Primer And Paint

Hi Again more queries,

As I've been working hard at sanding my grandads old pilot boat to upgrade it i was wondering what paints you would advise using on it. I was thinking Halfords car spray paints and halford primer woudl this be okay to use on plywood with some remnants of paint on? 

or any other suggestions that you guys use?

Also I must get a picture up of it asap so you guys can have a before and after  

Ben.

Unless you know what the original paint was on the boat I would avoid using acrylic based paints ( spray cans)  as any remaining old paint will react with disaster. You can do a tester if unsure.

If you do get a reaction or want to avoid it completely for a paint restoration project only than you should paint with enamels (oil based). If your looking to get a high polished finish at the end using these types of paint it will be a waiting game of several months for it to fully harden.

I s it possible to use a paint stripper? either a chemical or a heat gun?  by removing all the paint them using a barrier coat you would be able to use any paint, to much sanding will damage the ply hull,

Mark

Roadrunner's bang on there.  If it's Grandad's boat (lovely jubbly) it will almost certainly be oil pant, a la household or something wonderful like Japlac.  Enamel will go over your current bits of paint.
If you have some spraying gear, you won't do better than self-etch. Sikkens is the best I know. Dries almost immediately allowing a very rapid build up, then enamel over the top. I have had enamels dry in an afternoon in this weather to three days if thinned enough for an airbrush with whiter spirit, but they have a lovely gloss and are tough as old boots. I use HMG from my local friendly auto body refinishing suppliers., but any would do. Some love Humbrol, but trust me, once you use HMG you'll never touch Humbrol again!  I've painted full sized canal boats and tiddly models with it. I also used it for all the chassis on a kit car and the front and rear bumpers on a fibreglass Reliant Fox 4 wheel van.  Marvellous stuff.  The boats had the pant put on with a fine roller and "laid off with a quality brush vertically and the gloss was superb.  
Halfords tins are OK on knew, known and identified substrates.  If in doubt, use enamel.

Jarvo,  I would never use chemical strippers as they get in the wood grain and cause problems later.

Cheers,
Martin