‘04 330 EXPRESS WRAP

Automated14

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Spent an entire day removing stripes, lettering , etc. Not many colors available “due to Covid” which I’m getting tired of. Anyway, here it is. Avery Dennison matte metallic gunmetal. I still have to put in new vents and lettering. I also found the rear splashwell scuppers in stainless. The stripe is not going back on.
Cheers! -Kevin.
 

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loubeer

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Overall, I like the look and the color. Question - how's it going to hold up? It seems to me that the force of water on the lower edges (especially at the bow) would eventually lead to the separation of the wrap from the hull???
 

Automated14

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Overall, I like the look and the color. Question - how's it going to hold up? It seems to me that the force of water on the lower edges (especially at the bow) would eventually lead to the separation of the wrap from the hull???
Good question. Besides the adhesive that comes on the wrap, they apply an additional sealer on all the edges- the entire water line and the seam at the bow. I still have to put a bead of silicone under where it butts up against the rub rail. The installer says he has done over 40 boats and hasn’t had one lift.

It’s definitely not as durable as gel coat or paint but the cost was extremely reasonable. I’m on Long Island where everything is expensive and I doubt I could have this boat painted for less than 15k-20k. The wrap was $3800 out the door. The installer said realistically I should get 5-7 years out of it. In a few years I can either get another wrap or paint. One thing to consider is I can remove it and have my factory look back if I choose.

got my all chrome Grady letters today. Can’t wait to see them really pop against the dark hull. Should I do the bilge vents above the letters in black so the letters stand out more or do the vents in chrome?
 

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nuclear

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Why didn't they cover that one section at the bow just above the bottom paint? Looks a little weird with that part not done.

I know a lot of people do this in the Southern states but they are usually on lifts, will this clean up easily at the end of the season?
 

Automated14

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Why didn't they cover that one section at the bow just above the bottom paint? Looks a little weird with that part not done.

I know a lot of people do this in the Southern states but they are usually on lifts, will this clean up easily at the end of the season?
I don't think it's a region/boat lift thing. Grady White does it this way on factory gelcoat or painted hulls that I looked at before I embarked on this project. New 330's with colored hulls leave that spot white/off white. It's done both ways depending on manufacturer from what I can tell. There is a Parker and a Sailfish in my marina where the entire hull is colored but some big ass CC that's not a Grady and is just like mine. My friend's Robalo same way as mine too.

As for how it cleans up? You will know when I do but it is vinyl which means wipe down/clean but no compounding and waxing which is one more thing I don't have to pay someone to do yearly now.
 

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Fishtales

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Looks great. Nice color and will be unique on the water.
 

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Really sharp !!
 

family affair

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"Should I do the bilge vents above the letters in black so the letters stand out more or do the vents in chrome?"

Black
 

Automated14

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These are the old cracked vents I quicky painted.
 

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Legend

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Was the lower white bow section left original by choice or was it the only way the wrap could be applied. Like the color, looks sharp!
 

Automated14

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Was the lower white bow section left original by choice or was it the only way the wrap could be applied. Like the color, looks sharp!
Yes, trying to duplicate what Grady white does with new boats. See pics above
 

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Looks nice, One comment though, a few tears ago we were offshore in a patchy foggy situation and kept getting a contact on radar that we initially couldn’t see until we realized it was a grey hull against the grey fog bank. Just something to be aware of if you find yourself in those conditions, you might not been easily seen by others who are in expecting white or bright hulls.
 

Automated14

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Thanks - I never noticed that on the colored
Looks nice, One comment though, a few tears ago we were offshore in a patchy foggy situation and kept getting a contact on radar that we initially couldn’t see until we realized it was a grey hull against the grey fog bank. Just something to be aware of if you find yourself in those conditions, you might not been easily seen by others who are in expecting white or bright hulls.
 

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Looks great - hopefully getting my 330 back from paint (stars and stripes blue) next week. I'll be about double what you've got in the wrap, but I'm lucky in that boat painting is one of those rare things that's still affordable here in South Florida.

I'm also struggling with the vents. I'm having some regrets that I didn't just paint them hull color, I tried spraying them bright aluminum but looks cheesy off the boat. They don't make the plastic-chromed ones anymore. Grady has actual stainless replacements for $600 (!!) which is a bit much.

In your case I might just spray with a dark grey spray paint and call it a day.

PS: How do your thru-hulls look so good?? Mine were shot.
 

Automated14

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Looks great - hopefully getting my 330 back from paint (stars and stripes blue) next week. I'll be about double what you've got in the wrap, but I'm lucky in that boat painting is one of those rare things that's still affordable here in South Florida.

I'm also struggling with the vents. I'm having some regrets that I didn't just paint them hull color, I tried spraying them bright aluminum but looks cheesy off the boat. They don't make the plastic-chromed ones anymore. Grady has actual stainless replacements for $600 (!!) which is a bit much.

In your case I might just spray with a dark grey spray paint and call it a day.

PS: How do your thru-hulls look so good?? Mine were shot.
I couldn’t find them in stainless at all. Now that you posted about the Grady price for them, I’m glad I didn’t! Jesus ! 600 bucks? I’m not a cheap F but come on! lol.
I just got done painting mine with chrome paint and it’s acceptable from 5 feet away. They make them in stainless for other brands in our size but the style is different and look very dated to me.

And… my through hulls look like poo. Pitted with green spots. Funny, I’m seeing what you see in the pics and it makes them look really good ha ha. I’m toying with trying to find some kind of trim ring to fasten over them or maybe sanding to brass and clearing them. Gonna try some metal polish first. It won’t remove the pitting but may at least get rid of the green spots
 
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Flot

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I couldn’t find them in stainless at all. Now that you posted about the Grady price for them, I’m glad I didn’t! Jesus ! 600 bucks? I’m not a cheap F but come on! lol.
I just got done painting mine with chrome paint and it’s acceptable from 5 feet away. They make them in stainless for other brands in our size but the style is different and look very dated to me.

And… my through hulls look like poo. Pitted with green spots. Funny, I’m seeing what you see in the pics and it makes them look really good ha ha. I’m toying with trying to find some kind of trim ring to fasten over them or maybe sanding to brass and clearing them. Gonna try some metal polish first. It won’t remove the pitting but may at least get rid of the green spots

The "new" grady vents are actual stainless, from some custom fabrication company. But yeah. I'm with you on the price. Not that they aren't fine pieces of trim - but way too expensive considering what they do.

My thru-hulls were pretty bad as well, major pitting and brass showing through. Paint shop offered to just spray them hull color but I've seen how that turns out and always thought it was a sign of a lousy paint job. I ended up replacing all of them, which did include cutting a hole in the side of the boat for the generator exhaust and starboard deck drains. I tried a number of other halfassed options but once the chrome is gone, it's gone. Brass might look pretty good against that hull color, if I were doing it again I'd definitely consider that but I also suspect brass would be constant maintenance. Replacing all the thru hulls was a bit of a nightmare, but fingers crossed it'll look worth it in the end.
 

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Why didn't they cover that one section at the bow just above the bottom paint? Looks a little weird with that part not done.

I know a lot of people do this in the Southern states but they are usually on lifts, will this clean up easily at the end of the season?
The two tone look is nice if the boat is lift kept and no bottom paint is intended. I agree that it’s a little odd IMO when the bottom gets painted and you have a white gap (teeth) if you will.

I like the color and would fill the gap then do a nice light boot stripe to make it really “Pop”