NEW MALIBU are PAINTED over or have the color in the GELCOAT??

[wilhelmwake]

I would really like to know whether the MAlibu's are being painted or is the color set in the gelcoat??

If boats are painted doesn't a Black boat start peeling if one drives it to shore (eg. sandy beach ), sand peels the pant off??

Just curious since am waiting for my new VLX

[BuFootin]

the color is set in the gelcoat....it's not painted over

[wilhelmwake]

Once the mold has been prepared, the first step in producing a Malibu is a 10-step in-the-mold gel coat process. Each boat is painted with a resin-based paint called gel coat, which creates a chemical cross-link to fiberglass — permanently bonding the gel coat to the boat. Malibu gel coaters have over 20 years of experience and are some of the most respected artists in the marine industry. Tapelines are applied by hand and hundreds of different color combinations are used to create each unique Malibu. Malibu uses specially formulated materials applied in a temperature controlled environment. Every custom color is specially blended to create the most beautiful and durable boats on the water. Even though ISO Resins are more expensive, they are best in terms of chemical and moisture retention, impact resistance, toughness and flexibility. Malibu finishes their industry leading process by applying a final Armor Guard vinyl ester black barrier coat to enhance colors and resist print through from the hand laid fiberglass.

the above is what is said in the factory tour of the malibu website. It suggests that the color is definetely set in the gelcoat. the malibu factory article suggests they are painted that is why I started the topic

[vlxjeff]

Once the mold has been prepared, the first step in producing a Malibu is a 10-step in-the-mold gel coat process. Each boat is painted with a resin-based paint called gel coat, which creates a chemical cross-link to fiberglass — permanently bonding the gel coat to the boat. Malibu gel coaters have over 20 years of experience and are some of the most respected artists in the marine industry. Tapelines are applied by hand and hundreds of different color combinations are used to create each unique Malibu. Malibu uses specially formulated materials applied in a temperature controlled environment. Every custom color is specially blended to create the most beautiful and durable boats on the water. Even though ISO Resins are more expensive, they are best in terms of chemical and moisture retention, impact resistance, toughness and flexibility. Malibu finishes their industry leading process by applying a final Armor Guard vinyl ester black barrier coat to enhance colors and resist print through from the hand laid fiberglass.

the above is what is said in the factory tour of the malibu website. It suggests that the color is definetely set in the gelcoat. the malibu factory article suggests they are painted that is why I started the topic

The colored gel coat is sprayed to the inside of the mold. After the gel coat is sprayed, the fiberglass layers are laid down on to of the gel coat. The everything is pulled from the mold and there you have the hull.

This was a really basic explanation. But no, no painting is done after the hull has been pulled from the mold.

[Madmanacrossthewater]

Schedule a plant tour, and see it while it's being built!

[Lance B. Johnson]

I would suggest that the source of this misinformation is a newspaper reporter that doesn't know the difference between gelcoat and paint

[Pistol Pete]

I would suggest that the source of this misinformation is a newspaper reporter that doesn't know the difference between gelcoat and paint

Yes,

And a little humor on my part in the other thread.

[Bill_AirJunky]

I've never seen in person the layup of glass & gelcoat in the mold when the hull is manufactured, but there are a ton of pics of the process on this forum & others.

I have seen fiberglass being repaired. And the spraying of gelcoat over the repair (looks a LOTLOTLOT like painting)... most recently on my own boat. The previous owner had a mishap with a houseboat & the dealer neglected to tell me anything about it before I drove over to buy the boat. A buddy of mine went over & looked the boat over & took some pics of it. There were some gouges that were several inches long & maybe 1/16" or more deep. Bad enough I wanted them repaired before I bought the boat. The repair was made by filling the gouge, sanding it smooth & spraying gelcoat over the top. The end result is not visible under any condition by myself or anyone else I've shown it to. But that process might lead others to think that is similar to how the hull was manufactured in the beginning.

[WakeGirl]

Once the mold has been prepared, the first step in producing a Malibu is a 10-step in-the-mold gel coat process. Each boat is painted with a resin-based paint called gel coat, which creates a chemical cross-link to fiberglass — permanently bonding the gel coat to the boat. Malibu gel coaters have over 20 years of experience and are some of the most respected artists in the marine industry. Tapelines are applied by hand and hundreds of different color combinations are used to create each unique Malibu. Malibu uses specially formulated materials applied in a temperature controlled environment. Every custom color is specially blended to create the most beautiful and durable boats on the water. Even though ISO Resins are more expensive, they are best in terms of chemical and moisture retention, impact resistance, toughness and flexibility. Malibu finishes their industry leading process by applying a final Armor Guard vinyl ester black barrier coat to enhance colors and resist print through from the hand laid fiberglass.

the above is what is said in the factory tour of the malibu website. It suggests that the color is definetely set in the gelcoat. the malibu factory article suggests they are painted that is why I started the topic

I think that they use the term "paint" universally & don't really understand the difference.

I would suggest that the source of this misinformation is a newspaper reporter that doesn't know the difference between gelcoat and paint

Exactly.

I've never seen in person the layup of glass & gelcoat in the mold when the hull is manufactured, but there are a ton of pics of the process on this forum & others.

I have seen fiberglass being repaired. And the spraying of gelcoat over the repair (looks a LOTLOTLOT like painting)... most recently on my own boat. The previous owner had a mishap with a houseboat & the dealer neglected to tell me anything about it before I drove over to buy the boat. A buddy of mine went over & looked the boat over & took some pics of it. There were some gouges that were several inches long & maybe 1/16" or more deep. Bad enough I wanted them repaired before I bought the boat. The repair was made by filling the gouge, sanding it smooth & spraying gelcoat over the top. The end result is not visible under any condition by myself or anyone else I've shown it to. But that process might lead others to think that is similar to how the hull was manufactured in the beginning.

It does look a lot like painting because of the nature of repair, there is no way of doing the process from the outside in the way that Jeff describes it being done at the factory. The difference is that they probably oversprayed it, covered/sealed it so that it could cure (something that paint doesn't require) & then sanded & polished it out. I've seen it done at the factory too & it's a remarkable process.

The other visual difference is that the gel when sprayed on is much, much thicker than paint. Anyone who knows anything about paint vs. gel would more than likely be able to tell the difference on a finished boat if it were paint. The 2 feel really different.

[VinRLX]

Is it Halloween? Or just WINTER?! I think the reporter from the other thread needs to check his work for accuracy. . .

[1FootDan]

Here is a video of how Sanger does it. I know it's not Malibu, but it can give you an idea of how it works. I learned how they did the graphics. I had always thought they were srayed on first, but they are masked and sprayed on last.

Link to Sanger Factory Tour "Gelcoat" section

[wilhelmwake]

Thanks guys for clearing this up for me and hopefully the others who were mislead by the article

[bubu]

Two years ago on trip out to Cal. We took a trip to the Malibu factory for a tour. Very impressive to say the least. I could not believe that the lines were taped onto the mold by hand. Those guys were so fast and good it just blew me away. If you can try to go visit the factory while you bu is being built. We are going to visit when they are building our new bu in may. Can't wait !!

[WakeGirl]

Two years ago on trip out to Cal. We took a trip to the Malibu factory for a tour. Very impressive to say the least. I could not believe that the lines were taped onto the mold by hand. Those guys were so fast and good it just blew me away. If you can try to go visit the factory while you bu is being built. We are going to visit when they are building our new bu in may. Can't wait !!

To this day, that's the part of the entire process that I find so completely remarkable.