Dinghy development: Refinishing foils

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Refinishing foils

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy development
Forum Discription: The latest moves in the dinghy market
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12903
Printed Date: 04 Jul 25 at 2:49am
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Topic: Refinishing foils

Posted By: 2547
Subject: Refinishing foils
Date Posted: 05 Nov 17 at 10:31pm

one woodend one grp.

Usually I’d rub down then spray them first undercoat/primer then top coat. Spray paint from Halfords.

Any better suggestions?

Replies:

Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 05 Nov 17 at 11:00pm

Spray from Halfords isn't the most durable of course. I tend to use a different colour every time So I know where I am rubbing down, but I'm quite happy with multicoloured foils. Few others are! With daggerboards you have to watch out you don't add extra thickness.

Posted By: 2547
Date Posted: 05 Nov 17 at 11:21pm

What paint do you recommend ?

Posted By: Oatsandbeans
Date Posted: 06 Nov 17 at 7:22am

I would do any major filling work with an epoxy filler. Take a bit of time to flat that back properly. Then go on with a high build primer/ surfacer. This ideally would be an epoxy ( SP Systems used to one called Hibuild, Awlgrip have one as well) it might be tricky to get a small pack retail nowadays so ask the local car paint supplier what he has. 2 pack epoxy ideal, but a 2K acrylic one would probably do OK. When applying this it doesn't matter what it looks like as most is coming back off. This primer surfacer is the key because when that is flatted back which should be easy as it sands well. ( at least 50% of it removed) you will have a perfect finish for a 2K top coat. For this an acrylic car paint will be fine.

Posted By: RS400atC
Date Posted: 06 Nov 17 at 8:06am

The GRP one, I'd fill the gelcoat with more gelcoat. Wet sand through the grades down to 2000 then Farecla to make it shiny.
The wooden one I'd fill with epoxy, coating any bare bits , then sand to perhaps 400 grit. Then paint it. When the paint is inevitably imperfect, let it harden some where warm for a while then wet sand and polish as above. A hard paint like international 2 pack is one option.

Posted By: Riv
Date Posted: 06 Nov 17 at 7:25pm

My Laser foils are showing the reinforcing rods bleeding through, did rub it all down well and use car primer and 5 top coats, but the rust always seems to come back. Any ideas?

Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 06 Nov 17 at 9:03pm

Find one of the original wooden sets of foils. Problem solved!

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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686

Posted By: PeterG
Date Posted: 06 Nov 17 at 10:22pm

Originally posted by Riv

My Laser foils are showing the reinforcing rods bleeding through, did rub it all down well and use car primer and 5 top coats, but the rust always seems to come back. Any ideas?

If it's just rust staining, which is usually is then ignore it

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Peter
Ex Cont 707
Ex Laser 189635
DY 59

Posted By: Daniel Holman
Date Posted: 06 Nov 17 at 10:43pm

If rust is returning then the coating is breaking down. Think there are special products for preparing and priming steel, but how reconcilable with finishing laser foils they are is debatable. dare say dry sanding and clean down with correct thinners, then good primer should be ok. Wet sanding one day and painting next probs is enough to allow corrosion

Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 07 Nov 17 at 7:31am

When the steel corrodes it causes pressure, presumably from taking up oxygen, have a look what rebar does to concrete, no surprise it can cause damage to plastic.

Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 07 Nov 17 at 2:25pm

Originally posted by Rupert

Find one of the original wooden sets of foils. Problem solved!

Except due to the quirks of the Laser class you can only use wooden foils on a boat that was originally supplied with wooden foils. You can use the latest foils too should you desire but if you boat didnt come with wooden foils from the builder it aint allowed....

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Paul
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D-Zero GBR 74

Posted By: Riv
Date Posted: 07 Nov 17 at 3:43pm

What I want is some aluminium foils like the Feva has for my laser. Would work fine

Posted By: RS400atC
Date Posted: 07 Nov 17 at 7:30pm

Originally posted by Riv

What I want is some aluminium foils like the Feva has for my laser. Would work fine

They'd corrode if you kept them in a Laser foilbag.Designed to keep your foils wet forever. No wonder the wires rust in the old ones and the gelcoat peels of the new ones.

Posted By: Riv
Date Posted: 08 Nov 17 at 7:06pm

Aluminium foils for the Laser must be a business opp for somebody. Rooster??? I've got 4 club Lasers that are all bleeding rust and would love some easy to maintain aluminium ones.