I just bought my first boat, a 1997 War Eagle 1648 (aluminum hull). It still has the factory camo paint and War Eagle decals, and the paint is in decent shape for a 25-year-old boat. However, there are a few places where there is some minor corrosion, but fortunately it seems to be contained and limited to small areas. There are also the normal scratches, wear and tear from 25 years of use. There is some shiny, bare aluminum in some spots on the transom where the paint has worn off. It was likely exposed to treated wood (plywood floor and trailer bunks) at some point. If I was only going to use the boat in freshwater, I would leave the paint as it is. However, I do plan to use the boat for some inshore fishing in tidal creeks/marshes where it will be exposed to salt/brackish water. The boat will be trailered when not fishing. It will not be sitting in the water for extended periods of time at a dock. I would mostly be fishing freshwater, but would be traveling to the coast several times per year for inshore fishing.
I’m looking for advice on painting the boat. I’ve been doing some research online, talked to a guy who paints boats, and talked to a few sales reps from companies that sell marine paints. The problem is I’ve gotten conflicting info.
I’ve been told three completely contradictory approaches:
Paint the entire boat with topside paint.
Paint the entire boat with anti-fouling/bottom paint.
Paint the bottom of the boat with anti-fouling paint, and paint everything else (exterior sides above waterline, interior sides, floor, etc.) with topside paint.
I want to protect my investment from salt exposure, corrosion, etc. but I want to keep it as simple as possible. So, if I can get away with using the same paint for the entire boat it would be ideal. But some say the topside paint won’t hold up on the bottom of the boat. But…it also seems like the anti-fouling paint might be overkill since the boat will not be docked in the water for long periods of time. I also want a matte/flat finish, not glossy and I don’t want a two-tone boat (one color on bottom, and another above water line).
For you guys who fish aluminum jon boats in the salt, what do you use to paint/protect your boats? Specific brands/names would be helpful. Or am I overthinking it…should I just go with the factory paint that is still on the boat and not worry about it?
I have a 1987 Jon boat that i have repainted twice over the years with Rustoleum both times. I have also redone the bunks both times with treated lumber & carpet. It has also gotten bare spots here & there from rubbing docks, rocks, beaches, logs, & so on. It has seen just as much salt as it has fresh water. Never had any issues with the hull & still no leaks to this day.
I’d simply paint the areas that are exposed and be done with it.
Take it to a car wash bay with a pressure wand after you pull it from the salt and rinse it down, and then as soon as you get to a freshwater lake just back it down a ramp and let it sit for a few minutes to get the missed areas… Also, run the motor for a little bit…
One thing I forgot to mention…I bought just the boat and trailer, no motor. Right now it’s just a completely bare, stripped down hull. So, I’m thinking if there was ever a time to do a full repaint job it’s now. It will be a lot bigger job after motor, trolling motor, accessories, wiring, floor, casting deck, etc. get added to the boat. I’d have to remove all that stuff if I wait until later to paint it. The only problem is, I have no idea how I would get a 400 pound boat off of the trailer and flipped over so that I can paint the bottom.
My concern would be to stop the rust spots it’s like cancer.
Paint is cheap maintenance.
If you can’t borrow boat jacks you can hook chain or good rope to a tree then to your transom and pull it off on blocks. A 400 lb boat can be tilted enough to paint the bottom without flipping.
Thanks, Bayrider. It’s not rust…it’s some other type of corrosion. I’m not sure exactly what it is. But I totally agree that the main concern is to stop and contain any corrosion, whatever kind it is. I figured I could just sand those areas to clean up the corrosion and then treat with some type of corrosion inhibitor/primer…would that be sufficient?
aluminum boats can’t just be painted and be done with. Especially in salt water. The problem is how aluminum oxidizes so quickly. You need the zinc oxide yellow paint and do one section at a time take it to bare metal and sink oxide that section quickly. Then after you get the whole boat done it will need some dry time before applying the color coat. If you don’t do it this way and the boat flexes and cracks the paint oxygen will corrode the aluminum and your boat will look like it has acne. Marine paints have flex agents to keep the cracks from happening
Have you had any issues with the treated lumber? My understanding is that treated wood should not be used anywhere in contact with aluminum (such as a carpet tear in a trailer bunk or making a floor out of treated plywood). The chemicals/copper used to treat the wood can damage/corrode aluminum.
I have treated wood bunks covered in indoor outdoor carpet sprayed with Pledge polish and the wood lasts longer than the carpet lasts. Polish makes the boat slide off easy
Aluminum does not rust it oxidizes into a whitish grey powder. Quickly!! I mean with in an hour. I tig weld and it’s difficult to weld oxidized aluminum because aluminum oxide is one of the hardest things on earth!
I have never had any issues with the Boat or Lumber / Carpet.
BUT
I do not leave it in the saltwater. The longest it has ever stayed in saltwater at one time is over night tied up to a dock.
Also, anytime I go in salt I always try to stop by a carwash & rinse everything off good.
Be sure to use a self etching primer! I’ve painted several aluminum botes over the years, and the primer on them is bond for the paint. And, yes, the chemicals in the current selection of “treated wood” does, indeed, corrode aluminum. That’s why we went back to galvanized flashing, in construction.
When the new pressure treated lumber is come in contact with aluminum it is electrolysis .
I can’t say the word much less spell it the chemical they treat lumber with nowadays. But I believe it’s some type of derivative from copper.
Don’t overthink your paint job. Scuff your existing paint any bare spots sand till shiny put etching primer were you signed up the aluminum and then paint the whole boat with a good quality enamel paint.
IDK about treated wood and aluminum but I do know there’s 2 kinds of treated wood when before 2004 there was only 1 CCA chromated copper arsenic which you can still use for docks where water touches if humans are going to be in contact you must use CAB copper azole but both have a form of copper. Can’t burn them especially CCA a couple teaspoons of ashes will kill a cow.
Used to be able to use TBT paint on boats but they banned that too except for spray cans for lower units. Now all the bottom paints are copper base.
Most stuff banned here is still used in other countries but it makes the EPA feel important.
