Boat paint

[Limbcatcher54]

I would like to repaint my Jon boat. What paint did you folks use? Looking for brand, color, and photos if possible. Also as for decking, if I was to build it out of aluminum

angle, would pop rivets be sufficient in strength to use as fasteners? Any pics of that would be greatly appreciated as well.

[Way2slow]

Any good epoxy paint, but on aluminum, the paint is not as critical as the primer.  Zinc Chromate used to be the go-to primer for aluminum, but not sure it's still available.  It has been years since I've painted aluminum so do the homework on what's a good primer.  The two-part expoxy primer may work but haven't used it on aluminum, so can't say for sure.  If you don't sand down to bare metal, it would be best just to lightly scuff the paint on it and spray over that.  Bare metal will need to be primed though.

[J Francho]

There's several brands of aluminum boat paint you can find online.

[MN Fisher]

16 minutes ago, Limbcatcher54 said:

I would like to repaint my Jon boat. What paint did you folks use? Looking for brand, color, and photos if possible.

I haven't painted yet - still working on the interior...but the plan is to use Rust-Oleum in Smoke Grey

 

1 minute ago, Way2slow said:

Any good epoxy paint, but on aluminum, the paint is not as critical as the primer. 

Rust-Oleum has a good oil-based latex primer specifically for aluminum or galvanized.

 

21 minutes ago, Limbcatcher54 said:

Also as for decking, if I was to build it out of aluminum

angle, would pop rivets be sufficient in strength to use as fasteners?

Pop-rivets are entirely strong enough - check out Tiny Boat Nation or TinBoats.net for projects using pop-rivets

 

I'm using them for my current project in fact.

[Catt]

Surface Preparation of Aluminum for Painting

 

Sand paper: 80-100 grit

Scotch-Brite Hand Pads: part # 7447

Conversion coating: acid etch primer/Alodine/Chemfilm

Paint: automotive or marine grade polyurethane

Paint

Coating Stripper: Eldorado Solutions' DoradoTM Industrial Products part # 2021 or 5051

 

Steps

010: Clean the aluminum surface with a good cleaner using Scotch-Brite Hand Pads to remove all dirt, old paint and oxide from the surface. When sanding I prefer 80-100 grit it gives better tooth and paint adhesion.  Sanding must be taken into the best previously adhered surface in order to have the new coat of paint hold properly. Start with an orbital sander; finish by hand with Scotch-Brite Hand Pads. Rinse thoroughly with clean water & let dry completely.

020: Apply a coat of acid etch primer following the mixing and application instructions to the letter.

030: Within 24 hours of applying the etch primer, apply the topcoat finish.

[NoShoes]

For frame building pop rivets are just fine

 

If airplanes can be built with rivets, so can’t your frame lol. 

[Catt]

4 minutes ago, NoShoes said:

For frame building pop rivets are just fine

 

If airplanes can be built with rivets, so can’t your frame lol. 

 

Excuse me but pop rivet are frowned upon in the aerospace industry. & are used in limited areas.

 

Bolts, washers, nuts, & loctite is a better option & welded even better. 

[cyclops2]

Walked on decks ?  Must have some Exterior plywood underneath for enough strength.

[MN Fisher]

17 minutes ago, cyclops2 said:

Walked on decks ?  Must have some Exterior plywood underneath for enough strength.

And seal it - 2-part epoxy is best - exterior grade Spar Urethane is #2.

[NoShoes]

54 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

Excuse me but pop rivet are frowned upon in the aerospace industry. & are used in limited areas.

 

Bolts, washers, nuts, & loctite is a better option & welded even better. 

There are better options. But they’re definitely used. 

[MN Fisher]

Just now, NoShoes said:

Pop rivet ain’t anything but a blind rivet. 

Another blind rivet that I'm using to mount the support rail that runs along the inside of the hull is a brazer-head drive-rivet.

Exterior view after setting

 

Interior view after setting

[Limbcatcher54]

Perfect pictures. Thank you. N yes a walked on deck. Plan was aluminum angle 1/8” thick riveted together then treated or marine plywood overtop 

[MN Fisher]

13 minutes ago, Limbcatcher54 said:

Perfect pictures. Thank you. N yes a walked on deck. Plan was aluminum angle 1/8” thick riveted together then treated or marine plywood overtop 

1/16" aluminum, long as your supports are adequate, is just fine...that's what I'm using in my rebuild (check the thread I have linked in my signature)

 

Do NOT use pressure treated plywood. The chemicals they use will react with the aluminum.

