Boats and yachts
An aluminium fishing boat or a carbon fibre catamaran? We know how to make resins safe and enjoyable, achieve perfectly smooth surfaces and put an end to delamination of composite materials.
The cost associated with a delaminating composite caused by using the wrong adhesive is so high that many major manufacturers of yachts and luxury boats have long chosen 3M. At the design stage, you might want to consider the strongest structural adhesives, reclosable fasteners and print films. A stunning look and reasonable cost of production give us a significant competitive edge – we offer a full portfolio of abrasives, polishes, non-yellowing polyurethane adhesives and unique print films. Have you seen a twenty-metre yacht that looks as if it is covered with natural leather? Neither have we, but DI-NOC architectural finishes can achieve this effect!
Other Transportation
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Learn how to reduce production costs, optimise manufacturing time and improve the quality of the paint booth.
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Design, production, repair and maintenance - want to lower costs of grinding, reduce noise and protect the surface?
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Discover the largest portfolio of 3M products for manufacturers and suppliers of the aviation industry.
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Learn how to reduce production costs, optimise manufacturing time and improve the quality of the paint booth.
Contact 3M's dedicated boat expert!
We are here to help
Need help finding the right solution for your project? Contact a 3M Expert if you need product, technical or application advice or consultancy.
Tel:08705 360036
Need help finding the right solution for your project? Contact a 3M Expert if you need product, technical or application advice or consultancy.
Tel:08705 360036
Surface preparation
The surface of the material to be processed is machined. The goal is usually to prepare it for the next process, such as painting, bonding, etc. This process may involve chemical, mechanical (abrasive) treatment, anodisation, corona treatment, etc.
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Layer bonding in the infusion laminating process
To make a laminate, the layers are assembled before being infused with resin. A variety of products are used to bond the layers, including spray adhesives, hot-melt adhesives, threads or other methods. The bonding prevents layers from displacement.
Why 3M?
For precise determination of the amount of adhesive applied to the surface, red dye has been added to 3M Dry Lay-Up Spray. 3M adhesives are currently top sellers when it comes to products that aid the infusion process. Carefully selected ingredients minimise the risk of delamination in the process and provide for strong and durable bonding of layers. They offer high performance and excellent value for money.
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Steel and weld grinding
Preparation for welding, post-weld processing, grinding/cleaning to prepare for smoothing and bonding, cleaning and grading after plasma cutting.
Why 3M?
- Higher output with shorter grinding time and longer tool life. Cubitron™ II grains remain sharp and can easily cut metal for a long time.
- Consistent finish and quality, great work comfort, lower employee fatigue. Thick metal cut by Cubitron™ II = less volatile dust. Overall reduction of process costs with 3M abrasive technology.
- Lower consumption of abrasives and reduction of production costs.
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Finishing / defect removal. Preparing steel for painting
Preparing for painting, cleaning welds, removing defects, smoothing, shaping – finishing stainless steel, preparing stainless steel for polishing.
Product videos,
Why 3M?
- Wide range of technologies and solutions
- Innovative solutions that reduce or eliminate the need for touch-ups
- High-quality products
- Reduced consumption of abrasives and production costs
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Personal Protective Equipment for grinding/cutting/deburring/blasting/polishing
Grinding involves removing material and preparing surfaces to shape and finish components made of metals and other materials.
Why 3M?
3M Personal Protective Equipment offers compatibility, comfort and protection as well as the possibility of boosting protection and comfort with forced air systems.
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Personal protective equipment for welding
Welding of joints (of metallic parts or components) by heating the surfaces to melting temperatures and joining them by compression etc.
Why 3M?
- The 3M™ Speedglas™ 9100XXi filter enables better colour recognition, letting the welder focus only on the equipment, welding methods, precise grinding, inspection, etc.
- This translates to improved efficiency of the welder and limits the number of adjustments and waste.
- The Adflo PAPR system with Speedglas Welding Helmet provides the most effective and comfortable respiratory protection for welders. Our system reduces the number of PPE pieces per worker from 5 to 1, which makes it easier for employers to manage the equipment. Our range of hearing protection products includes various noise-reducing earplugs.
Painting and coating
Materials are coated to provide protection against corrosion or other factors (abrasion, UV, etc.) or to achieve the desired surface appearance.
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Masking for painting
After a vehicle or a boat is assembled, masking tape is applied before proceeding to a paint booth or a furnace. To cure the paint, the temperature must reach 80 degrees Celsius or more. Sometimes the masking tape has to survive through many high-temperature cycles.
Why 3M?
Easy to unwind, speeds up the application. Clean cut-off lines translate into better appearance of painted elements. Less fraying during tearing off enables faster removal of the tape from the vehicle. Clean removal reduces the need for cleaning and the number of touch-ups afterwards. In brief: Fewer touch-ups mean that the customer can paint more items, decrease the work load, and cut costs.
