HAINES HUNTER PROJECT BOAT (PT 6): A 445R runabout conversion to a centre console

After returning with a completed boat rebuild from the shipwright, the next stage of the Haines Hunter 445’s transformation was installing a hull wrap. This would have a major impact on the look of my boat and the facelift was really quite remarkable.

The idea of a hull wrap was one of the earliest considerations I had when starting the project boat. The existing blue hull was tired and it just had to be changed.

The option of a hull respray would add a lot of cost that I didn’t want to fork out. I was quoted anything from $3500-$6000 with non-costed variables in the mix.

Seeing as the hull was in good condition, it was a reasonable candidate for a wrap, so I decided to research and evaluate that further. But there’s more to wraps than meets the eye.

WRAP TRENDS
Wraps are becoming more popular and not just on second-hand boats looking to get an instant facelift. New boats are getting wraps straight off the production line. Owners can create a specific design or style to personalise their boat and create a point of difference.

I contacted Form-A-Sign locally in Melbourne in June (2017). All I needed was to send them the dimensions of the boat and anything I wanted added such as a registration number or a name.

I could choose from one of their designs or send them one of my own. They return a proof image of what the wrap will look like on your hull and make any changes from there.

They had a design that was entirely new to their line up and it was in the Mercury Marine colours, which meant the boat’s wrap profile matched the Mercury outboard and it all tied in.

The colours and the image in the final proof was what sealed it for me and we went from there. The proof was imposed against an actual 445 hull image to give me a good idea of what the finished product would look like.

Initially there was a predominantly black colour profile, but we inverted this changing it to predominantly white. The boat was booked in and, after remounting the outboard, the wrap was applied.

APPLYING THE WRAP
My hull was dropped off and picked up less than 48hrs' later. The hull was first professionally cleaned and then prepared with 3M Primer 94 Edge sealer to maximise adhesion of the wrap.

My hull was quite dirty, as the new top deck had resin runs down various sections of the join in the hull and the guys meticulously cleaned it away and got up inside the under section of the gunwale rubber to maximise the wrap adhesion.

The hull came back to a clean bright blue.

QUALITY WRAPS
A quality wrap needs to last in the marine environment. By using 3M edge sealers, we could allay concerns about the edges peeling in heavy waves and the power of salt or fresh water whooshing past.

This wrap consists of 3M 180MC with 3M 8518 over laminate. While the supplier uses 3M Gold certified and trained wrap installers, DIYers reading this can do the wrap themselves if confident.

Kits are provided with all that the gear and instructions.

An important consideration for me was to establish the longevity of the wrap. I have been advised that it won’t noticeably fade due to UVs and I should get 5-7 years, with good maintenance and the right cleaning. Time will tell.

WRAP ADVANTAGES
A big advantage boat owners realise with wraps is that their rig is easier to clean, saving time at the end of a day out. As the 3M laminate has such a high gloss finish (you can see your own reflection), salt, fishing and bait residue seems to slide right off.

A light soap-and-water wash using a soft cloth and a hose off is all it needs (don’t let the soap dry on the wrap). For heavier cleaning and polishing something like Plexus plastic cleaner, which many of us use on our clears, brings the surface back like new. A squid session will put this to the test!

A wrap will also protect the hull by acting as an additional layer of protection if incidents like small scrapes happen at either the boat ramp, on the road, or at home.

If significant damage is done impacting the wrap, then the digital designs can be re-printed and a patch replacement can address that part of the hull.

WRAP COSTS
To give an idea, the cost of this wrap on the Haines Hunter 445 was $1995 for this hull size and, as an added bonus, by ordering before end of the financial year, a wrapped esky mirroring the boat’s image was thrown in. Cheers!

I you decide to go with a wrap, my advice is to do your research and to ensure the supplier has genuine quality materials. Look to see what they have done on other similar boats, and seek out genuine customer testimonies.

I was really pleased with the end result and the wrap has totally transformed my 445 from a 30-year-old Haines Hunter to a cool new rig that, with pod extension, is actually more like a 485. I couldn’t be happier.

NEXT: Part 7 in the series HAINES HUNTER PROJECT BOAT: A
445 Runabout conversion to a Centre Console, looks at the trailer conversion from one that suited an alloy hull to that which looks after my fibreglass 445. Stay tuned.
 
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