Painting over paint on aluminum boat?

[mp_2008]

I know what most of you guys will probably say. It won't as durable as taking it to bare aluminum, etching, priming and repainting. But the paint job on the boat now is in pretty good shape. No chipping and is only worn on the bottom rib that runs from the bow to the stern. It has a few spots where it has been touched up with a spray can, which is noticeable and the main reason I want to repaint it. I'd like to just paint over it all inside and out before I put my floor in but want some opinions. I take car of the boat, it gets tied to a dock and not pulled up onto shore so it won't see wear that way. Beside the spray painted touch ups it's the original paint from what I can tell inside and out. If I paint over, what kind of Paint will be the most durable and should I use a below waterline and above waterline paint or just one kind of paint? Here's a pic I have right now, it's dark out so I can't get pics of the whole boat until tomorrow. Thoughts and suggestions?

 

[fishrdan]

I know what most of you guys will probably say. It won't as durable as taking it to bare aluminum, etching, priming and repainting.

Nope.... If the paint is stuck on the boat and not lifting, scuff it and paint over the original paint. Sticking some masking tape on the paint, leave it for an hour, then rip it off. If the paint sticks to the boat and the tape pulls away clean, you're good to leave the original paint.

Besides, bare aluminum is difficult to paint correctly; scuff, etch, prime with ZC or etching primer, prime, paint. Or, etch and alodine...... Either way is going to be a huge pain to do a complete boat.

You'll want to feather sand any exposed aluminum scratches, then prime the bare aluminum with ZC or etching primer.

Zinc chromate primer is better than etching primer, but also more expensive and harder to find.

 

[mp_2008]

Thanks for the thoughts. Any advice on what kind of paint to use? Enamel? Would it be worth using above and below waterline paint? Should I use a clear coat?

 

[Woodonglass]

You might want to take a look at this... Paint Your Boat with Tractor Paint.

Lots of iBoaters have used these methods...