Help figuring out prepping aluminum boat please!

Hello, i just began stripping my newly purchased 14' starcraft aluminum, not quiete done, but when i am done i am going to rebuck the rivets with a hammer on each side seal and use self etching primer then paint. My question is do i use the sealant, before the primer? or primer before sealant?

thanks alot for your help and merry xmas

Re: Help figuring out prepping aluminum boat please!

I would skip the sealer myself, if you are going to rebuck the whole boat it really isn't needed but do the sealer first then the primer, if you go the other way around the primer will block offwhere the seaer should go.

Don't know if you have bucked rivets before but you don't need or want to go nuts on them, 2 decent whacks will seal them and any more than that may actually make them leak.

You should probably get it on some saw horses and get few inches of water in it to see if it even leaks at all, no sense banging on a good boat and possibly making problems.

And with the primer, again assuming you have never used it, it isn't primer in the classic sense like grey primer that covers and fills, etching is mearly a coating as long as you cover everything at all you are good, it doesn't need to be thick.

Good luck and you have a fine holiday also

Re: Help figuring out prepping aluminum boat please!

If you're going to rebuck your rivets instead of replacing the weak loosened ones that leak I suggest you apply the Gluvit sealer to the inside of the boat per manufacturers instructions.

Rebucking weak loose rivets is a temporary fix that you will have to keep doing over and over and you don't want to have to rebuck rivets with a nice painted hull, at least with the Gluvit you'll have a backup to help keep your boat from leaking again.

The best fix is to replace your leaking rivets with new ones and then apply the Gluvit to the inside for backup on the rivets you didn't replace.

Re: Help figuring out prepping aluminum boat please!

I had an aluminum jon boat that was leaking and tried to fix it with 5200. jigngrub had advised me to use Gluvit and he was absolutely right. I finally sold the boat and now have a fiberglass 13' jon.

Re: Help figuring out prepping aluminum boat please!

I agree with the Gluvit on the inside. Re-buck them rivets and replace the bad ones. You can use closed end pop rivets instead of the solid rivets if you want.

Strip the outside with aircraft paint stripper. Take a scotch brite pad and remove any loose paint. Use a stiff bristle brush and some dishsoap and scrub the heck out of the hull. Then prep for painting.

I swear by Zinc Chromate for an etching primer. Two cans should do a 14 footer. Use safety precautions and get a respirator, that stuff is toxic.

Re: Help figuring out prepping aluminum boat please!

+1 on the above suggestions.

When you go to paint, check out Tractor Supply Co. for a good selection of oil base enamel colors and good prices. They also sell a hardener that will make the paint tougher. Heck, you could even paint it John Deere green if you wanted.

Re: Help figuring out prepping aluminum boat please!

Bamaman1 said:

+1 on the above suggestions.

When you go to paint, check out Tractor Supply Co. for a good selection of oil base enamel colors and good prices. They also sell a hardener that will make the paint tougher. Heck, you could even paint it John Deere green if you wanted.

Click to expand...

FYI
Be advised that hardener has isocyantes in it. Unless you use a fresh air system for breathing you could ingest iso's. I used professional Rustoleum and rolled it on. Actually I used Ace Hardware's Rust Stop wich is re-branded Rusto. They can tint to any color, and I did not use hardeners in it. I'm going to get a Hobby Air fresh air source so I can start spraying paint with hardener in it.

Re: Help figuring out prepping aluminum boat please!

You can Roll n' Roll Tractor Supply's MAJIC Paint with hardener an get Fantastic results.
Check this out...

LakeLovers 1964 Starcraft "Jet Star"

Re: Help figuring out prepping aluminum boat please!

Wow that looks really nice is your paint job really solid?

I used Tractor Supply Paint, Valspar Tractor and Implements on my trailer with the hardener this summer, and I dont know if I am asking to much from my paint job but I was not to happy with its durability.

Just from me tightening bolts and mounting bunk brackets back on the trailer I'd get chips or little knock spots if i bumped it with my socket wrench.

Now when I prepped for paint i just hit it with a sand paper wheel on an angle grinder to take off surface rust and the old paint. I didnt get it down to shiny silver metal again, maybe thats some of my problem?

I used the Rust Protector Primer then brushed on the paint after adding hardener.