Turnbuckle inspection and interior painting

This is the place to post your ideas, thoughts, questions and comments as relates to general boatbuilding and reconstruction techniques and procedures (i.e. recoring, epoxy, fiberglass, wood, etc.)
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Crazer
Topside Painter
Posts: 133
Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2011 3:07 pm
Boat Name: Clio
Boat Type: Rhodes Swiftsure 33
Location: Annapolis, MD

Turnbuckle inspection and interior painting

Post by Crazer »

I am going to begin the first phase of a three phase plan to replace my standing rigging. I will be replacing my fore and aft stays on my Pearson Wanderer. The rigging is quite old, possibly original to the boat. I am fairly certain at least the turnbuckles are original, making them 46 years old. I am a bit conflicted, however, on whether or not to replace them. It would be cheaper not to, and I would tend to trust them a bit more IF I could somehow determine that they did not suffer from and corrosion or were otherwise compromised. Does anyone have any thoughts on how best to proceed?

Also, I am going to be painting the interior of my boat. It's mostly formica and bare fiberglass lining, with some painted formica areas. I want something that is, obviously, durable and easily brushed and that will yield a nice even finish with no brush strokes. Spraying is an option, but with the amount of prep work involved I'd rather brush. I've heard exterior latex can be used on fiberglass, and oil paint is commonly used over formica and I assume that's what was done where it was painted on my boat. I did paint a countertop, with oil paint, and it worked well, but didn't yield nearly as even or smooth a finish as I'd have liked. For those who have painted their interiors, what paint did you use and what process worked as far as getting an acceptable finish?
As eccentric as my boat.

Rhodes Swiftsure 33
SV Clio
Quetzalsailor
Master of the Arcane
Posts: 1100
Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2005 9:53 am
Boat Name: Quetzal
Boat Type: LeComte North East 38
Location: Philadelphia, PA

Re: Turnbuckle inspection and interior painting

Post by Quetzalsailor »

Bronze turnbuckles can be taken apart and inspected. I've heard tell of the threads having corroded to dust within the barrel of the 'buckle. If only brown and not pink copper; they might well be, probably are fine. Some turnbuckles have stainless barrels and bronze screws; ditto for inspection. I understand that the mixed metals are OK, but who'd 'a thought? Read up on crevice corrosion in stainless steel; not a happy thing! An antediluvian boat will more likely have 304 stainless rather than 316. Certainly, LeComte bragged about their 316 stainless parts.

As for interior paint, good luck! I painted the melamine (formica,basically) faced plywood in our old Morgan 27 using Moores' best oil-based exterior paint. It never looked good to my eye, but it was better by far than fake teak-grained melamine. Spraying inside a small boat would be ghastly! You'd certainly need a hood with outside air supply.
sscoll
Master Varnisher
Posts: 116
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2009 8:26 am
Boat Name: Medora Jane
Boat Type: Pearson Triton #532 E.C.
Location: Wisconsin

Re: Turnbuckle inspection and interior painting

Post by sscoll »

Interlux Brightside rolled and brushed is nice. Thin it a bit so as to avoid brush strokes.
CharlieJ
Wood Whisperer
Posts: 649
Joined: Fri Aug 19, 2005 7:42 pm
Location: South coast of Texas, Matagorda Bay

Re: Turnbuckle inspection and interior painting

Post by CharlieJ »

For the past 22 years, the ONLY paint I've used on boat interiors, both my own, and customer boats, has been ACRYLIC Latex enamel in semi gloss. Emphasis on the ACRYLIC.

Most have a mildewcide added, they are water reducing, water clean up, low odor, fast drying and washable. I have some inside a boat I painted 12 years ago that is still in great shape. Now on it's fourth owner.

And to recoat, just scrub, sand lightly and paint.

I use foam rollers
LazyGuy
Candidate for Boat-Obsession Medal
Posts: 349
Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2007 9:31 pm
Boat Name: Paper Moon
Boat Type: Luders 33 (Allied Boat Co.)
Location: Mystic CT

Re: Turnbuckle inspection and interior painting

Post by LazyGuy »

I tend to agree with CharleyJ. Brightsides is too glossy to use for the interior. Stick with a mat finish I redid my interior with two coats of Bin 1,2,3 and two coats of Pittsburgh Interior, pearl finish, "Cream Puff" is the color. You can get oil base if you ask for the commercial grade. Did the front half last year and will be doing the aft half this year. Thin it, add Penetrol, Roll and tip comes out great. On the overhead I used Kirby Ivory. Love the Kerby paints but did not like the color of the overhead (too yellow) If I did it again, it would be the Pittsburgh interior Cream Puff which is damn near white and accents the teak nicely.

Just another opinion.
Dennis
Cheers

Dennis
Luders 33 "Paper Moon" Hull No 16

Life is too short to own an ugly boat.
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