OT: cheap aluminum boat paint?

[paparoof]

hey sorry to go way off topic, but I know someone here knows the answer to this question - y'all are smart right?

I'm doing some transom work on my boat and figure as long as I have everything stripped off of it right now, maybe I should paint it before I mount everything back on?

The boat is aluminum.

Cabalas wants $35.00 for a gallon of aluminum boat paint. What's a just-as-good-but-cheaper alternative? I can't just hit it with Rustoleum rattle cans - or can I?

 

[hounddawgracing]

Check your local West Marine store or online www.westmarine.com or try www.overtons.com


Orrrrr, if you really wanted to jazz up your little fishing boat you could have the whole thing or patterned in powdercoat.

 

[sandman]

hey sorry to go way off topic, but I know someone here knows the answer to this question - y'all are smart right?

I'm doing some transom work on my boat and figure as long as I have everything stripped off of it right now, maybe I should paint it before I mount everything back on?

The boat is aluminum.

Cabalas wants $35.00 for a gallon of aluminum boat paint. What's a just-as-good-but-cheaper alternative? I can't just hit it with Rustoleum rattle cans - or can I?

Why not? What's the worse that could happen...the paint would come off and you'd be out the price of a rattle can.

No big deal!

I say go for it!

 

[Stymye]

I used to have a late 60's era aluminum boat(wish I never sold it), it was just aluminum no paint at all and never got corroded or anything like that.

 

[paparoof]

Actually, here's what I found while reading online yesterday:

The deal with painting aluminum boats is not so much the water, it's getting the primer to stick to the aluminum. Apparently what you want is a "self-etching" primer. It actually eats its way into the surface of the aluminum (hopefully not too far!) to create a stronger bond.

So I stopped by the LAPS (local auto parts shop) and found a couple cans of Duplicolor's self-etching primer and used that. It's a nice drab green color (the final color I wanted anyway), so I'm thinking I may not even topcoat it. Heck, most of my rockets are still sitting in primer, why not the boat too?

I'm taking pictures as I go, maybe I'll post 'em up here anyway.

 

[RimfireJim]

A lot of primers don't typically hold up well to the elements, as they are not meant as a top coat, so you might want to add a 2nd coat with one that will be more durable. If you like that green, look at Krylon's camo paints; other brands may have similar ones.

 

[paparoof]

yeah good point.

and now I have an excuse to go buy more spray paint.

 

[D-12 Dave]

two years ago i painted my 10 ft. jon boat with the duplicolor olive drab(which is pretty close in tone to the "dead grass green" they use on duck boats)and i didn't use primer.It's wearing off in places,but it still doesn't look terrible.My goal was only to reduce the glare off the aluminum to give my retinas a break during the day.When i do get around to repainting in a couple of years,i'll do it right and prime first.

 

[luke strawalker]

A lot of primers don't typically hold up well to the elements, as they are not meant as a top coat, so you might want to add a 2nd coat with one that will be more durable. If you like that green, look at Krylon's camo paints; other brands may have similar ones.

Primers are also usually porous and will absorb water and allow it to get to the metal underneath. Paint seals the primer and prevents this.

Cars left primered but unpainted and driven around generally corrode much worse than cars that have even a shoddy paint job over the primer. Best just to take the time do it right and put the paint on well over the primer. OL JR