Boat paint suggestions?

[ITD]

Originally Posted by CateP

For my dull and oxidized sail boats I use Marykate On & Off to remove stains (amazing stuff, works great) and then use a buffer with oxidation remover.

A shiny gelcoat bottom on a Sunfish (and topsides on other boats) should last longer than our lifetimes with proper care. Once you start down the "painting" path you are in for a lot more maintenance as paint scratches and wears off. It doesn't take much to make a paint job look crappy after a little wear and tear.

This boat was beyond buffing, it was a $150 special that was in good shape except with a few holes and a couple of cracks and the finish was beyond buffing out. Some glass and resin to fix the holes and cracks, a lot of sanding then about 2 quarts of epoxy paint and it still looks great, about 25 years later. YMMV