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If your boat is looking a bit worse for wear and you want to put some new life on your old sail or motorboat, then chances are you’re going to be using Awlgrip paint to do it.
Awlgrip paint is a super-tough polyester-based paint that is used for topside paint, which is any painting that’s done above your boat’s waterline.
Read Next: The Top Best Durable Paints for Boat Interiors
Awlgrip paint has made it to the top by being easy to apply, easy to clean, incredibly tough, and thanks to its quick curing, it’s a set it and forget it type of paint.
It can be applied by brush or roller. But for our money, the best way to get your boat looking ship-shape is to use a spray gun to apply Awlgrip evenly and quickly.
Our Top Picks
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Fuji 2202 Semi-Pro 2 HVLP Spray System |
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DeVilbiss 802342 Starting Line HVLP |
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Wagner FLEXio 3000 Electric Handheld HVLP |
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20 Oz. HVLP Gravity Feed Air |
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Devilbiss Spray Gun Suction |
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If you’re new to spray gun paint application, don’t worry. We’re about to give you our top 5 choices for spray guns that will make applying Awlgrip to your boat easier and leave your boat looking great.
Best Overall: Fuji 2202 Semi-Pro 2 HVLP Spray System
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This is a powerhouse of a DIY spray gun. This spray gun comes with everything you need to get to work quickly, making your boat look bright and shiny. It holds one quart of paint and has 25 feet of hose to make sure you can get everywhere you need.
The Fuji also comes with the highly-rated M-Model Spray gun, which has some special non-bleed and spray-control elements that will allow you to change the spray pattern from 1-inch to 12-inches easily.
It’s not cheap, but it has everything you need to get right to work and is a powerful adaptive tool that will let amateurs do great work.
DeVilbiss 802342 Starting Line HVLP Gravity Spray Gun Kit
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It’s important to note that this kit is just a spray gun. Unlike the Fuji we just wrote about, this kit doesn’t come with a turbine. You’ll have to buy that separately.
What you are getting with this great set is two sprayers that allow you to spray in different patterns, along with two paint holders for large and smaller jobs.
You’re also getting a pressure indicator that will be vital once you get it hooked up to a compressor. You’re also getting a nice set of cleaning tools to use before and after use to keep any paint from clogging up the system.
It’s significantly cheaper than the Fuji, but that’s because there’s no turbine included. Keep that in mind if this is the sprayer you choose.
Best Value: Wagner FLEXio 3000 Electric Handheld HVLP Paint Sprayer
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The Wagner is a fully self-contained spray system that, while small, packs quite a punch. For the money, it’s hard to find a better spray gun that will make your boat look great.
Unlike our other choices, the Wagner is electric and doesn’t need a turbine to push the spray out of the hose. Just plug it in, drop the paint in the container, and you’re ready to go to work.
It has a power dial that allows you to manage the amount of paint being pushed out of the nozzle as well as the spray pattern.
It doesn’t hold quite as much paint as some of our other options but enough to cover about a 10 by 12-foot wall. And best of all, it’s pretty darn cheap for a full system.
20 Oz. HVLP Gravity Feed Air Spray Gun
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This is a bare-bones option in case you have a lot of other equipment and just want a spray gun. You’ll have to get a turbine and a hose, but this gravity-fed sprayer can handle Awlgrip paint without a problem.
The nozzle is adjustable, so you’ll be able to control the paint flow easily.
Its main selling point is its price. It’s incredibly cheap, especially if you have all the other equipment you need.
Devilbiss Suction Spray Gun
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Another spray gun that will keep things on the cheap side, especially if you already have all your other painting equipment. While the Devilbiss is primarily used for car painting, it can also handle Awlgrip paint just fine, so if you want to use it on your boat, it’ll work for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
We know we’ve given you a few options to choose from, but you might have a few standing questions. So here are the ones we hear most often, so we hope this helps.
Can you use Fuji 2202 with Oil Based Paints?
Absolutely yes. Oil-based paints work great with the Fuji 2202.
Can You Paint a Car with the Fuji Semi-Pro 2?
Yes, you can. This sprayer will work just as well on cars as it does on boats and walls. Most Fuji products come with a smaller paint cap that will handle automotive paint with no problem.
Is the Wagner FLEXio 3000 Airless?
Yes, it is. The Wagner uses electricity to push the paint out of the nozzle, so there’s no need for a turbine and air hose to make this great little spray gun work.
Can you Spray Polyurethane With a Wagner Sprayer?
As a general rule, you should have different sprayers for your different water, oil, and shellac-based products. If your paint and Polyurethane are both water-based, then you’re good to go, but if not, you’ll need different sprayers.
What is the Best HVLP Sprayer for the Money?
As we noted above, the Wagner FLEXio is the best value for the money because it’s an electric sprayer and doesn’t need a turbine and accompanying air hose to get it to work. It doesn’t hold as much paint as some of the others or have quite as much power, but it’s a great option for the money.
Doing It Yourself Isn’t That Hard
We hope that we’ve given you enough advice and enough options to convince you to give personal boat painting a try.
It may seem like a huge project, but with the right tools and a bit of patience, you can end up saving all kinds of money by doing the paint job yourself.
Give it a try, and we think you’ll be surprised at how handy you can be.
