Best boat paint?

[mitch]

I'm looking to repaint my 26' Islander. The boat is aluminum. Its painted above the water line and bare underneath. I intend to repaint over the original factory paint which is in good condition with just a few scratches and no corrosion. I intend to spray as I have a decent work area and compressor/spray gun. I can be talked into rolling but in past experience it never comes out that well. Has the technology come far enough that brushed or rolled paint will lay down smooth?

I'm looking for the best lay and durability. This is a salty fishing boat but I want a solid and durable result. Its well maintained but not a show boat. Thoughts? Are there any real obvious choices or take a pick from a number of options?

[FishyBuckSlayer]

If you are open to non-paint solutions. You might want to consider vinyl.

Check out www.cohodesign.net

Our boat was damaged recently and I think this is the direction we are going to go. I have gotten several PMs from folks recommending Brad's work. So far, I am very happy with his customer service. He has been very informative on the phone and in his shop. Both my wife and I are pleased with the early communication. Granted, he has not done any work for us yet.

Richard

[mitch]

Vinyl isn't a bad solution but I'm covering a lot of boat. It seems like paint is the way to go so I'm scouting around for first hand experiences with good quality paints. I'm sitting on the fence between using the PPG dealer down the street or spraying Awlgrip. I think vinyl would be a great option for details like name and numbers.

[jfa686]

if your gonna "scuff and shoot"...DuPont, PPG, BASF will do just fine..follow mfr's substrate prep tips to a T and mix ratios exactly. airflow in your spray area along with temperature play a big part in your success..the more air moving (for overspray)and the higher the ambient air temp the quicker the flash times..good luck and PLEASE post pics of your project.