Painting Radome?

[Serene]

I will be replacing my older Raymarine RD218 2kW radome at some stage in the future, but while it is off the boat during the refit I am doing, I am tempted to give it a tidy up with a coat of paint.

Have done some searches and all I can find is a statement that says, "don't use metallic based paint", but no real detail.

Has anybody painted their radome that can give me some advice?

 

[Comodave]

I have not painted a radome but most spray can paints would likely be ok. When I am painting plastic items on the boat I use Quantum 2 part polyurethane paint. I paint things like new loud hailer horns before I put them on the boat the first time. It stops them from turning yellow in the sun. It is expensive but yellow plastic things drives me nuts…

 

[Mako]

My neighbor in Lake Union (m/y Canim) painted his radar black. Nice looking! What you said about the metallic paints make sense though, but you have a lot to choose from. I repainted my entire Mercury outboard with gloss black spray paint from Rustoleum (Home Depot stuff) and it came out looking fantastic. Lots of prep went into it first of course.

 

[Serene]

Yes the white plastic radome is yellowing, chalky and the Raymarine stickers peeling off, so thought a touch-up was in order.

I don't want to go crazy with the effort as it will be replaced sometime next year and it will be painted white. I would be concerned black would make the electronics inside too hot and anyway black wouldn't suit my boat.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Mako]

@Serene, after you paint it (I assume) white, spend a few bucks at a sign shop and have some vinyl lettering with your boat's name printed up. Custom!

 

[DBG8492]

We painted all of ours in the Navy.

Just about any two-part epoxy should be good to go.

 

[Serene]

@Serene, after you paint it (I assume) white, spend a few bucks at a sign shop and have some vinyl lettering with your boat's name printed up. Custom!

Good idea. Didn't think of that. Was going to just leave it white with no graphics.

 

[Serene]

We painted all of ours in the Navy.

Just about any two-part epoxy should be good to go.

Got it. Thank you.

 

[Comodave]

Good idea. Didn't think of that. Was going to just leave it white with no graphics.

I have seen ones that are just all white and don’t think they look very good. I would either put the boat name or get new decals from the manufacturer.

 

[Serene]

Have bought the radar home today and will paint it over the holidays. Will post pics and an update when I get it done. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Serene]

Just coming back to this thread to close it out. I sanded both the radar and the TV antenna, sprayed them with a plastic primer and then three coats of white.

They are back on the boat now and instead of replacing the Raymarine logos, I added the vessel name.

The mast was also painted, along with the radar bracket being sand blasted and powder coated when the dinghy davits were done.

 

[Serene]

Here she is emerging from the shed on launch day. Still working on canvas replacement, cleaning the teak decks, filling some of the seams and polishing the stainless railings.

 

[DBG8492]

Wow - she looks awesome!

Congrats!

 

[Mambo42]

You did a great job, looks perfect.

 

[Mako]

So much nicer seeing your boat's name up there rather than advertising Raymarine. Great job!

 

[BruceK]

Underwater hull condition looks very good!

 

[Serene]

Underwater hull condition looks very good!

There were a few osmosis blisters that I had ground out, left to dry, then glassed and epoxy barrier coated.

I knew about them from the pre-purchase survey. There were only about five blisters the size of a 20c piece, but given I was out of the water for a few months, thought I would get them fixed.

 

[Dwk]

.

“They are back on the boat now and instead of replacing the Raymarine logos, I added the vessel name.”
Great idea to add vessels name,looks great!