Help with painting aluminum boat please

TinBoats.net

Help Support TinBoats.net:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Goldtipxt

Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2016
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Here's my situation, I have a 2007 Alumacraft 1860MV SC boat. This past summer I stripped the entire inside of the boat to bare metal using aircraft paint remover and sanding which took me many man hours. Since I was doing that I decided to scuff the outside of the boat with sand paper but didn't remove the paint thinking I could just paint over it but after reading stuff on the web everyone is saying bare metal.

I did this because the nonslip material they used was breaking in pieces and they painted over the liner. When I say "they", I'm refering to Alumacraft as I bought the boat brand new. I did send it back within the first year for repairs to the non slip coating and all they did was patch and paint over the existing paint which held up for about a year and started to flake. By the time I got around to calling them I was out of warranty so at that point I turned it into a work boat and just used it.

Now I need to repaint it. Little did I know that aluminum oxidizes and the boats under a cover 90 miles away so I have no idea what to expect. What do I need to do the the bare metal in order to paint it and can I paint over the old paint on the outside of the boat and will it adhere? What paints and primers do I need to use. Alumacraft told me they use a water based paint now but that's all they said. Any experience would be greatly appreciated.
 
You'll want an etching primer for any of the bare aluminum. If you have paint that is stuck good, there isn't a reason to take it off. Just scuff it and paint over it. Any of the marine paints should work, and many people use Rustoleum a lower cost option with a closed cell foam roller. As with any paint job, most of the work is in the prep.

Take some before and after pics 8)
 
Here are pics (if it works) of the process back in August. Should I do anything about the oxidation? And can I add color to Rustolium top coat? I'm planning on going with a charcoal grey outside to their battleship grey on the inside.

boat first day.jpg
This is when I began to peel off the nonskid.
nonslip peeled off.jpg
boat side.jpg
paint is in good shape, some bare aluminum showing here and there
boat bottom.jpg
sanded down.jpg
This is what she looked like when I covered her for the winter.
 
And as for using a roller, will it looked rolled on? I zero experience in painting. My brother in-law said he would spray it but that was back in August and I haven't had a chance to touch base with him recently.
 
What brand name primer and paint do you all recommend for this job? I looked at the roll and tip method and it looks easy but I will screw that one up. Is there a paint I could spray on to achieve a gloss shine? Either way, recommended paints for both methods would be appreciated. And anyone with experience live in Northern VA?
 
This is an article I wrote some time back -
All about Primers = https://www.tinboats.net/primer-and-paint-basics/

primers and paints can be overwhelming if you put too much thought into it.
Keep It Simple !!
So many variables dictate how we paint our projects:
personal skill level
equipment at hand or available
experience in basic painting
yada yada yada.

to keep it simple with minimal skill and minimum tools on hand,
one can achieve fantastic results that will last for years.
If you can paint a spare bedroom, you can paint your boat !!!
and yes, you can mix the white and black Rust-Oleum oil paints
together to get the color you want. I recommend mixing more
than you need and keep the excess in an airtight can for future use.
I don't know what part of the country you are in, but, in Florida,
a dark painted metal surface will put blisters on bare feet in a quick hurry !!!

just for myself, I use Rust-Oleum products: latex aluminum primer
and gloss oil enamels is what I use. I am a retired sign painter and
have excellent brush skills. I use a roller for the appropriate surface
for wide open areas, such as walls or billboards. Brush for small areas.
your boat is normally in the 12 to 14 foot range - why rush it ??
at the most, it will take less than an hour to paint any outside hull as well
as another hour or less for the interior. Get in the zone - enjoy the project.
I use the same products and procedures to paint the trailer also.
Read, Understand and Follow the instructions on the label of any product you may use.

Jus my Dos Centavos








.
 
As soon as you get done sanding it you need to clean the whole boat with acetone and get etching primer or zinc chromate on it ASAP because fresh aluminum begins to oxidize immediately after being exposed to oxygen and causes the white, powdery substance to cover the surface and nothing will bond correctly.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
smackdaddy53 said:
As soon as you get done sanding it you need to clean the whole boat with acetone and get etching primer or zinc chromate on it ASAP because fresh aluminum begins to oxidize immediately after being exposed to oxygen and causes the white, powdery substance to cover the surface and nothing will bond correctly.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Went by the boat yesterday to look at it. I sanded it down this past summer so if oxidation sets in that fast it has. I noticed it wasn't shiny but didn't notice the powdery stuff. Wouldn't a Simple Green Degreaser with a green brillo pad take care of that? I hope so!
 
I am not a chemist or metallurgist by any means.
But, I am thinking there is a huge difference between
"oxidation" and "corrosion". Although they may be related.
Google up both words to determine what your boat is
affected with and how to treat it.

in Layman's terms, it would be like treating an allergic skin rash
when you actually have stage four carcinoma. (and vice versa)

jus my Dos Centavos




.
 
I don't know the difference either just always thought of it as aluminum/powder = non harmful or steal/rust = bad.

Googled and found this. Would do more searching but time to go home.

Malcolm Sargeant, Degree level applied chemistry + 20yr experience in corrosion prevention and ...
967 Views • Malcolm is a Most Viewed Writer in Chemistry with 13 endorsements.

When oxygen reacts with steel to form iron oxide ( rust) it is an oxidation reaction, a reaction between the steel and oxygen in the air. When this happens in a place you don't really want it too it is termed corrosion.
In other words the chemical mechanism of corrosion is mostly* oxidation.(* there are several other corrosion mechanisms but oxidation is the commonest and water is usually involved as well )

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
Also oxidation of metals is not always undesirable, take for example aluminium. The coating of oxide on the surface of aluminium sheet is extremely hard and abrasion resistant preventing any further reaction with oxygen and it can be dyed to make it colored, making it an ideal material for mobile phones.
Written Oct 25 • View Upvotes

Joel Ruggaber, Masters degree from Illinois State University
497 Views • Joel has 130+ answers in Chemistry.
While oxidation is often called corrosion, they are not exactly the same thing. Oxidation simply means combining one material with oxygen to make a new compound. The process can be fast, like burning, or slow, like rusting, depending upon the materials and conditions.Obviously, oxidation can be a very useful process. When the process happens where we don't want to, it is often called corrosion, especially with iron. Other forms of corrosion can be achieved with acid, various chemical reactions, and dissolution in water or other solvents
 

Latest posts

Top