I visited a Parker Paint store yesterday to obtain some additional
primer to spray on my house I inquired about the suitability their
various paint products for use on a drift boat. I think I hit a jackpot
as their outside commercial salesman was in the store. I first asked
about oil based enamel and his response was over time it dries out and
becomes rigid with the potential for cracking if the substrate moves or
flexes. He then got a twinkle in his eye and grabbed a chunk of ceramic
tile with a glossy black coating on half of it. He said here is the
product that you need. I tried scratching it off with a sharp knife, I
found I could but it wasn't easy.

It is an industrial version of automotive paint. To quote the literature "U-5000 is our premium two
component, low VOC, high performance water reducible, non-yellowing
aliphatic polyurethane coating. U-5000 is a high gloss UV, abrasion, and
chemical resistant, flexible urethane coating that can be used for
interior and exterior applications."

What does this mean to us, wooden drift boat builders?

1. High durability
2. Cleans up with water
3. Doesn't smell bad nor is it bad for you to breathe. (He opened a can of
Part One and it smelled much less than a can of latex paint) When Part
Two is added the odor is even less.
4. As it is a "polyurethane" it is flexible and can move with the substrate (hull).
5. It is not suitable for long term, (months) immersion on wood but works
well for occasional immersion of approximately a week or two.
6. Can be brushed, rolled or sprayed.
7. Can be applied to many surfaces, wood, metal, aluminum, galvanized metal without the need for primer.
8. It is available in clear, gloss, satin and matte, gloss white, tintable bases in gloss.
9. Only available in gallons for $100 or $25 a quart which seems to be a reasonable price to me.
10. He also said that the product allows moisture molecules to pass through
wood but keeps water molecules out, much like our Goretex waders.
11. He also stated that the product can be easily repainted if needed.
12. When I asked about the life span he said that if stored the majority of
time out of the sun it would last longer than I would.

So I will soon be buying some and applying it to my yet to be built drift boat as a test craft.

Comex Industrial Coatings makes the product and is available through Parker
Paint stores. Here is the URL for the Product Data Sheet: [www.comexindustrialcoatings.com]

If you review the sheet you can see the diversity of installations that
the product is used on. Many are in much harsher environments than we
use our drift boats in. It has been in use since 1996.

Rick Newman