finish chosen so it will not fade
Qualifying repair and paint work carries a 5-year guarantee. Gary Bolton had his Sea Ray painted in Awlgrip so the colour will never fade, and the finish at the end of the coat schedule is also an easier-to-clean one than the tired surface it replaces.
Every project begins with an evaluation of the vessel and a clearly defined scope of work, and the quote that follows is a fixed price with no surprise hourly billing. Gregory Clarke wrote that Paul stayed within the budget they had discussed throughout the whole process.
Bring the boat to 138 Bluffton Rd (Hwy 46) for the evaluation, Monday to Friday 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM, or ring (843) 304-2798 and describe the colour you have in mind. If the bottom needs work too, the yard is also a certified Sea Hawk Bottom Paint Center.
