Nelson says that the top-of-the-line polyester-based paints last the longest due to some recent advancement in coatings technology. "Improvements in the base resins, UV filters and pigments allow the paint to last longer than ever before, and they also enhance ease of repair." You'll appreciate that ease of repair factor the first time a mate lumberjacks the new paint job with a gaff.
 
The type of paint you choose usually comes down to how much time you want to invest in the painting process, and often, the size of the boat. "You often see acrylic polyurethanes chosen for use on smaller boats," said Jim Seidel, assistant marketing manager for Interlux, "but all larger boats and yachts typically use polyester-based paints." 
 
Either way, the key to a great paint job lies in the preparation, and that's why professional expertise is so crucial. It pays to get the work done by someone who does it every day. Most paints can be applied with either a brush, a roller or via a spray gun, and the application process is critical. "Some people can do it themselves, but it all depends on your skill level," says Seidel. "If you know what you're doing, you won't be able to tell the difference between application methods in the finished product."
 
That conversation did bring up a funny story, though. Seidel said that many years ago, an enthusiastic customer service employee had reassured a potential customer that, "Our paints are so smooth, you could apply them with a broom!" This was merely a figure of speech, of course, but after the customer really did paint his boat using a broom — with the less-than-desirable results you might expect — only conventional brushes, rollers and spray guns were
recommended.

When choosing a paint, you have several criteria to consider. You'll want a paint that delivers high gloss and keeps that shine through resistance to wind, sun, salt water and abrasion. And, of course, you want one that requires the least amount of maintenance.  
 
And the biggest part of paint maintenance is waxing. Although experts disagree on the subject, most knowledgeable painters discourage the use of wax on painted hulls. "Traditional waxes are soft and melt in the heat of the sun," says Nelson. "This can trap dirt and other particles in the wax. Then, when you go to buff the hull, you can actually scratch the surface." 
 
High-quality polishes offer a better maintenance solution, and a new generation of polymer sealers is replacing traditional waxes. These sealers create a protective layer on your exposed hull surfaces, much like sunscreen on your skin. These sealers are especially useful in areas where water runs off a boat, leaving ugly, black streaks in its wake. After you apply the sealers, cleaning up those streaks becomes a breeze.
 
Traditional polyurethane paints contain quite a bit of chemicals that make the paints easier to apply. These same chemicals (mostly solvents) also make the paints hazardous to your health, providing another strong argument for professional application. The EPA classifies these as volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, and future EPA regulations will restrict VOC emissions even further, so most companies are heavily involved in R&D to create more eco-friendly paints.
 
"The high solvent levels make the paints flow better," says Halcomb, "but we're creating new paints that will work great with a much higher percentage of solids and much lower levels of solvents." 
 
"Just as boatbuilders have increasingly turned to epoxy resins to lower emissions and have installed systems to recapture pollutants like sanding dust and water runoff, we are designing new products that will undergo rigorous field trials for a long time before reaching the public," says Halcomb. "It's easy to create great stuff in the laboratory, but in the real world, it has to work equally well in California, Wisconsin, Maine and Florida — all very different environments. We do the research so we never have to ask our customers to be guinea pigs."
 
Paint manufacturers will formulate future paints using a high solids ratio of 65 to 70 percent, compared to the current solids ratio of 35 to 40 percent. Raising the level of solids substantially lowers the amount of VOCs in the paint. One published reference paper suggests that raising the percentage of solids from 20 to 40 percent lowers VOC emissions by 62 percent. 
 
The trick is coming up with a formula that delivers a low-emission product that is still easy to apply. "The goal is to produce a polyester-based urethane with low VOCs that works like an acrylic," says Halcomb. "That would be the ultimate." 
 
It's only a matter of time. The paints of tomorrow may soon offer the best of all worlds, with fast dry times, superior gloss retention, excellent durability and ease of repair. But they won't be able to solve the labor issue. There are only two ways around that one — either become intimately acquainted with sandpaper or break out your checkbook.
 

 
Paint Manufacturers

Alexseal Yacht Coatings (provided page two photo)
314-783-2110
www.alexseal.com
 
Awlgrip NA (provided page one photo)
888-355-3090
www.awlgrip.com

Interlux
800-468-7589
www.yachtpaint.com/usa

Pettit
800-221-4466
www.pettitpaint.com