Naked 1981?

[surroundsound64]

RE: naked 81

The graphics aren't staying on there.... the paint is in pretty bad shape. You can't tell so much in the pictures, but it's really faded and discolored.

I was/am just trying to decide whether to re-do it like the origional. I don't think I'm going to use paint though. I'll probably have a shop make some decals like the origional, that'd be a lot easier than painting I think. Unless anyone has any suggestions as to why I should repaint it instead.

[Hollywood]

Re: RE: naked 81

I'll probably have a shop make some decals like the origional, that'd be a lot easier than painting I think. Unless anyone has any suggestions as to why I should repaint it instead.

Umm, how about if one spot of the decal get's damaged? Replace the entire thing? Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the current graphic wrap around the entire boat, making it a continuous ~40'? Would sectioning it lead to peeling? Just some initial concerns...

[Nates78Ski]

RE: Re: RE: naked 81

We had decals made for my '78 when we restored it 2 years ago, the sides printed off in one continuous sheet, but when he put them on he sectioned them, no peeling, and they look great. And as far as damaging them... i dunno I kinda baby it anyways, and i know how to dock it, and no booze cruises on it, because i dont need to be filling in any "beer chips" on the keel, we just takeout my dad's Hurricane deck boat, but I personally would say go with Decals, i don't know why everyone's saying only paint them on. If you knick your decals alot, i'd say paint em, but if not, i'd say decal. My .02...

Nate

[82tique]

my '82 was nude for a while......as you can see I never could get rid of the 'ghost' outline from the old painted graphics, so I repainted the stripe and had a local sign shop reproduce the lettering.

[surroundsound64]

Re: RE: naked 81

I'll probably have a shop make some decals like the origional, that'd be a lot easier than painting I think. Unless anyone has any suggestions as to why I should repaint it instead.

Umm, how about if one spot of the decal get's damaged? Replace the entire thing? Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the current graphic wrap around the entire boat, making it a continuous ~40'? Would sectioning it lead to peeling? Just some initial concerns...

That has gone through my mind, it does wrap around. It would have to be sectioned. Apparently it worked for Nate.
I'm sure a lot of it probably has to do with how good the decal shop is.

[81nautique]

RE: Re: RE: naked 81

Please take this as tongue in check but...

Larry, You're killing me man. One weekend of work, spray it and you're good to go. I couldn't imagine leaving it bare. You've got a pretty rare boat in the 20XX version plus I think you've got a chevy engine right, even more desirable. Stop dinking around and do it right.

[surroundsound64]

RE: Re: RE: naked 81

haha! There you are Alan! I forgot you were on here!

Ya, I'm conviced after seeing some pictures that it needs to have the graphics on it. Did you put any sort of primer on it before you painted it? I remember saying you sanded it to 1500 or something then put a compound on it. Surely it has to have something to make the paint stick, right?

[Quinner]

RE: Re: RE: naked 81

Larry,

You have a great boat there, do it right, re-paint the stripes, don't put stickers on it.
If keeping it original is not a concern you can also be creative with the paint in ways that may not be possible with stickers, any color you want, fade or change colors horizontally or vertically, add some silver flake, etc, lot's of options.

[Andrew]

RE: naked 81

i like the clean look personally, but i'd probably put some kinda small decal towards the rear. kinda like squamforces
of course, i've never been a fan of original so......

[surroundsound64]

RE: naked 81

I've thought about that too Quinner. I really like the way 882001 redid his. I think it looks sweet.
http://www.planetnautique.com/index....pic&t=7045

I also like the flat black all over the 2001. There were some other pictures posted somewhere, I think on CCfan of it.
http://www.planetnautique.com/index....pic&t=7045

Just more ideas.

You guys are starting to talk me into repainting it like the origional... hehe.

______edit
Found it. http://www.planetnautique.com/index....pic&t=6937

[81nautique]

RE: naked 81

Larry, I don't have a lot to add when it comes to the new boats so I just hang around and try to learn what I can.

As far as painting, we wet sanded to 1200, then compounded the entire boat with a 3M compound(I forget which one but it is courser than the finese). Then brought to my buddies body shop and they wiped it down with Acetone. I taped it off and they sprayed the color, after the color we removed the lettering mask and sprayed a clear over the entire stripe. baked it for an hour in the booth. I then wet sanded the clear with 1500 and buffed the entire boat again with Finese this time. It has only had one season but is holding up perfectly with no issues.

One thing that happened that we didn't plan for was the color match, I picked the color while the boat was in the booth under very good lighting. I matched the light blue color of the interior since that was the original stripe color. We used a paint with a metalic base and when we backed the boat out into normal light you'd swear we used the wrong blue. without sunlight on it it goes Navy blue and matches the dark blue interior stripe, with the sun it looks like the bright blue. You can see in the photos the paint on the rear deck looks lighter than the paint on the sides but it is the same. It took a little while to grow on me and I almost repainted it because my goal was original but once I put the boat in the water and saw what the sunlight does to it I was very pleased. The color can be different from one end of the boat to the other and really makes the boat pop on the water. Good luck whatever you deciide to do

[Hollywood]

RE: naked 81

Larry, if you saw Alan's boat in person I'm fairly certain you'd repaint it with the original graphic look. He's got one of the best looking boats I've ever seen.

[TRBenj]

RE: naked 81

Very interesting Alan- I always assumed the color on the deck was lighter than the stripes. With the metallic in it, I can see how it changes- it must look terrific in person. Ive only seen pics and it may be the prettiest boat Ive ever seen.

Larry, they only used that paint scheme for 2 years, and its one of the best on any CC. Alan has already done all the hard work creating the paint mask- you'd be crazy not to take advantage of it. If it were me, Id consider a different color but would certainly keep the stock graphics. Is your boat red or brown?

[surroundsound64]

RE: naked 81

I think I'm pretty well convinced to redo it like origional. Thanks guys! And especially Alan! I'll probably have a lot more questions when I do it.. hopefully around the first part of the summer when I get a break from classes.

TRBenj, it's brown.

[M3Fan]

RE: naked 81

I also think the 80/81 stripes are some of the best they ever had. Alan's boat is outstanding in person.