Marine Painters are skilled in the craft of covering various vessel surfaces, both interior and exterior, with protective coatings using brushes, spray guns, and rollers. Many kinds of paints/coatings are used as protection of steel, wood, fiberglass, and other surfaces from rust and corrosion, and protection of the underwater portion of vessels against the attachment of marine life. Painters must know the proper surface preparations, the best coating to use for each purpose and the accepted application techniques to obtain the desired results.
A Marine painter's typical duties include:
- Preparing the surface (by sanding, blasting, cleaning, etc.)
- Removing old coatings using chemicals
- Applying primers and finish coats
Marine Painters must also be familiar with, and trained in, the proper use of respiratory protection equipment such as respirators and other breathing devices.