can you tint clearcoat?

Just wondering if I can add some white dye to my 2 part clearcoat and use it as hull paint for my boat? I would hate to see all that paint go to waste!

Not to that point. There are special tints that can be used up to a very small point, but not enough to make it even opaque. It is NOT recommended that it is tinted at all. this is why a clear (tinted) base coat is used before a clear coat is used to top coat it.

that sux

I don't understand why you are letting what paint go to waste????? Explain your situation.

The clearcoat I have left is now several months old, I assume there is a hastened expiration now that it has been opened...

Is your boat hull fiberglass? If it is, you will want to consider using gelcoat over paint for a patch.

Like Otakar said, all the color in a paint system is in the base coat. Usually anything added to the clear coat would be some pearl, and a small amount at that. Otherwise, it's designed to be, well, clear To the best of my knowledge, you can't take a two part clear and turn it into a single stage color coat.

As long as your material is properly sealed and stored, it should last longer than a couple months. You would need to shake it up quite a bit before using it again, but it shouldn't go bad for a while.

cool. The hull is fiberglass, but I am not doing a patch, I am respraying to revive the worn out oxidized gelcoat. The hull is in good shape, just dull and lifeless looking. I think I am going to get some Imron or Awlcraft paint and just spray the clear over that for extra protection. I would just spray new gelcoat, but my boat is a hobie 16, and I do run it up on the beach, so dings and dents are to be expected, and patching gelcoat always looks bad, the acrylic poly's are easier to touch up.

Mix in some fine metal flake and practise ghost flames.

If it is a standard two part clear coat, part "A" should last years. However part "B" will start to self harden. You can stop the part B from hardening if you fill the "air void" with an inert gas like nitrogen, argon, helium, xenon etc. Anyone who has a tig welder should have an argon bottle and they can do that for you. I have had paints last me for decades.