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We are looking to get the cabin top of our cat wrapped. The boat builder we have used to repaint the topsides has suggested we give the idea a miss as his experience is that the wrap fairly quickly deteriorates and cracks (in the Queensland sun). I appreciate there are different quality wraps on the market.

 

It would work for us as to repaint the cabin top (paint in good condition but want to do something before I don't have any options left other than to repaint) as to repaint involves a fairly significant tenting or removal of the rig / shed hire. Also will allow us to go for a slightly different graphic look for the boat.

 

Thoughts on wrapping generally / quality of wrapping products welcome.

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I don't know enough to comment on the wrap itself, although I doubt Queensland Sun is any worse than NZ Sun. But the one comment I can make, is that what is beneath still needs to be good quality for the wrap to adhere too. So if the surface is bad now, you are still going to need to sand it and prime it to create a good durable surface.
We have a resident crew member that does this for a living, so you should get some great advice soon hopefully.

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Friends have their hull wrapped, and while it was easy to apply and looks good (although as noted above the condition of what's underneath affects this), it's not as durable as paint and does get damaged reasonably easily. I would think if it were somewhere that you walk on it wouldn't last. Would also potentially be very slippery?

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Thanks guys

 

Paint is in good condition - though starting to dull and getting thin where cut and polished a few times.

 

We wont typically walk where the wrap is - so hopefully slipperiness not an issue.

 

The horizontal warranty comment is interesting - will have to check that.

 

 

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My boat has a new professional roll / tip finish. The painter had just moved to a new shed, they got in trouble after the first boat they sprayed as the shed didn’t have the correct air filtration. My boat was out of the water with the mast out ready to go in the shed. Rather than wait, they roll and tipped, with sanding between each coat. Must have added a. Sh1t load of labour to it. Fortunately they had quoted and stuck to their original price.

 

The outcome you wouldn’t know wasn’t sprayed, looks just the same.

 

Don’t pick an option based on it being cheap would be my advise though. To hand paint and get a great finish, you need good rollers, good brushes, good paint, the right thinners and plenty of time. There’s no cutting corners. To do a good wrap, you need to do much of the same prep, just like paint, the wrap won’t be better or last longer than what ever is under it. I’ve seen a few boats get wrapped thinking it just solved their issue of poor hull condition. Didn’t work out so well.

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From what I have seen with a few alloy fizz boats. the wrap looks nice  when first fitted but over time anchor chips away at wrap or fender slips when berthing,a small tear arrives which lets a bit of moisture in and eventually have a black dot where wrap has punctured.

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Rolling and tipping can definitely rival a spray job, you need to have good paint and the right amount of reducer plus technique. Years ago a mate of mine rolled a boat with interspray and it came up absolutely mint, and that was before the "brushable" paints were around. Its done a lot in europe in areas where spraying is verboten but you need a few practice runs and youtube instruction.

 

You dont get anything for nothing, wraps may be perfect for you but dont kid yourself that it wont fade and it also needs to be replaced at the useby date unless you like spending your week with peeling of 2 inch bits :)

 

Hmm, -  reminds me of a stainless steel tank that was supplied to a project in australia. The stainless sheet was supplied with a wrap to protect the surface. The fabricators removed strips to weld the strakes together as is standard practice. The project suffered delays and delays and the tank sat outside in the weather. Finally it was installed and people started trying to remove the wrap. Too late it had stuck firmely and degraded. Never mind 2 inch strips, that would have been doable. Picture instead, confetti stuck on with superglue! Many have tried with many solvents and scrapers, but half the tank is still carrying immoveable plastic wrap!

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