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Masking for multi-colour gelcoating
Gelcoat is a hard resin, which is the outermost layer of a laminate. The coating comes in different colours. When a boat is being made with a multi-colour gelcoat, a masking tape must be used to separate each colour. Tapes are also used for masking patches and initial preparation.
Why 3M?
Our tapes do not leave any deposits during tearing off, which reduces surface cleaning time and the number of touch-ups. 3M helps eliminate the bleeding of paint, which saves the cost of reworking. Our tapes fray less, which speeds up removal. Clean edges provide better final quality and require fewer corrections. 3M solutions help reduce the number of touch-ups, reduce work load, as well as material and overall costs.
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Filler/putty shaping, post-primer smoothing
Why 3M?
- Wide range of technologies and solutions
- Innovative solutions that reduce or eliminate the need for touch-ups
- High-quality products
- Reduced consumption of abrasives and production costs
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Paints and gelcoats
For all applications in the marine industry and the specialty vehicle segment where customers currently use a spray gun with a cup. If spraying the gelcoat, we recommend using the Accuspray™ HGP Pressurized Spray Gun.
Why 3M?
3M™ Accuspray™ system with replaceable 1.4, 1.8 and 2.0 heads, working with PPS™ cups. A single gun is compatible with all head sizes. Simply replace the head and use it for the next job. Documented cost savings: Accuspray™ reduces solvent and paint waste as well as the time needed for cleaning and servicing. All Accuspray™ spray guns and heads are manufactured in the US! Versatile applications: The system can be used for any coating application (don't wait, just paint!). Very thick coating can be applied using the Accuspray™ HG Pressure model with a pressurised hard cup with soft PPS™ liners in mini, standard and 850 ml sizes.
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Paint booth and surface protection
Protect your paint booth walls and floors while reducing the amount of airborne contaminants that could damage the paint coat. Apply the products on walls and floors using the dispensers to reduce paint booth maintenance time.
Why 3M?
3M™ Dirt Trap™ Protection Material is used to protect paint booths and surfaces which reduces the amount of dirt, dust and splatter, and limits the contamination of the painted surface, and the supplied dispensing tools in order to shorten the time required for booth maintenance and reduce maintenance costs. This protection material can be used as temporary surface protection both inside and outside the booth. The material is available in various widths. The protection material is also available in grey for use on the floor.
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Temporary surface protection (on site)
The protection material is perfect for protecting surfaces and keeping them clean. Used mainly for floors instead of paper or cardboard, which require masking tape (to fix it to the floor or substrate) and which can become a tripping hazard.
Why 3M?
Protection material for booth and surface protection limits the amount of dirt, dust and spatter, while making its replacement faster and easier by using a self-adhesive system, and lowering the costs of service work due to the supplied application tools. This protection material can be used as temporary surface protection both inside and outside the booth. The material is available in various widths. The protection material is also available in grey for use on the floor.
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Paint/coat filtration
Non-organic surfaces: metallic surfaces that have been anodised but have not been painted or primed.
Organic surfaces: paint or primer have been applied, but not the final coat.
Why 3M?
- Filters that reduce the number of particles that cause craters and other inclusions. Filters are adjusted to specific pigments.
- Improved contaminant capture, higher filter capacity, compatibility with a wide range of chemicals.
- Larger surface, longer filter life, less frequent filter replacement, less waste.
- Higher efficiency, less corrective work caused by contamination, minimised downtime.
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Personal protective equipment for painting
Spray painting is a technique that involves device-assisted atomising of coating (paint, ink, coat, etc.) on a surface. The most popular types of equipment use compressed gas, usually air, to atomise and direct the paint particles.
Why 3M?
- Respiratory protection systems with compressed air units provide more effective respiratory protection and thermal comfort for workers, increasing their efficiency.
- 3M paint coveralls include an air-permeable, breathable SMS layer.
- 3M fall protection harnesses offer maximum comfort, free movement and ease of use with innovations such as the D-Ring connection or the Revolver to adjust strap length.
Assembly/bonding
Following one of the previous processes, substrates/elements are bonded. The joint may be mechanical (rivets, screws), but also welded, glued, bonded, heat-treated, etc.
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Lamination of large surfaces
Two substrates with similar dimensions, whether flexible or rigid, are bonded, or laminated, where most of the surface is covered with adhesive. Example applications: fabric for seat foam, flooring, HPL bonding for worktops.
Why 3M?
The high solids content ensures better coverage and lower overall cost per application. Spray systems adapted to 3M adhesive applications ensure better spraying, require less service and provide better coverage, which can reduce costs. High temperature-resistant adhesive bonding reduces the number of failures and ensures high quality of the bond in all conditions. The use of self-adhesive membranes/tapes does not require any tools and provides an immediate effect.
