Restoring a Classic Hatteras Sportfish – Prep, Prep, Prep, and Paint

When we first looked at this boat we knew that one of the main things it needed was paint. Both the smooth and non-skid surfaces of all decks needed to be freshened up. Luckily, the hull was painted in 2009 and was still in very good condition.

See the before photos below showing the condition of the decks when we first got the boat. All work was done at Bay Marine in Biloxi, MS.

As with any paint project, taking the time to adequately prep all surfaces is the key to having a quality finish once the job is complete. We removed all of the deck hardware (rod holders, cleats, chocks, hand rails, etc.), the coaming bolsters, hatches, and the step into the salon. Once everything was out of the way, the guys at Bay Marine filled and sanded smooth all of the chips, dents, and screw holes around the bulwarks and on the bow. They also sanded smooth all of the old non-skid.

Next, the project required A LOT of masking to protect areas of the boat we were not painting from overspray. Then, the decks were thoroughly washed to remove all dirt, dust, sand, etc.

Once the prep work was completed, priming and painting were ready to begin. Note that painting was completed in an open, sand covered yard, not in an enclosure or shed. The days had to be chosen carefully as windy or rainy days were a definite show stopper.

We used Awlgrip Awlcraft 2000 paint in the Hatteras off white color. Awlgrip Griptex was added to the paint to create the non skid surface. The painting was completed in two stages. Smooth surfaces were painted first followed by the non-skid areas. The flybridge deck was rolled on, but all other areas were sprayed.

The painting phase of this restoration was by far the longest. It was a ton of work amongst the hardware removal, fiberglass prep, masking, priming, painting, and then re-masking, priming, and painting once we moved from the smooth to the non-skid areas. On top of all the work required, there were numerous weather days or a weather week here and there that really extended the length of the project.

The guys at Bay Marine did an incredible job. If you’re on the gulf coast considering a similar project I would highly recommend them. The finished product looked like it had just come from the yard in New Bern, NC. See before/after photos below of how it turned out.

What began in February 2020 was not completed until the end of May 2020. Between weather delays and restrictions from Covid-19, we had quite a few delays. We were still able to access the yard even after it was forced to temporarily shut down. Given that there is always something to fix on a boat, we used that time to complete other items on our punch list.