What do you guys suggest for clearcoating over West System on carbon and/or standard epoxy fiberglass?

Dang I just noticed I have been on this site for over 10 years.

Awlcraft 2000

Read this, 6th post down. link

Good link. Great info.

Dave,
I've used a water based product from System Three in the past, it's low tox and it brushes on easily. Throwaway foam brushes and lots of light coats work well.

http://www.systemthree.com/store/pc/WR-LPU-Topcoat-c29.htm

Bill

I have used IMRON, Spies Hecker, Awlgrip, and various water based clear coats on masts, rudders and dagger boards. All work well over paint however, all have the same problem over epoxy/carbon or epoxy/glass. They are all basically UV transparent. The UV breaks down the epoxy at the epoxy/clear coat bond and the clear coat peels off. How long this takes depends on where you live. Spies Hecker lasts 7 plus years in Sweden and 2-3 in Houston.


There are a couple of solutions, they are not perfect. You can cover it. There are UV absorbers available for clear coat. (Upside, they will add years to the life of the clear coat. Downside, they change the clear coat to something ranging from cloudy to translucent grey. ) You can regularly wax the surface with a UV absorbing wax. This looks great over clear coat wood and seems to protect the epoxy. The only wax that I have tried that really works is bees wax based Breewax. I am sure there are others but I will let someone else experiment.

Personally I have learned to like white. The white IMRON is about 60% nickel. I don’t even bother to cover the white IMRON painted surfaces.

I would probably just use a good urethane car clear coat. Might be cheaper and is very easy to repair or re-coat, sand, buff. The parts don't live in the water so that shouldn't be a problem.

If that's what you put on your beams of the DK , I wouldn't suggest it. Didn't hold up very well.

Catman beat ya to it.

Just did some Cplate panels using Awlgrip 545 CLEAR primer with Awlcraft clear over the top. They came out absolutely beautiful! I never knew Awlgrip made clear 545 until last year. The 545 gives a great surface to block sand smooth and flat and with the Awlcraft topcoat on top it looks like its about 1/4" thick. Definitely the best high build clearcoat solution I have found. Awlcraft clear has UV inhibitors in it.