Painting

[Fullspectrum]

I picked up a 16 ft aluminum boat over the weekend, which I would like to repaint as soon as this cold weather moves out.

I’ve been searching all over the net as well as local stores for proper equipments and somewhat know what needs to be done, but I’d like to get some feedbacks from the people here.

My questions in regards to…what type of sandpaper to use, primer, paint, using a roller vs spray to put paint on, cold vs warmer temperature to paint, and any other you could think of.

Thanks!

[Darryl Morris]

An option in the opposite direction - strip the paint and then use Alumabrite to make it showroom new.

[Fullspectrum]

I was wondering…

It’s currently -8 degrees with a killer wind chill and it’s not going to get warm any time soon. I want to start sanding this 16 footer down, but was unsure if it will be wise to let the boat sit around with bare aluminum in this cold dry weather. I don’t think I’ll get around to painting any time soon, because recommendations for painting is around 60 degrees or so…well that’s what I picked up from somewhere. Reason I want to get an early jump start is because I’d like to get this baby out on the water when the ice is out for early Walleye fishing.

Is it wise to start sanding this boat down in the conditions I’m faced with or should I wait till it gets warmer?

[SUNDROP]

Weather wont hurt bare aluminum. Most you'll get is a little oxidation that will scotchbrite right off when you've finished prepping the boat. Are you just smoothing out the old paint or stripping it to metal?

[Fullspectrum]

I just got this boat over the weekend and the previous owner painted it brown. It’s a bit faded in some area and there’s a bunch of scratch marks.

I’m planning to repaint it to a different color, so I need to remove the old paint. Now, I don’t want to remove it to bare metal if I really don’t need to in order to repaint. But from some of the sources I’ve found on the net…it seems like a lot of people go down to the aluminum.

I would like to get a good head start since I can’t use it just yet, so sanding now will save me some time. I remember reading somewhere that leaving it expose to the elements may have some negative affect to the new bare aluminum…now I’m not sure if that’s true or not…it was someone else’s opinion on a different site. I just don’t want to take any big risk that’s all.

Currently it’s cold as heck…in the negatives and it won’t warm up anytime soon. The boat is kept in a garage and will be worked on in there.

If it is okay to start sanding it down…I would start on it ASAP. I have to wait till it’s warmer to paint anyways.

[fish-wva]

it won't hurt a thing to start sanding now. i would get started right away. i did the same thing when i put carpet in my lazer. i did all the prep work in the winter and then used the glue when it turned warm. that way i didn't waste to mutch warm weather working on the boat.

[Fullspectrum]

Now, should I sand it down to bare aluminum or just get enough of the previous paint off so that the primer would stick on? What sand paper grit would be recommended for the job?

[Crappie Reaper]

I'm not sure how one should prep for paint, but I would suggest a flat black for the bottom and the waterline area. Seems that the black makes the boat appear to be nothing more than a shadow from below in the water. It could trick a savvy fish if moving slow enough.