What Type Of Paint To Use For Inside An Aluminum Boat

[BaitMonkey1984]

I put the Ranger away last week. 

 

I pulled my 16 foot aluminum boat out yesterday. I have lots of work planned for the two this winter. I winterized, changed plugs, changed lower gear oil etc for the aluminum yesterday, cleaned the hull, took the seats out and gave it a good scrub. Today I installed all new trailer lights, redid all the trailer wiring, painted the trailer, put on two new trailer tires. installed a spare tire carrier, replaced the bunk boards, and replaced a 5 ft section of wood to make walking on the front of the trailer easier. Pretty good amount of work done (it helps that the Pats had  bye this week).

 

The next steps are to replace the transom wood that has rotted out over 20+ years and paint the inside of the boat. I have used rustoleum spray paint in the past and they work fine for 1-2 years but then crack. I want something more long term. I see that epoxy is the way to go based upon many online reviews. I was looking at bed liners as well as they are durable and watertight. Does anyone have any experience with a good paint to use on an aluminum boat that is already painted? Thanks for the help guys. 

 

[Catt]

Automotive or marine grade polyurethane

[brown12687]

Watercolors.  To paint a lovely mural, of course.

[WPCfishing]

I saw a couple of aluminum boats this year that were full restored. They looked brand new!

One of them was finish on the inside with pick up truck bed liner spray. Owner said it wasn't expensive to have done.

[WPCfishing]

I saw a couple of aluminum boats this year that were fully restored. They looked brand new!

One of them was finished on the inside with pick up truck bed liner spray. Owner said it wasn't expensive to have done.

[Starchalopakis]

One of them was finish on the inside with pick up truck bed liner spray. Owner said it wasn't expensive to have done.

I have seen this done as well, wherever it was done at did an awesome job, it really looked good.

[Cmiller]

Look into raptor liner if you are going to go the bedliner route. The brands you find at autozone and similar stores are awful. I used the raptor liner to do the floors of my jeep, and it went on easy, and has held up great. It is also one of the only bedliners that is uv resistant. You can also control the texture of it by varying the air pressure while you are applying it. 

[SHaugh]

Bed liner or textured paint is good for traction areas.  For other parts there are plenty of people who will tell you that you wasted your time using anything but marine grade epoxies...  But I could never understand putting $200 worth of paint on a $500 boat.   There are also proponents of just using the cheap stuff... Gloss rustoleum or similar.

 

But there is a middle ground that almost nobody ever mentions...  Automotive paints.   2 part urethane paints that are simple to get and use.  They go on super easy and get diamond hard.. just like your car....    Cars are the ultimate painted surfaces.. it's surprising how few people have used or understand these paints.

 

Go to NAPA... look at the  Crossfire line of paints.... Talk to the people in the store and tell them what you're doing... you can have it mixed to a million different colors.. metallic ... whatever you want.. just pick it out of the car color books.   Get an inexpensive HVLP gun or just use a Preval sprayer...  you wont be sorry if you try it.   Nothing I've found performs like those paints.   The coverage is amazing too... you can probably paint a whole boat with a quart or 2..

 

http://www.martinsenour-autopaint.com/products/system/crossfire-overall-refinish-system

[Way2slow]

When bream fishing close to beds or where I don't won't to make noise, I lay a piece of that cheap boat carpet from home depot in the bottom of mine to deaden the sound of weights dropped and movement, but could care less about any kind of bling to make it look "pretty".  Don't even leave that carpet in, only use it under those certain circumstances.

 

What do that sayin the antique world, you don't won't to destroy the patina.  People actually clear coat faded out and rusty old cars just to preserve that look.

 

A for painting, what little aluminum I have painted, Mostly outboard motors, I've always primed it with (aluminum oxide) (OOPS,) we are priming not grinding, meant to say zinc chromate  primer.  I think that's about the only way you can get most paints to stay on bare aluminum. 

[00 mod]

That bed liner stuff is HEAVY as far as paint goes!  Just an FYI

 

Jeff

[Catt]

That bed liner stuff is HEAVY as far as paint goes! Just an FYI

Jeff

Slick when wet

[Catt]

Surface Prepartion of Aluminum for Painting

Sand paper: 80-100 grit

Scotch Brite Hand Pads; part #7447

Conversion coating: acid etch primer (zinc chromate), alodine/chemfilm

Paint: automotive or marine grade polyurethane

Steps

010: Clean the aluminum with a good cleaner using Scotch-Brite pads to remome all dirt, old paint, and oxidation.

020: When sanding I prefer 80-100 grit it gives better "tooth" and paint adhension. Sanding must be taken into the best previously adhered surface in order ro have the new coat hold properly. Start with an orbital sander, finish by hand with scotch brite pads. Rinse thoroughly with clean water, let dry completely.

030: Apply acid etch primer (Zinc Chromate)/Alodine/Chemfilm following the mixing and applications to the letter.

040: Within 24 hrs of applying the etch primer, apply topcoat.