Pelican’s Perch Marina located in Pensacola, FL, contracted Industrial Painting Solutions Inc. to refurbish its 50-ton marine gantry crane.  Pelican’s Perch is one of Florida’s premier boat marinas in the panhandle.  It is no surprise, marinas are one of the most corrosive environments for steel.  The saltwater environment takes a toll on just about any substrate over time.  Even galvanized metals will succumb to corrosion if left unprotected.

Project Scope: The scope of work called for a pressure wash, spot blast, two-part epoxy marine primer, and a polyurethane topcoat.

Working at heights over the water is no easy task. Gusts of wind can carry paint and sand long distances and ruin cars and in this particular case, very expensive boats.  Companies have to be very mindful of wind direction. If conditions are not ideal, spraying should be postponed until conditions improve. This particular project was challenging due to a long 6 hour drive, rain and a very frigid cold front that passed through the area earlier in the week.  Applicators should also be mindful that Epoxy coatings should only be applied when ambient temperatures are above 50 degrees. On this particular project, temperatures were in the mid 40’s and painting could not commence until the afternoon when the sun was at its peak  Needless to say, there was a lot of standing around, waiting for the steel to heat up.

Protections are important on Gantry cranes. There is a myriad of wires, hoses, and plates that have to be taped off.  At heights, and with high winds, getting plastic to stick to the steel is anything but easy.  Luckily, the wind died down and we were able to get the protections in place and the first coat of primer applied.

Primer is very important in the marine sector. A high build epoxy primer should have a minimum of 70% solids to combat the harsh saltwater conditions.  The third step in the refurbishment scope is the polyurethane topcoat.  Most companies pick their company colors as a signature for their business. It’s personal and puts the final touch on a piece of equipment. Polyurethane coating is put on at 1-3 mils DFT and only offers UV protection against the sun.  If a topcoat is not applied, the primer will chalk after 6 months and a dull finish will stick out like a sore thumb.

Pelican’s Perch was very happy with the product and another successful job was completed by IPS.

If your company is in need of marine painting.   Call IPS for a free quote.