Paint Vs. Gel-coat

[EBEACH]

How come I never see anyone talking about gel-coat? It’s always paint! Sure, I’ve gone over all of the older posts, but seems like the issue was never really settled. Are people painting because they’re shy about gel-coat or it’s easier? Trayder, how did you make out with that Mako?

I’m still waiting for my boat, but have been fooling around with glass and gel-coat applications. I think I’ve convinced myself that gel-coat is the way to go. Not so much for the finish, but rather the application. Painting requires that all the prep work and finish be done perfectly to get good results. What do you do if a fly lands on your fresh paint? What do you do when spraying or rolling and you come across an area where your sanding work was poor?

I believe that if you can sand, then you can successfully apply gel-coat. I wouldn’t say that about paint. For about $15 you can cover 20 sq ft with gel-coat. Can you even get a can of marine paint for $15? [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]