Aluminum boat paint

[Mr. Ed]

Does anyone of any suggestions for a good "do it yourself" paint for an aluminum boat. Would like to go camo, but all suggestions are helpful.

[River_eye]

Are you looking for a specific brand or design ideas?

River eye

[Mr. Ed]

I am looking for a brand. I have heard that Imron is excellent but you need to have a pro apply it. I am looking for something that will last, but I can do.

[Box]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-03-01 AT 00:47AM (CST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Mar-03-01 AT 00:46*AM (CST)

Not sure how professional you want it, but we have used the camo paint you get at any sporting good stores (gander, Galyans, Joes, etc.) in either spray cans or quarts to do our duck boats. One of these boats is a 16' alumacraft with 50hp, so more fishing boat used for duck hunting. It turned out quite well.

We have also done two other duck boats, 14' and 16' and they are holding up great as well. One has 4 years of duck hunting and dragging it through cattails and woods and mud. It needs primer to hold well.

We first cleaned the aluminum and buffed it a bit, then used auto primer (we got from neighbor painter, so don't know the brand - it was his old stuff...). My brother used a roller to apply the primer, but it got some slight fuzz in areas - the dummy should have used a different roller. We used a Wagner power painter to apply the paint. The quarts are oil paint and went on great and quickly.

We then created stencils out of beer case cardboard. It looks great now. Blends into cattails and reeds great, and even looks good while fishing.

For 16'4" boat, painting the inside (except floor) and the out side down to just below water line, it took about 3.5 quarts of oil based paint. I don't have a picture or I'd send it to you.

If you are interested in seeing it, send me email and I can take pic and send it to you. My email is
cboxmeyer@qwest.net

Good luck!

Box
MN

[River_eye]

I know that my dad has repainted his 14 ft. lund many times (it's 22 years old) and some paints stayed, and some didn't. The generic spraypaints from the hardware store didn't last, so he went to a car paint shop and they were able to give him a couple cans of some quality stuff that lasted a bit longer. Sorry, don't know the brand name.

River eye

[Terry/JNR]

No matter what brand of paint you use, properly preparing the old surface is the most important.
Thoroughly wash. Sand and scuff till all shiny surface is gone. Spray at least one full coat of etching primer. This is available even in spray cans at all auto paint stores. It will stick well to both bare aluminum and old paint. If it sits for more than 24 hrs, rescuff and prime where needed. A midcoat adheasion promotor is available at all automotive paint stores carring Dupont paints if the job takes you several days.

[Mr. Ed]

Thanks for all your help.