What do you paint an aluminum boat with??

JelloStorm

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Feb 23, 2010
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Northeast Pennsylvania
Hey all,

Going tomorrow to look at a boat for sale locally on Craigslist. It's a 12' aluminum flat bottom and it's only $100. Problem is it's a powder blue. Fuck that. I'll need to clean it up and repaint it.

What paint can I use? Not sure if Krylon will stand up to being in fresh water...
 
Re: What do you paint an aluminum boat with??

If you're goint to clean it the bare metal use an etching primer and then a quality top coat.

If not, then just scuff it up and Krylon it.
 
Re: What do you paint an aluminum boat with??

Any outdoor paint will work. I cleaned mine, went over the entire thing with a scotch bright pad, hit it with acetone, and coated it with the same outdoor epoxy coating we use on our stocks. I've been beating the hell out of it for a year now and it looks good. I get into some rough stuff with the baby. That's what it's there for. So far I've only smashed 3 trolling motors with it. If you didn't have an indication of what "beating the hell out of it" is.
 
Re: What do you paint an aluminum boat with??

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JJoplin</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I've been beating the hell out of it for a year now and it looks good. I get into some rough stuff with the baby. That's what it's there for. So far I've only smashed 3 trolling motors with it. If you didn't have an indication of what "beating the hell out of it" is. </div></div>

Yeah, that's an understatement!

We were under a TORNADO WARNING, not a watch, but a WARNING, and that crazy Joplin was wanting to make one more run around the lake since the bass were biting. I said, "you can make another run if you want to, but not before you drop my a** off on the bank!"

Crazy sucker!
crazy.gif
 
Re: What do you paint an aluminum boat with??

Before painting, clean it up really good set it up on blocks or saw horses(if it's not on a trailer), fill the bottom with water to check for leaks. If you find any leaks, tighten the rivets or replace them. Aluminum rivets are cheap and it's worth your time and effort. Krylon primer and paint will work really well.
 
Re: What do you paint an aluminum boat with??

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JelloStorm</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Can you guys recommend a brand of paint? </div></div>

<span style="font-weight: bold">Valspar</span> has all the stuff you need. IIRC it was about a 4 step process. I used it on an aluminum canoe over 30 years ago and none of it has come off except for rock scrapes on the bottom.
 
Re: What do you paint an aluminum boat with??

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JelloStorm</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Problem is it's a powder blue. Fuck that..</div></div>

Like has been said, Zinc Chromite is your friend.
Fishing in either fresh or salt water, you'll lose less fish at the boat, with the color Blue than any other.
 
Re: What do you paint an aluminum boat with??

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JelloStorm</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Can you guys recommend a brand of paint?</div></div>
Go to the paint supply store and tell them what you want to do and that you want a gallon of "duck boat green" paint. I fixed up my old boat last year and used Benjamin Moore brand paint. Clean it real good with a pressure washer, knock off any loose paint with a scotch brite and either rinse it off again or hit it with some acetone, then paint. I believe what you are looking for is an enamal based paint, a gallon will cover a 12' boat many times over.