George Kirby Paints

57 chris · Post by **57 chris** » Sat May 07, 2011 7:41 pm

Hi all,
anyone use Kirby paint?
Three years ago when trying to decide what kind of paint to use on the hull of 675 I explored Interlux Brightside, Epifanes yacht enamel and Kirby's topside paint. I requested a color chart from all three. I never got any response from Kirby and I ended up using the Interlux Perfection. Those of you that followed my restoration know that the Perfection was not the easiest coating I ever used but I was happy with the outcome when all was said and done. Well three years later I find that the Interlux was a tad too brittle and I am now faced with a lot of hairline cracks and small chips in the finish and I am planning on a re-finish this year including a strip to bare wood and re-paint.
Back to the beginning, I am considering the Epifanes yacht enamel and I really wanted to take a serious look at Kirby paints. I e-mailed both Epifanes and Kirby last sunday about a color chart and by Tuesday I had recieved a color chart from Epifanes with a salesman's name and 800 number to call with questions. Just Like 3 years ago I have received nothing from Kirby, not a color chart, not an e-mail, nothing. Does anyone know if this company really exists or has a contact number or e-mail that they will respond to?

Craig

kleiner · Post by **kleiner** » Sat May 07, 2011 8:37 pm

Hi Craig,

I bought Kirby paints for my Sea Skiff from Jamestown Distributors, but I have not gotten around to painting yet. It will be some weeks before I do, but I can let you know how it is at that time. I bought Kirby paint because it is highly recommended in traditional wooden boat circles and I really liked the colors.

They don't really use e-mail, and when I used their website to ask a question online, they never replied. I obtained their color chart by calling them and requesting it, which they sent in the mail promptly. You will have to call them, but they are helpful over the phone. Try www.kirbypaint.com for contact info.

- Kevin

Don Ayers · Post by **Don Ayers** » Sat May 07, 2011 10:28 pm

Kirby has great paint but you just have to go old school on them and pick up the phone.

thompsonboatboy · Post by **thompsonboatboy** » Sun May 08, 2011 12:01 pm

Telephone Kirby, do not email them.

I love Kirby paints and highly recommend them. GREAT people, a small family owned business operating since the 1840s, and wonderful products.

They will custom mix colours if you can't find one of their standards you do not like.

I have used their paints on lapstrake Thompson boats and on cedar strip boats and canvas/wood boats. I know folks that have used Kirby paint and have never heard a bad encounter.

George Kirby IV will probably answer the phone.

Andreas

57 chris · Post by **57 chris** » Mon May 09, 2011 6:25 pm

Ok,
I understand that they don't do e-mail, call only. I just wonder why they bother to put a link on their website to "request a color chart" if they don't monitor their site.
Hmmmm!

Rugger8 · Post by **Rugger8** » Tue May 10, 2011 2:04 pm

I agree with others, I had a great experience with them, but I called them directly. Paint was delivered in a couple of days. Paint looks great and went on easy and covered well.

Jeff

57 chris · Post by **57 chris** » Tue May 10, 2011 5:58 pm

I haven't had an opportunity to call them yet but I'm leaning toward Kirby if for no other reason because I don't like doing business with Jamestown Dist. They seem to be the only source for Epifanes products which was my only other choice. Jamestown's prices are consistently higher than other suppliers on most products and anything I have purchased from them was accompanied by comparatively unreasonable shipping charges which by the way they don't tell you until your order ships. Apparently they don't have a way of calculating shipping charges before you place your order from their website.

Craig

kleiner · Post by **kleiner** » Tue May 10, 2011 9:17 pm

I actually like Jamestown Distributors quite a lot - they are the first place I check for anything I need. I have been doing business with them for almost 10 years now, and the only time I had a problem, they sent out a replacement right away, no hassle whatsoever. I find their customer service to be excellent, and I think their prices are generally reasonable, including shipping. You might find slightly cheaper prices on a particular item somewhere else (and I do that too, if that is the only thing I need - Hamilton Marine tends to have good prices if they have what you need, and BTW they carry Epifanes products, too), but when I need several different things, I can usually get everything I need at one place with Jamestown Distributors, which is not usually possible with other vendors (and then you have to order from multiple places and pay extra shipping charges).

