Cabin Top and Hull Painting

[Stari27]

When I get back to Nova Scotia, I want to repaint the canvas top on the Fortuna, a 34' 1957 Richardson Sedan. It has one coat of white over the original green. There is some crazing of the white. I plan to sand and then paint. I have three questions I need help with before I head to West Maine. #1- I am wondering if there is anything whith which I can fill in the crazing so I don't have to try and sand down to the canvas. #2- What paint should I use? #3- on the side just below the helm window, the canvas has released from the wood below. It is in ove piece and could be glued back in place. With what should I glue it ?
As far as I can tell the above water hull has never been painter ( the boat was always in a boat house before I bought it. The paint is smooth but somewhat chalky. What are the recommendations of the august group asto what I should use to paint the hull after a light
sanding?
Lastly, The fortuna lives outside at the Cheboque Aquatic Club near Yarmouth NS. I had a pvc tarp custom made for her. It has 5 vents to allow for some circulation of air. This spring and summer have been little but rain and fog at Yarmouth. When I got there in June, I took off the tarp. I had left all the windows closed and there was a black mold film on much of the wood work. I plan to clean that off with an orange product my wife used on furniture. My question is- Should I leave the front hatch and rear salon window open (they are screened) over the winter to allow whatever air comes through the five vents access to the inside?
Thanks all,
PetrB

[Bob Cleek]

If you use a fairly thick paint on the canvas, it should fill the crazing. I use Rustoleum gloss for decks. It has a very good abrasion resistance and is comparable to the stuff with the boat on the can at three times the price. Use a good flexible sealant to glue down the canvas corner. Boatlife, Sikaflex, whatever.

Sand your topsides carefully so they are very smooth. Use a good quality primer if necessary (anything other than pure white showing will have to be covered with primer. Gloss will not cover well enough.) Use a good quality marine gloss enamel, such as Z Spar, Interlux or Kirby's.

Definitely allow as much air to get below as possible. A poly tarp doesn't breathe like Sunbrella or canvas-like material (and also doesn't last much at al.) You want to let the moisture flow out of the boat, not recirculate like a rot-friendly terrarium!

[pcford]

#1- I am wondering if there is anything whith which I can fill in the crazing so I don't have to try and sand down to the canvas. #2- What paint should I use? #3- on the side just below the helm window, the canvas has released from the wood below. It is in ove piece and could be glued back in place. With what should I glue it

I recently had good luck on bringing back a very dubious canvas house covering on a client's boat.
#1 Sand geebus out of canvas. Soft pad on a disc sander if you can, random orbit if you can't. Fill crazing with Z-spar #4 glazing putty. Repeat.
#2 Easypoxy or Brightsides if you like easy to use modern paints. Kirby's if you like old timey can labels.
3. Combination of monel or stainless staples, epoxy and fairing with #4. Worked great thought I was going to have to recanvas.

By the way, don't use Interlux sanding surfacer (#242?) on house canvas. Absorbs water vapor and will blister paint.

[Jay Greer]

The trick of painting canvas is to not allow much build up. Once the build up occurs, crazing is the natural result. Canvas coach roofs are the one place where oil based semi gloss house paint works best as it is designed to sluff off. I usually thin my own paint for canvas with turps just so that it is thin enough to soak in but not entirely fill the weave. Color, adequate protection and a non skid surface is what you are seeking here.
In the case of a "paint sick" coach roof, I would carefully strip with chemical remover and start over on the bare canvas with thin coats of house paint.
JG