I have a 1981 Hobie 16, I would like to know how to prep for painting the hulls. I noticed that the top piece of the hull is textured how would I approach sanding that surface? Also, how difficult is it to take the boat apart in order to paint?

Welcome to the forum!

I've only taken an H16 apart twice, but I found it was reasonably easy as long as you have two people and a little penetrating oil for the bolts.

As for prepping, the key is getting all of the wax off from the old gel coat after you finish prep-sanding. Most gel coats are made with wax in them, and when the catalyst begins to react, it increases the temperature, and the wax rises to the surface (that's what makes your gel coat shiny). It's important to get all of the old wax off, because the new gel coat won't bond to the old gel coat correctly if there's even a little bit of wax left on the surface. Fortunately, the wax can be easily removed with acetone; or you can buy solvents made specifically for this purpose at most body-shops and marine stores. I think Walmart even sells wax remover in their auto-body section.

As for the texturing on the top, I'm not sure how to do that. Hopefully someone else on here knows.

Also, keep in mind that gel coating a boat is about twice as hard and three times more time consuming than painting a car (at least in my opinion); so make sure you have plenty of time and beverage on hand. It's harder because gel coat doesn't spray well, and it requires an insane amount of sanding if you do multiple coats. I'm guessing you probably knew that already, but I thought I would mention it just in case.

Let us know how it goes! Oh, and take pictures :)

rhunt, when prepping do you sand all the old gelcoat - then dewax - then fill if needed - then prime?

I painted 3 of my cats, a 14,2-16's & 17... The 14 & 16 was easy~~ look in the 'tech help gallery'-(boat painting) The 17 was a different story cause of the tramp set-up. I'am going to paint my 18 this year from white to blue... Give it a good wash first, then use lot's of Acetone, then I sanded with 80 grit, give it a good sand, acetone it again,turning your rag frequently, then a new rag at the end. Gave it 3-4 coats of paint sanding in between coats, I think I used 120 grit. If ya do it in yer garage make a paint booth outta plastic~~(overspray doesn't look good on other things) I let it dry for 1-2 days then lowered it on my trl. pulled it out and sprayed it alot with cold water, just to help it harden more...My 18 I'am gonna do it like my 14 & 16, like the ones ya see in the picts, and I used ''Interlux-Brightside'' I didn't thin it at all-straight outta the can.. I thinned it on the first boat I did and it gave me a hard time with saggs... As the top of the non skid part of the boat, I sanded 'lightly' and used a fine wire brush for the 'inbetween' groves... Ya can get the paint at 'West Marine' $43.00/qt. I priced it a few days ago so I can start gettin my stuff for this yr. Keep us posted.... & good luck....

--
~ Vietnam Vet 69-71~ 17 Hobie w/big jib, ~18 Hobie mag,~DN Ice sailor,
and other toys.......
~~ I live in NY state on the north shore of Oneida lake in
Bernhards Bay. ~~~~~~
--

ryman522

rhunt, when prepping do you sand all the old gelcoat - then dewax - then fill if needed - then prime?

Yep, that's right, except you don't have to prime--that's one nice thing about gel coating vs regular painting. It sticks to itself really well, so you don't have to prime.

BTW, when I've done gel coat, I've always just done one really good round of sanding, then acetone, then paint. You may want to do a few rounds of sanding and acetone though, like popeyez suggested.

It was 'Odark-thirty' when I put this up here this morn. and I forgot to mention some things, use clean 'white' rags, colored rags will run/leach out.. I did forget about the 'No prime thinggy'~~ Thanks rhuntbach.... and
~~~ Beer.. lotts of Beer... dark beer, strong too !!

--
~ Vietnam Vet 69-71~ 17 Hobie w/big jib, ~18 Hobie mag,~DN Ice sailor,
and other toys.......
~~ I live in NY state on the north shore of Oneida lake in
Bernhards Bay. ~~~~~~
--

so i wouldnt need to prime if i have an orange boat that i want to paint white? Also is sanding between layers of paint a most? Because a friends paint company is gonna just spray it for me and i doubt they will do that.

The sanding between coats with 120 is to give the paint something to grab on to. When I do 3-4 coats, they are light/quick coats,but it stills cover pretty good. If yer going from orange to white yer orange will show through until yer final coat(s). When I did my 14/16/ 17 they were yellow to begin with, my 18 is white going to blue, maybe a few extra coats!!?
Talk to yer friend about what he is going to do. Everyone does things different from paint to fiberglss work ETC ETC ETC.

--
~ Vietnam Vet 69-71~ 17 Hobie w/big jib, ~18 Hobie mag,~DN Ice sailor,
and other toys.......
~~ I live in NY state on the north shore of Oneida lake in
Bernhards Bay. ~~~~~~
--

ryman522

so i wouldnt need to prime if i have an orange boat that i want to paint white? Also is sanding between layers of paint a most? Because a friends paint company is gonna just spray it for me and i doubt they will do that.

I'll second what popeyez said about changing colors. Your orange will show through until your last couple coats, but then it will be just white.

As for sanding, when I did my H16 I sanded between the first two coats, and then I got lazy/high from the fumes, and I didn't sand between the last two coats. It seemed to turn out fine, but I may have just been lucky.