For example, I buy all my 5200 only when they have it on sale (which it is right now for under $12/tube - try to find that deal anywhere else). They also occassionally run free shipping specials (which they are doing right now for orders over $50). Beyond that, you can join their VIP buyers club for $40 and get free ground shipping for an entire year. If you purchase a lot of supplies, this is a very good deal and tough to beat.

I only offer my opinion here to be helpful, as I have bought a lot of stuff from them over a relatively long period of time and have always been happy.

JohnKadimik · Post by **JohnKadimik** » Wed May 11, 2011 4:30 am

5200 is 11.97 @ Home Depot, no shipping.

57 chris · Post by **57 chris** » Wed May 11, 2011 6:08 am

Hi Kevin,
thanks for the tip about Hamilton Marine, I have never done business with them but will check them out. It's not that I'm a Jamestown hater, in fact they are quite the complete supplier but that whole thing about not knowing shipping charges before you order is scary, they can charge you anything they want and you never know and once you order you can't cancel, you have to accept shipment and pay to send it back.

Hi John,
I also noticed the reasonable price on 5200 at Home Dumpster, sometimes it's even lower. My closest store quit selling it a while back and while it was on "close-out" I bought a case @ $8.00/tube!
Keep an eye on West Marine also, they will run specials now and then for $9.99/tube.

Craig

Bill Basler · Post by **Bill Basler** » Wed May 11, 2011 9:52 am

Just like John Kadimik says above, sometimes we can over think these things. My local Lowe's carries 5200 for no apparent reason. We have no wood boat building trade here. Yet I can go to Lowe's any day of the week and buy 5200, in white only, but always fresh tubes at a very fair price. I want to say I bought some last fall for 9 something a tube. And it's about two miles from my house. Can't beat it.

Just don't ask the help to find it for you. They will give you some DAP bathtub caulk and tell you it's the same thing.

Bill Basler · Post by **Bill Basler** » Wed May 11, 2011 10:11 am

Now back to Kirby Paints!

kleiner · Post by **kleiner** » Wed May 11, 2011 5:37 pm

Funny - I never knew about Home Depot or Lowes carrying 5200. That is a great tip!

motherofdog · Post by **motherofdog** » Mon May 30, 2011 7:42 am

Let's see if I can post this photo. The Kirby paint is dry, varnish is wet. The is before I polished the paint with perfect-it.

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motherofdog · Post by **motherofdog** » Mon May 30, 2011 7:45 am

Oops-wrong photo! That was the dark walnut kingboards!

thompsonboatboy · Post by **thompsonboatboy** » Mon May 30, 2011 8:59 am

Beautiful!

Andreas

Bill Basler · Post by **Bill Basler** » Mon May 30, 2011 10:42 pm

Looking great Jerri. I like the hull color.

motherofdog · Post by **motherofdog** » Tue May 31, 2011 3:02 pm

Thanks guys,

I'm really pleased with the restoration so far, not that it hasn't had it's share of challenges-but I sure learned a lot!

The paint is a custom color: Kirby is calling it Carribean blue, it's actually lighter that the photo shows.

As for Jamestown, we use them VERY often-so much so that the JDVIP membership fee of $39 is a drop in the bucket compared to shipping... from anyone.

Hopefully this photo will come through and show Kirby's white-gloss paint. This is after the perfect-it buffing.
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Tightline5 · Post by **Tightline5** » Tue May 31, 2011 10:19 pm

Jerri, a Georgia girl and you don't buy from Bill at Southern Crown!!! I hope he doesn't even see this post. The shame The shame!!!!!!!!!!!!:):)

motherofdog · Post by **motherofdog** » Sat Jul 02, 2011 3:07 pm

Hi Phil,

I think we keep every one of them in business! Each for something different. I like to spread my questions around so I don't sound TOO stupid. You know, they would get to the point of seeing my caller i.d. and saying, "Oh Dear, it's Jerri again".

jer

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