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Fastening and finishing
Fastening an element to a surface, where the element is usually smaller than the surface to which it is being attached. In vehicles: elements fastened to the moulding, name plates, side castings, and fastening of moulding to compartments.
Why 3M?
3M solutions can reduce problems with water penetration, which will translate into better quality and strengthen the brand image. 3M fastening solutions can improve customer satisfaction. 3M can help build a strong brand image by improving the quality of products. Adhesives and tapes can shorten the process of moulding fastening and deliver an improved aesthetic appearance.
Finishing
In the next step, the nearly finished product is sealed, labelled, customised, polished, and, if there are any production defects, corrected.
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Boat exterior/interior sealing
After assembling and bonding the boat, areas on the hull, deck, around windows and accessories through which water can penetrate must be sealed. Sealants are often used for this purpose.
Why 3M?
Limiting or eliminating water penetration and leaks due to proven 3M product formulations (elongation at break, tensile strength, no porosity). 3M™ Hybrid Adhesive Sealants, such as 4000UV, help eliminate yellowing, white sludge and cracking caused by long-term exposure to UV radiation.
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Preparing for window sealing or other hull bonding applications
Why 3M?
- Wide range of technologies and solutions
- Innovative solutions that reduce or eliminate the need for touch-ups
- High-quality products. Reduced consumption of abrasives and production costs
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Paint/gelcoat polishing / preparation for polishing
Removal of painting defects from the finished coating using fine-grained abrasive discs (P600–P3000) (removal of inclusions, scratches, dust, uneven paint lines and “orange peel”), followed by polishing for shine using polishes and pastes with foam pads or wool pads.
Why 3M?
- Innovative solutions that reduce or eliminate the need for touch-ups
- High product quality ensures very good and consistent results in a short time or in fewer operations. User-friendly products which do not require much experience.
- Reduced consumption of abrasives and production costs. Product lines dedicated for many types of paint (2K paints, 1K paints, clearcoats, PU paints, single-coat paints).
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Paint finishing
For the finishing of paint coats or composite materials, we recommend using the Perfect-It™ EX system to achieve perfect shine. Used with Trizact™ abrasive discs (1500, 2000, 3000, 5000), Perfect-It™ and Trizact™ offer customers the fastest surface finishing with the highest quality and easy cleaning.
Why 3M?
3M™ Trizact™abrasives are used for removing paint defects and paint finishing, which shortens the polishing process. The abrasives consist of precisely shaped three-dimensional pyramids, distributed uniformly on the disc. As the pyramids wear out, new, sharp surfaces are exposed. 3M™ Perfect-It™ is designed to provide optimum performance in conjunction with the Perfect-It™ EX system. Remove polishing marks from painted surfaces, even from dark paints. The 3M™ Quick Connect adaptor makes it easy to change pads.
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Gelcoat laminates, gelcoat finishing
General application: Removes scratches from 800 grit sanding paper. Gelcoat to mould application: Removal of defects and sanding paper scratches, surface smoothing. Finishing: Removes sanding paper scratches and leaves a shiny surface in one step, especially on white gelcoat.
Why 3M?
- Faster defect removal, greater efficiency during both lamination and finishing (white gelcoat)
- Innovative formula for shiny gloss, many surfaces do not require any further polishing
- Longer-lasting humidity, which translates into lower consumption (lower costs!), easier cleaning and less dust, operating at higher temperatures.
- Complementing Perfect-It™ EX Gelcoat Finishing system, addressed to the boat repair market (contains soap, wax and one-stage polishing + waxing).
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General personal protective equipment (PPE)
Primary personal protective equipment used in the marine industry and the specialty vehicle segment.
Why 3M?
- 3M Safety Goggles offer the most effective anti-fog coating on the market.
- 3M fall protection harnesses offer maximum comfort, free movement and ease of use with innovations such as the D-Ring connection or the Revolver to adjust strap length.
- Our range of hearing protection products includes various noise-reducing earplugs, both disposable and reusable. 3M PPE ensures compatibility of all pieces.
Storage and transport
The final stage is to secure the surface, packaging and preparation for shipment or storage in a warehouse. Every manufacturer wants to ensure that their product reaches the customer in an unchanged condition.
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General personal protective equipment
Primary personal protective equipment used in the marine industry and the specialty vehicle segment.
Why 3M?
- 3M Safety Goggles offer the most effective anti-fog coating on the market.
- 3M fall protection harnesses offer maximum comfort, free movement and ease of use with innovations such as the D-Ring connection or the Revolver to adjust strap length.
- Our range of hearing protection products includes various noise-reducing earplugs, both disposable and reusable, and earmuffs. 3M safety helmets can be integrated with eye and hearing protection.
