Texas Fishing Forum

Painting an Aluminum Boat

Posted By: Bren

Painting an Aluminum Boat - 07/28/22 03:55 PM

I am in the process of trying to find a paint to repaint my 14ft aluminum boat (V-hull). I plan on doing a two tone as it is now. My question to the group is: What is a good paint (brand and type) for the top and bottom? I don't think this needs anti-fouling paint for the bottom as it is a trailered boat. I have looked at Awlgrip, Total Boat and Sea Hawk. One of the issues that I run into is that some of the brands/types don't have the colors we would like. Any thoughts will be appreciated. Thanks
Posted By: CCTX

Re: Painting an Aluminum Boat - 07/28/22 04:22 PM

All the brands you mentioned are quality. The prep work is key; with good prep, you can get great results with oil based Rustoleum enamel.

Tractor supply sells an enamel hardener (Majic Catalyst Hardener) which when added to oil based enamels makes a significant difference with the durability.
Posted By: IslandJim

Re: Painting an Aluminum Boat - 07/28/22 09:35 PM

Successfully painting an aluminum boat requires lots of prep work. If it's rough, taking it down to bare aluminum is the right thing to do, but labor-intensive. The right primer is key to having the paint stick. Two years ago, I refinished my 1958 Blue Star 14 footer. I bare-metalled it, used a vinegar etch, then zinc chromate primer. Decades ago, zinc chromate primer had acid(nitric?) in it which made it self-etch and bond well. Not available any more. I had to buy my primer from NAPA, a Martin-Senor spray can product. It took two cans, and of course my NAPA only had one, and had to order the other(!). After the primer, I used Tractor Supply Majic spray cans in white and grey. It's held up well with a weekly(at least) saltwater fishing trip. A guy at a ramp asked me one time if my boat was "new?"
I did the deck in plywood, and brush-painted it with Rust-o-leum enamel. My mistake was not priming the plywood, and had to sand it back to bare plywood after a year, prime it, and repaint it. It would have been very easy, but I had panels of non-skid made with beach sand. That made sanding the paint off very difficult.
Good luck, Bren, and if you do it right, you'll only have to do it once. Unlike me. IslandJim
Posted By: IslandJim

Re: Painting an Aluminum Boat - 07/28/22 09:59 PM

Bren: I took a new pic of my tinny, and hopefully, it will be attached to this post. It shows what you can do with an old tub. IslandJim [Linked Image]

Or, maybe not. I'm geekily challenged. I have done this before, and it worked. I don't know how to get the image to show up from the url above. Sorry. IslandJim

Still trying. Maybe it worked. Adult [Linked Image]
education is painful!
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