 

Don't need to go to marine grade. ACX or BCX plywood, long as it's sealed properly, will work just fine at a much lower cost...and you'd still want to seal the marine grade.

[cyclops2]

Cut the plywood then seal it 

[MN Fisher]

4 minutes ago, cyclops2 said:

Cut the plywood then seal it 

Yep - hatch openings, shape to fit the space...don't forget to leave room if you're carpeting as the carpet should wrap around all edges and get attached on the 'back' side, so if you cut the hatch-covers too close they won't fit once the carpet is on

 

Once all the cutting/shaping is done...then seal all surfaces and edges.

[Way2slow]

I'm almost finished with my Lowe 1436.  I installed a MotorGuide X3 on the bow.  That was going to need a 24" mount so I just made a small 24" deck and since there is an upward slope at the bow, I raised the back of it about 3" so it would be level with the bottom of the hull.  I used a 1/4 sheet 1/2" BC plywood from Home Depot and fastened to the boat with 1/4-20 stainless steel rivnuts and 1/4-20 stainless screws.  Five across the top in front and four down each side into that round rail that goes around the top of the hull.  I put four rivnuts in a piece of stainless-steel plate and fastened that under the deck to hold the TM.  That way, to take it off, I just screw out four socket head screws without having to worry about holding anything or those rubber mounts ripping out.  I put several heavy coats of Polyurethane on any wood on the underside, and several coats of a 10-year Deck coating on top with the anti-skid sand stuff added to it.  All connecting points were donee with 1 1/4" angle.  

It's rock solid and should last the rest of my lifetime. 

Since the boat has no storage, I figure that would give me a small amount of dry storage as well as a mount for the TM.

[MN Fisher]

1 minute ago, Way2slow said:

I'm almost finished with my Lowe 1436.  I installed a MotorGuide X3 on the bow.

Keith - your description is close to the plan I have to install the Edge I'll be getting - including the rivnuts and 1/4-20s to secure the TM deck and the TM to the deck.

[Way2slow]

Well, I was going to post a picture, but it's getting almost possible for me to sign in without getting that Oops something went wrong.  This is my Dell and it doesn't have and SD slot for the camera's SD card.  

Forgot, I said I got a 1/4 sheet BC, I already had a small piece to do some of it.  That's the cutout laying in there for the door, but not sure I'm going to put it on.

OH, and don't depend on Lowe's color charts for picking a paint color.  On the chart, that looked Olive Drab.  

 

 

[MN Fisher]

1 minute ago, Way2slow said:

This is my Dell and it doesn't have and SD slot for the camera's SD card.

My old digital camera (Canon A710-IS) could connect to the PC with a USB cable (USB-A to Micro-USB) and I could download that way instead of having to haul the SD card out of the camera.

[Way2slow]

That $1,500 POS only has one ThunderBolt connector.  To make it where you can connect anything, you have to buy their $300 docking station.  When I ordered it, I didn't realize the all the limitations it has.  
I had a surface pro 3 I hated and cracked the digitizer on it and wasn't willing to spend $175 for a new digitizer to repair it.  Ordered this Dell XPS-13 2in1 touch screen with 11th gen Core7 processor and darned if I don't hate it more than that Surface.  I'm thinking about giving it to my granddaughter and trying again, but not with a DELL.

 

[MN Fisher]

1 minute ago, Way2slow said:

but not with a DELL.

Ouch - that sucks.

 

For portable computing - I'm still using the HP Mini-110 my wife got me for my birthday...11 years ago.

 

Dual-core Atom, 2gb ram - replaced the 320gb drive with a 1tb. Gone through three battery-packs...ya, can still get them...and one system fan. It's slow...but it still runs all my software on Win-7 Pro.

[Way2slow]

I have a 17" HP laptop, with the I7 processor I've been using for a bunch of years.  It was getting when you opened it, you have to move the screen back and fourth a to get it to clear up, where the contact points are so worn.  I figured I was about time to retire it and ordered that XPS.  I got the 13 because the 17 was so big sitting in my lap, and it was bigger than the Surface Pro 3, should have gotten a 15.  The HP doesn't have touch screen, and I need at least one with touch screen for signing documents etc.  

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, Way2slow said:

should have gotten a 15

You'd hate my Mini-110 - 10" screen...not touch capable.