Repainting aluminum boat

[dewalt18]

I know it’s an odd time of year for this post, but having a quiet Saturday.

I picked up a “nice” 70’s 12’ tinner with a 9.9 evinrude last summer for a song, and now that I’ve gotten the motor tuned and running again, want the boat to look half decent too. The factory paint stripe has faded to a weird oxidized reddish orange. Looking to do more of a maroon colour, and just wondering what others have used in the past with good results. My dad repainted his over 20 years ago and it still looks great, but he can’t remember what was used on it.

Thanks in advance!

[EZM]

I did this a few times. There are lots of great options for painting aluminum, adding slip proof decking, self etching primers, etc...

Total Boat has some great products which are high quality.

The real key here is preparing the surface, sand, prime, paint if you are looking for a quality job.

Very easy and straight forward.

I know the self etching primer, the sanding, and the paint costs money but you should be able to do a small boat like that for a few hundred bucks and two days (a few hours each day) and you will have a finish that will last decades.

You could also just wash it and hit it with a spray can from home depot - you will save money - and it might look decent for the first 3-5 years - just depends on what level of quality you are after.

[dewalt18]

Definitely intend to do it right, don’t see any need to ever upgrade, as I went the last 20 years without a boat (before then lived close enough to use the old man’s), and overall this one is in excellent condition not that I replaced the bit of wood on the transom and the motor mount point. Just a coat of paint and she’ll be as good as new!

[EZM]

Originally Posted by dewalt18

Definitely intend to do it right, don’t see any need to ever upgrade, as I went the last 20 years without a boat (before then lived close enough to use the old man’s), and overall this one is in excellent condition not that I replaced the bit of wood on the transom and the motor mount point. Just a coat of paint and she’ll be as good as new!

I agree - if you have a solid boat, it makes sense to spend a few hundred bucks and have it looking nice for years.

This forum is also a great place to ask if you ever need to rebuild the transom, tighten some leaky rivets, build a floor/deck, etc... lots of people that have done it right, done it wrong, and learned over the years

[Rdamours]

I redid my 18.5 ft alum about 15 years ago. I used a zinc chromate self etching primer after stripping it and a 2k epoxy primer then a special trailering paint on the bottom. It still looks like new. Iboats.com has a great boating forum



https://youtu.be/fKq51-DCt8o

[1899b]

My father painted his boats and airplanes with Endura. Years and years of Endura…. Lol

[brass410]

Originally Posted by Rdamours

I redid my 18.5 ft alum about 15 years ago. I used a zinc chromate self etching primer after stripping it and a 2k epoxy primer then a special trailering paint on the bottom. It still looks like new. Iboats.com has a great boating forum



https://youtu.be/fKq51-DCt8o

zinc chromate with 2 part epoxy will prpduce an excellent durable finish you wont be disappointed.

[Sooner]

Ex bodyman here. I did dads old Sears 12 ft Tinner over 20 years ago. Sanded all the faded paint off. Masked off the area for new paint, a good coverage coat of epoxy. Waited the allowed time limit needed to flash off properly. Base coat, clear coat right over top as you could do that with that brand of epoxy. Because it was base coat, even got a stripe. Done like dinner. Still shinning in his back yard today. If I hit it with a polisher, it would shine as when I painted it. But I was in the trade and had access to quality epoxy and paint materials.


It is real easy to do.

[dewalt18]

Originally Posted by 1899b

My father painted his boats and airplanes with Endura. Years and years of Endura…. Lol

Well you might be surprised, but my street bike is repainted in endura. 9 years on the paint job now, and still looks like new.

[brslk]

Originally Posted by 1899b

My father painted his boats and airplanes with Endura. Years and years of Endura…. Lol

I worked at a fiberglass shop painting boats, RV's and anything made of fiberglass. We used Endura exclusively. Best stuff there is for a durable finish. We used to even paint coal mine equipment with it. I've got about a dozen gallons of different colors and a few gallons of component B left from when the shop closed.

[Rdamours]

I got lucky picking endura paint as well.

[Rdamours]

I found the bottom paint I used. Interlux Vc performance epoxy. You can scratch that stuff.

[1899b]

Originally Posted by brslk

I worked at a fiberglass shop painting boats, RV's and anything made of fiberglass. We used Endura exclusively. Best stuff there is for a durable finish. We used to even paint coal mine equipment with it. I've got about a dozen gallons of different colors and a few gallons of component B left from when the shop closed.

It’s great paint. Here’s my 89 my Dad painted with endura. Sorry for the detail.

[1899b]

Originally Posted by 1899b

It’s great paint. Here’s my 89 my Dad painted with endura. Sorry for the detail.

Sorry I meant sorry for the derail….

[Mayhem]

Ok, I'll be that guy...All you stated was the factory finish had oxidized. Just thinkin out loud here - have you considered refurbishing the original paint to bring back the color? There are some really good products available now for paint restoration. You could do a test patch.

That said, Endura is good paint and it sounds like a fun project.

[Big Grey Wolf]

Sand, masking tape, then paint with Tremclad, It will probably last longer than you.

[glen moa]

I just knock off the loose paint then brush on tremclad. I don’t feel bad when I scratch it and touch ups are easy. It’s a fishing boat not a show boat.

[dewalt18]

Thinking endura will probably be what I end up using. A good friend uses it extensively in aircraft repair, and since I designed and built his spray booth, I might as well take advantage of it! Lol

[Tigger72]

Here was a write up on the one that I did- start to finish.

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=222758

[Unregistered user]

Anyone tried Sharkhide? Big on the west coat, aluminum protectant, clear, not a paint.

[Sooner]

Originally Posted by Mayhem

Ok, I'll be that guy...All you stated was the factory finish had oxidized. Just thinkin out loud here - have you considered refurbishing the original paint to bring back the color? There are some really good products available now for paint restoration. You could do a test patch.

That said, Endura is good paint and it sounds like a fun project.

Problem with that old paint, it was not good quality then, now its sun baked and damaged. You can polish it up shinny and wax it but it will fade fast. It has lost all its protection if you see oxidation. I know my dads was one step from turning to powder when I repainted it. But polishing is easier and cheaper than painting.

[Mayhem]

Originally Posted by Sooner

Problem with that old paint, it was not good quality then, now its sun baked and damaged. You can polish it up shinny and wax it but it will fade fast. It has lost all its protection if you see oxidation. I know my dads was one step from turning to powder when I repainted it. But polishing is easier and cheaper than painting.

Makes sense...IF the paint was in decent shape once the oxidation was removed could you clear it? Don't mean to derail - Just asking for anyone following this thread.

[1899b]

Originally Posted by dewalt18

Well you might be surprised, but my street bike is repainted in endura. 9 years on the paint job now, and still looks like new.

Not surprised at all. its a very very tough paint when applied correctly...