I was hoping someone would weigh-in on Ryan's question because I don't know the particular's either.
Anyone? Anyone?

Gel coat is a lot more resistant to chipping and fading. It is also thick and can be buffed over and over and over and etc... Gel coat is sprayed out of a spray gun just like paint. Gel coat requires a LOT more labor after spraying. Paint chips easier, stains easier, is damaged by gasoline easier.

I have heard that a shop doing paint vs. a shop doing gel coat costs about the same but I do not have any personal experience with that (yet).

yeah, gel costs more and requires a lot more labor to apply....but gelcoat will outlast any paint job.

I am doing a complete gelcoat on a boat with metalflake. I have been gathering information for months and I still dont know enough to even think about purchasing the stuff. I want solid information and a good understanding before I jump into this.

I read somewhere that tractors are painted with a super tough epoxy paint, I wonder why boats aren't painted with epoxy paint?   

New to the board so I'm not sure if my words will be taken serious. I have worked in the automotive paint business for over 15 years. The difference in Gel coat to an automotive paint is night and day. Every boat should have the hull painted in  Gel coat. if its above the water line, you can get away with and epoxy type paint, like that of Dupont called Imron. The epoxy paints are durable (no Gel coat paint would hold up in an accedent and not chip off either) for all the flexing a boat will do. The use of Gel coat for salt water purpose boats is even more important, were the wear factor is a bigger concern. If you into making the best show boat, one that does not see much water, go ahead and spray murals all over your boat with Imron (epoxy type) paints. Now if your going to put this boat on the water to reach speeds, make sure you put special purpose paint on the parts that need to keep the hull wetted. Hope this helps   

p.s.  the most important part of any paint job is prep,  use the right product and do not cut corners. Right the first time saves money!

Good info rebel; thanks.

I'm also contemplating gel vs paint. The only time i've ever tried to use gel (I hand painted the bottom of a boat I just reglassed) the gel never dried completly. Anyone know of a book or some literature i could read up on the subject

I've never done gel coat myself but I did read somewhere that there's an additive you have to mix with the gel to make it cure.  I think it forms a skin on the surface keeping the air out.  Gel is usually applied to the inside of a mold and then the glass laid in or sprayed in via a chop gun.  The gel is air tight and cures hard.  It's stays tacky when in a mold so that the next layers can bite.  Just what I've read and heard.

There's another thread on here about his.

When paint is done right it can last AS LONG AS GEL COAT. It's when people half ass a job is when paint gets a bad reputation on paint. I have sprayed both, in a booth. Gels more expensive. I'll find that thread

Did you paint these boats?

Thanks for the tips. I also painted a boat once using top of the line base clear system. The paint was pretty strong but the weak link on my paint was the primer, if i rubbed the dock to hard the primer would let go of the old gel. Maybe I should have used an epoxy primer instead of a surfacing primer.  Before when I gelcoated the bottom of my old boat(inside the boat - floor) I used catalist but  it still remained tacky after a year or more.

Yes he has I'll probably end up painting mine too. Or maybe color sand above the rub rail and clear, and paint below,(and speedcoat on the very bottom)