Paintless Propellor

[andrewkafp]

I have tried several times to paint the fin and prop of my Outboard. I have sanded it back to metal, used "Etch" Primer and OB paint, only to have the propellor tips and 2" of the base of the fin stripped back to metal by the sand and water. I was almost ready to give up when I thought that if I polished that alloy up real smooth and gave it a couple of coats of hard clear Nitro laquer, she would look nice and only need an occasional re-coat. I have seen a raw alloy lower unit on a brand new high performance Merc at a boat show.<br />Does anyone know what the exact metal these components are made of ? and how well they would buff up with a bit of elbow grease and alloy polish ? Any problems in doing it ??

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Paintless Propellor

hello<br /> now there is a novel approach. I dont know about your prop. it could be aluminium or stainless. the skeg on the lower is aluminium. yes they will all polish. just may take some cool refreshing beverages and a bit of time.<br /> good luck and go for it

 

[andrewkafp]

Re: Paintless Propellor

Hi Rodbolt..<br /><br />Well it's not really novel.. Coz someone on Iboats raised it once. Don't remember who.<br />They are both alloy, and I think they will buff up nice (Already got all paint off). This goes back to my youth and polishing those mag wheels to within an inch of their life... <br />But I know there will be maintainence.. as the clear laquered surface will soon be scratched and pitted. But.. the advantage is that it will remain the same colour.. and all I will need to do is give it a bit of a buff and a quick squirt with clear laquer between uses.<br />All sounds good in theory.. anyway.

 

[sloopy]

Re: Paintless Propellor

It is fine if you trailer your boat, If it is kept in salt water near other boats interesting things start to happen, and your sacrificial anodes won't be a big help.

 

[andrewkafp]

Re: Paintless Propellor

Well.. I removed the propellor nut and lock. And guess what.. The prop just slid off in my hand. What a stroke of luck The previous owner was into preventative maintainence and the prop spline was nicely greased. Anyway, I sanded and highly polished the fin and prop and they look like stainless. Next is to give them 4-5 coats of clear laquer. Point taken about the corrosion, but the boat is always trailered and garaged.Also,the propeller and fin spend 95% of their life unpainted, because as soon as they are put into the water and used, the primer and outer coat is stripped off.

 

[Ross J]

Re: Paintless Propellor

I've been there and done that with the prop any way. I gave up in the end as our beaches and esturies all gave the same outcome. As soon as the prop starts spinning the small sand particles make short work of taking the paint off. I've even backed the boat away from a jetty then tilted the outboard up just to see if the paint was gone and some of it was already worn off.<br />Oddly it was the back of the blades that wore first - the low pressure side!!<br />Now I just go with the aluminium look!<br />Ross

 

[andrewkafp]

Re: Paintless Propellor

Don't wanna make too much of a small issue.. But it's the same here. One slight brush with a bit of sand and that's that. But at least it will remain the same colour now (Alloy). The clear is just to provide a coating to minimise oxidization.