Imron Paint MS600

[Islandtrader]

Has anybody had any experience with this paint?

My question is if I paint the bottom with it, and went to the Bahama's for week, and left the boat in the water would there be any adverse effects?

According to DuPont tech, they say no below the water line??? But are not more specific.

Thanks,

[Capt Chuck]

Terry

Siganture Finish (2 part urathane) paint can be painted below the waterline & left in the water. My bottom was painted in the 80's and has been left in the water weeks at a time without issues

http://www.signaturefinish.com/

[Bushwacker]

Terry,

I agree with Capt. Chuck's recommendation on use of Signature Finish paint below the waterline. What sold me on it is when owner Tom Fabula told me he painted his swimming pool with it over 10 years ago and it was still holding up fine! My boat was in the water for 2 weeks on our circumnavigation trip a couple years ago and I had zero problems with the paint on bottom. Did have a little marine growth on transom and bracket areas not exposed to high speed water flow, but a quick scrub during slack high tide at Peanut Island took that right off. That paint is so slick that stuff doesn't stick to it very well! If you pick a color from any commercially available paint like Interlux, Imron or Awlgrip, Tom should be able to match it.

Chuck, I understand Tom is back in business, but do you know if he's gotten his house and office rebuilt after the fire? Denny

[Islandtrader]

Originally Posted by Capt Chuck

Terry

Siganture Finish (2 part urathane) paint can be painted below the waterline & left in the water. My bottom was painted in the 80's and has been left in the water weeks at a time without issues

http://www.signaturefinish.com/

Denny, Chuck for reasons I would rather not get into, Signature is not an option for me at this time.

if the label says no under water line that should enough to tell you not to use it.

I would agree, however it seems to say that if your waterline has changed due to weight or ??? the paint on the side of your boat will what...PEEL OFF??

[bigeasy1]

Several years ago a friend and I repainted two identical 18' Starcraft aluminum boats.I sprayed mine with Sherwin Williams(automotive) Sunfire which is a two part urethane, mostly used on airplanes and fleet trucks.
He sprayed his with Imron.

Both of them looked great and both paints were extremely durable. We went on a three week trip to lake Champlain and both of these boats were in the water for the whole time.
When we pulled them to head for home,his boat with the Imron paint had all these tiny tiny blisters(felt like mild sandpaper)below the water line.
My hull with the Sunfire was perfect.

We had no idea why the difference,but he called the automotive jobber and was told that they don't recommend Imron below the water line.I never checked on the sunfire,but after ten years of use,and abuse, and it looked as good as the day it was painted.

On my 23 Seacraft,I used Epifanes two part urethane on the hull,(only to the waterline),but I noticed in a couple areas where the paint sits a couple inches below the water, it also is getting some tiny blisters.The people at Epifanes told me that it's a saturated, aliphatic urethane which is similar to Imron.Maybe that's why it blistered when under the water.
I just figured that all two part urethanes were of the same chemical makeup,but was told by Epifanes that there are differences in the makeups of all of them.

I would assume that's why some paints like the Signature and Sunfire will hold up where others don't.

[Bushwacker]

[QUOTE=bigeasy1;206294 . . . Both of them looked great and both paints were extremely durable. We went on a three week trip to lake Champlain and both of these boats were in the water for the whole time.
When we pulled them to head for home,his boat with the Imron paint had all these tiny tiny blisters(felt like mild sandpaper)below the water line.
My hull with the Sunfire was perfect.

We had no idea why the difference,but he called the automotive jobber and was told that they don't recommend Imron below the water line.I never checked on the sunfire,but after ten years of use,and abuse, and it looked as good as the day it was painted.

On my 23 Seacraft,I used Epifanes two part urethane on the hull,(only to the waterline),but I noticed in a couple areas where the paint sits a couple inches below the water, it also is getting some tiny blisters.The people at Epifanes told me that it's a saturated, aliphatic urethane which is similar to Imron.Maybe that's why it blistered when under the water.
I just figured that all two part urethanes were of the same chemical makeup,but was told by Epifanes that there are differences in the makeups of all of them.

I would assume that's why some paints like the Signature and Sunfire will hold up where others don't.[/QUOTE]

John,

Your experience with Sunfire is the same that I've had with Signature, which makes sense, because I believe SW Sunfire and Signature are the same stuff! I was looking for some catalyst about the time Tom had his fire, and I found the SW store in WPB where he buys most of his supplies. The color selection is pretty limited on Sunfire however, but Tom can provide Signature Finish in whatever color you want. He created a perfect match for my gelcoat. Denny

[hugo]

if the label says no under water line that should enough to tell you not to use it.

[Islandtrader]

BigE and Denny thanks for the info.


The only reason I was leaning towards Imron is that is what my painter likes to paint with. However he could not answer the question regarding below the water line.

I will let my painter know that Imron is out...I already have a paint that is in the same family as Sunfire and Signature, plus I can get it locally and don't have to put up with Tom trying to sell me stuff I don't want or need.

[Bigshrimpin]

I just put this to the test on my 23. I left the boat on a mooring for 5 weeks no problems up until somewhere b/w week 4 and 5. There are 3 areas where I lost sheets of imron paint . . . about a 12" section and 2 6" sections. I was going to bottom paint the boat anyway for next year . . . just in case you were wondering what happens when you leave imron in the water below the waterline : )

[blindmullet]

There are not any "paints" that are recommended below the water line for more than a week or so.