If you have a boat, you know all too well that periodic maintenance is necessary. This does not only include maintenance of the engine, but also various painting activities. On this page you can read everything about painting your boat. This can be a difficult job, but it is a job that is necessary to carry out. You will not only read about the advantages and disadvantages of painting yourself, but also about the best time of year to carry out this job. Finally, you will receive a step-by-step plan to follow when painting your boat.
Advantages and disadvantages of painting your own boat
The rule of thumb is that the bottom of your boat should be painted every year. Other parts of your boat need to be painted less often. You can choose to paint your boat yourself, but you can also have it done by a specialist. There are several advantages and disadvantages to painting your boat yourself:
- Advantage 1 Lower costs, because you do not have to hire a specialist.
- Advantage 2 Painting a boat is not very difficult. You don't need to be handy to do the job yourself.
- Advantage 3 Many people like to paint their boat themselves.
- Disadvantage 1 In some cases, a specialist can deliver better quality. Pre-treating the surface in particular is an important step. Specialists often do a better job of filling holes or scratches.
- Disadvantage 2 Especially if you have a large boat, painting your boat can be a big job. If you don't want to spend a lot of time painting your boat, hiring a specialist is a good idea.
The best time of year to paint your boat
In principle, you can paint your boat at any time of the year. Of course, you would prefer to do this when you are not using it. Many people therefore choose to paint their boat in the spring or autumn. For the quality of your paint, it is important that you paint in the right conditions. Especially if you paint your boat outside, so not in a shed or something similar, then it is recommended to paint between the months of April and October. Paint dries best between 5 and 25 degrees Celsius, where the humidity is not too high. Lower temperatures can significantly extend the drying time.
The planning for self-painting
If you are going to paint your boat yourself, it is important to be well prepared. Painting the upper water hull is a completely different job than painting the underwater hull. The part of the boat that lies above the waterline, so the superstructure, the deck and part of the hull, is the upper water hull. The underwater hull lies entirely below the waterline.
In addition, it is very important that you know what material your boat is made of. Not only so that you can purchase the right paint, but also because different materials have different properties. This affects the way of painting: after all, you want sufficient layer thickness and adhesion in all cases.
Closing note
It is not easy to paint your boat yourself, there is quite a lot involved. Of course it can be fun to do it yourself, but if you want to guarantee that everything is done well, then leaving the painting to a professional is a better option. But if you are not afraid of a challenge, then with enough research, doing it yourself is a good option.
