77 graphics resto update

Well i figured i would post some pics of progress. I want to thank Pete and Tim for making me think twice about not doing the shadow. Very Very glad i did. I also have new Correct Craft emblems on the way from Stan. One little problem i ran into though is the Correct Craft "Since 1925" decals i ordered from Woody at the former Southeast Correct Craft are too small. The origional was 5" wide by 7" tall. Any ideas wher I can locate the larger ones?

Yes that black outline looks awesome and pete gives it the original thumbs up what a bonus.

The trolley boat stands are a piece of work as well.

Wow that came out great, you have any in progress pics? Did you spray the blue or brush?

Thanks for the complments. To clean up the gel coat i used On and Off to get rid of the water line stain (best $16 i've ever spent) and used a buffer with 3M marine rubbing compound followed up by the 3M finesse-it glaze. I used Rust-oleum Professional paint bought at Lowes. The blue (V7527 royal blue) was an exact, and i mean EXACT match. The black is gloss black same brand. Both were thined with Toluene eventhough the can says Acetone (Thanks for the tip Pete!). Sprayed the blue, than imediatly after while the paint was still wet, went back through with my $5 Harbor Freight air brush for the shadow. The black melted nicely into the blue. Than imediatly pulled the masking. Pulling the tape as soon as posible is key. The Rust-oleum paint is cheap and easy to work with and very foregiving and best of all...origional. I couldnt be more happy with the results. The biggest piece of advice i can give is take your time masking and use good fine-line tape.

Roym, yes that was how it was done. As far as tapeing, I used 18" wide masking paper that is made for traceing. It's sold at auto body supply shops and comes in different lengths. I bought two 25' rolls. After you do the fine line around the letters, put the tracing tape over the entire graphic and gently cut on the fine line tape and remove the tape from the letters. For the transom i just used the traceing paper and carefuly cut each letter by hand. If you take your time (and dont have too many beers) you will get excellent results.

No, the fine line stays. The tracing paper does stick. I used it to mask between the letters.
Originally I was going to lay the tracing paper down the entire side of the boat and cut out each letter with an exacto knife (that is how I did the letters on the transom) but I found it impossible to get it to lay flat down the side without wrinkeling because of the way the sides are curved. Plus cutting the large letters with an exacto is easier said than done. Once you have made the cut,that's it. As with the fine line,you can pull it back up if you need and try again and you have more control over your lines. So since I already had the tracing tape, rather than trying to fill in between each letter with regular masking tape or whatever, I used the 18" stuff. Plus it made for quicker removal.
Unfortunatly the pictures I posted came out alittle blurry. If they were more clear you might be able to see it. Its hard though because the paper is almost the same color as the hull.

ok tks, I think I know how its done now. I went and bought pretty much the same items and will play with it this week. The masking paper you used looks like white plastic wrap, but I guess it is not plastic.

What was the advantage of thinning with Toluene over using acetone?

quinner wrote: We mixed 5 differnet colors going front to back, fading one into the next bow to stern, it turned out really cool.

A psychedelic Nautique? Dude, That must have been a bitchn', far out, outta sight, tripped out, in the groove boat. Wow man what a trip!

Roym, toluene evaporates slower than acetone. Gives you more time to work with the paint. Check out a local autobody supply shop for that paper I think you will like it. I'm sure there are better ways but like I said, I had it so i figured I'd use it for something. If I did it again I would do the same thing. I think it worked out well.

Shine baby....Shine!

Wow. Amazing job, Jeff!

When I get my next 70's Nautique, Im having you do the lettering!

Jeff,

I have not been able to locate any pictures after the repaint. The last shade of Blue was almost identical to Alan's (81Nautique) boat, which was the only color used on the stern letters. Also removed the swim ladder and added a teak platform.

Pete,

It was not too psychedelic, used shades of blue mostly, of course today I would never think of such an "un-original" resto for fear of the wrath of Pete, LOL.

Here's a couple pic's of it, top one is Lake Candlewood, CT.

77 nautique wrote: Hey Tim, Thanks! I'm quite pleased. I may catch some flack over the rope rub rail. Definatly not origional but I think it complements the boat well. I'm hopeing to get my Correct Craft emblems from Stan today or tomorrow. Than the only other thing is to find the right size "since 1925" decal.

Jeff,
You must have missed my post right after you started the thread. I have the decals. Email me with contact info.

BTW, even though the rope rub rail isn't original, it doesn't look all that bad. All the rest of your great work makes up for it!!!!

Jeff,
It's pbrainard@wistool.com Sorry it didn't go through. I'm still asking $20 each and priority postage. Just get me you mailing address.