Premium Paint for big aluminum boat

N

NathanY

Commander
Joined
Mar 16, 2002
Messages
2,408
Browsing through the iboats store, there are many many brands and types of paint. Which paint would be best for an aluminum boat? I'm having it professionally sprayed, but my and auto painter. I called 25 different places in my area and no one can refer me to a marine painter that does aluminum boats, only gel coat. I've read this forum and keep seeing Rustoleum. Looking for advice on brands that can be used below water line as well as topside, UV stabilized, and very durable. Powder coating isn't an economical option although it was my first choice.
 
N

NathanY

Commander
Joined
Mar 16, 2002
Messages
2,408
One more thing, paint will not be on bare metal. Using a primer for aluminum boats.
 
jbcurt00

jbcurt00

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 25, 2011
Messages
25,109
Big boat will be slipped, semi-permanently?

Or trailered every day?

Week or so once a year, docked?
 
jbcurt00

jbcurt00

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 25, 2011
Messages
25,109
NathanY said:
One more thing, paint will not be on bare metal. Using a primer for aluminum boats.
Click to expand...

What primer?

Many paint 'families' work best when all the paint stages are from the same line.
 
N

NathanY

Commander
Joined
Mar 16, 2002
Messages
2,408
I'm going to use the Super Marine SM-787 Mono epoxy primer. When I said big aluminum, I was meaning that its not a jon boat. Its an 18' Smoker Craft.
 
Ned L

Ned L

Commander
Joined
Sep 17, 2008
Messages
2,268
Yep,.... You say "big boat"..... How big?? If you are really talking about a good size boat I would suggest consulting some yards that work on things like "Burgers", etc.
 
gm280

gm280

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
14,605
Post some pictures of this boat and we can better see what you are dealing with.
 
H

harleyman1975

Ensign
Joined
May 12, 2003
Messages
959
I know for a fact that Lund boats used Automotive urethane enamel like ppg concept single stage this would be DCU prefix I believe. I have been using Asko-Nobel Lessonol base/clear on the boats I have painted for my customers for the last 15 years. No comebacks yet. plan on spending between $600-$900 for paint primer reducer ect...
 
N

NathanY

Commander
Joined
Mar 16, 2002
Messages
2,408
harleyman1975 said:
I know for a fact that Lund boats used Automotive urethane enamel like ppg concept single stage this would be DCU prefix I believe. I have been using Asko-Nobel Lessonol base/clear on the boats I have painted for my customers for the last 15 years. No comebacks yet. plan on spending between $600-$900 for paint primer reducer ect...
Click to expand...

What do you think of the Super Marine brand of paints? They have quite a few Mil-Spec paints and primers. For $6-900 I would be better off powder coating. Problem with that is there is only one place in the Fort Worth area that has an oven big enough, I would have to disassemble the transom, and remove any other flammables. Lots of work. Can you tell me more about using auto paint on it? How well will it hold up? I will put a keel shield on it so beaching wont be that big of deal, but I do worry about the roller trailer that it sits on.
 
Weep'n Willy

Weep'n Willy

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 12, 2012
Messages
831
NathanY said:
Can you tell me more about using auto paint on it? How well will it hold up? I will put a keel shield on it so beaching wont be that big of deal, but I do worry about the roller trailer that it sits on.
Click to expand...

Used auto on mine, base coat/clear coat. Two years later still looking like it was just applied. I trailer my rig on a roller trailer and no problems on the bottom side from the rollers and I try to get her out every weekend during the season. Zinc Chromate/primer coat/3 coats base/2 coat clear. My buddy that owned an auto resto shop did the mixing and calculations. To me well worth the cost as she turns a lot of heads and many comments.
 
Woodonglass

Woodonglass

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 29, 2009
Messages
25,929
Sooooo, do you really want to spend $600-900 bucks for a paint job on your fishing Boat???
 
H

harleyman1975

Ensign
Joined
May 12, 2003
Messages
959
. $600-$900 only covers materials. Labor would probably be another $2000 to prep properly and refinish. I would expect the paint to hold up as well as the factory paint did. ANY paint will eventually start to blister below the water line especially around seams and rivets. above the water line a properly cared for boat should look like new for 10-15 years perhaps longer. The sun will tend to fade any single stage paints but good quality base/clear can be polished back to life in an afternoon. The only enemy of Good quality paint is dock rash or being covered without washing dirt/dust off first. The only marine paint I am familiar with is Interlux which is a good product but only single stage (not base/clear). I only am mentioning the high end paint because you appear to be contemplating spending the money to have it professionally refinished.
 
Last edited:
Woodonglass

Woodonglass

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 29, 2009
Messages
25,929
I only mentioned the costs because a lot of our members have used good ole' Rustoleum or Majic Tractor Paint.(Oil Based Acrylic Enamel)with the added Hardener(thus making it like a two part auto paint) and have had excellent results. Very High Gloss, Very durable finish, Fast cure times. You can also apply Clear Coat to it it if desired but most do not, thus making it much easier for the inevitable touch ups especially below the water line. Your costs would be at least 1/3 that of the SuperMarine or Interlux products. You could buy a really nice fish locator with the money saved!!!! But I AM just and Old Dumb Okie so you must take that into consideration!!!!

Paint Your Boat with Tractor Paint...Say What!!!
eek.gif
 
N

NathanY

Commander
Joined
Mar 16, 2002
Messages
2,408
Woodonglass said:
I only mentioned the costs because a lot of our members have used good ole' Rustoleum or Majic Tractor Paint.(Oil Based Acrylic Enamel)with the added Hardener(thus making it like a two part auto paint) and have had excellent results. Very High Gloss, Very durable finish, Fast cure times. You can also apply Clear Coat to it it if desired but most do not, thus making it much easier for the inevitable touch ups especially below the water line. Your costs would be at least 1/3 that of the SuperMarine or Interlux products. You could buy a really nice fish locator with the money saved!!!! But I AM just and Old Dumb Okie so you must take that into consideration!!!!

Paint Your Boat with Tractor Paint...Say What!!!
eek.gif
Click to expand...

Where at in OK? I'm in TX, Fort Worth. I just got it back from having it media blasted. They used crushed glass and it left a nice etch. That should give it a good mechanical bond. I'm going to wash it with Eastwood After Blast, then put a good wash primer on it before I put the epoxy primer. That should give it a good chemical bond. Super Marine makes a one part primer that is supposed to bet real good. The wash primer has chromates in it to deal with the corrosion.

Could be that I'm over thinking this. Smoker Craft only uses a zinc chromate primer then top coat. Is there any difference in the Rustoleum zinc chromate primer that is $60 a gallon and the Super Marine zinc chromate that is $187 a gallon?
 
Woodonglass

Woodonglass

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 29, 2009
Messages
25,929
Broken Arrow. Burb of Tulsa.
IMO they're all the same but it's usually best to stay with the same family of paint.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top