# Duck Boat Paint



## lestat (Oct 27, 2007)

Yesterday i got my hands on a low priced 15ft flat bottom aluminum boat. This will hopefully be my duck boat. It needs some TLC, I am thinking about refinishing it. Has anyone ever refinished a aluminum boat? If so what paint primer did you use, I want to paint it OD green I believe its called, then get a few cattail stenciled in. What do you guys think? There is also a rivet that needs to be fixed. Whats the best way to take care of it?

Thanks in advance for all the input!


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## soggybtmboys (Feb 24, 2007)

I did mine a few years ago, and the prep is key. Lighty sand the boat down and wipe it down with acetone after you do the sanding, just like you would prep an aluminum arrow for fletching. Get a good marine paint primer made for aluminum and prime it real well. Let it dry good, then paint with a good marine paint. Mine has lasted for about 4 years now and not a single problem.

I also had a buddy paint his boat the same time I did mine. He sanded, did not clean with acetone, and used no primer. The first time he took his boat out, all the paint from the water line down peeled right off.


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## lestat (Oct 27, 2007)

soggybtmboys said:


> I
> I also had a buddy paint his boat the same time I did mine. He sanded, did not clean with acetone, and used no primer. The first time he took his boat out, all the paint from the water line down peeled right off.


Ouch!! marine paint ins't cheap either!!


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## Zero1 (Feb 21, 2008)

I have used a paint by "kush paint" located in roseville.mi my father
used this paint 20yrs ago ! on his boat and i bought the same paint 
matched great . prep was a piece of scotch brite , the also make
a aluma primer for boats , it was great price 18-22 a gallon when i bought it .... good luck


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## waxico (Jan 21, 2008)

Hey Vampire~
I have painted many. What you need to do is sandblast to bare metal, and use ONLY Zinc Chromate primer. Nothing else will work.
Then, I usually roll good quality duck boat paint on. It levels nicely, and you don't have to screw around with spraying.
Kush paint is the best.
Good luck


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## Woody80 (Oct 18, 2000)

You can also go the cheap way and just buy 3-4 cans of Krylon camo paint. All I did was wash the boat good (I didn't sand it first) and then painted it. Of course it has scape marks and stuff, but if you don't want to spend the money or don't have that much time, you can go the cheap-o route.


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## Shlwego (Sep 13, 2006)

Using a good _aluminum rated_ primer is the key. There are a couple of good sources for duck boat paint. Parker makes a whole line of duck boat colors and you can buy direct from them online. You'll find their decoy, duck boat, and camo paint here: http://www.parkercoatings.com/decoy.html

Also, closer to home, you could get ahold of Lou Tisch at Lock, Stock, and Barrell in Clinton Township. He sells duck boat paint and is really knowledgable when it comes to duck boat projects. Here's the link: http://www.eallendecoys.com/

Good luck!


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## Quack Wacker (Dec 20, 2006)

This might be a little off topic, but I just finished all the flat surfaces in my duck boat with OD Green Rhino Liner and it is bad ass. :coolgleam A kit will cost you about $80 though....


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## 1fish (Oct 2, 2006)

Woody80 said:


> You can also go the cheap way and just buy 3-4 cans of Krylon camo paint. All I did was wash the boat good (I didn't sand it first) and then painted it. Of course it has scape marks and stuff, but if you don't want to spend the money or don't have that much time, you can go the cheap-o route.


Another vote for the inexpensive route...

Spend 20 minutes washing it w/soap and water then go to town with the spray cans. By no means will this last as long or be as durable as the more involved methods of sanding, sandblasting, priming, etc. But you also can do it for much lower cost, have it look just as good (at first at least) and it'll still last you a season or two. If you do get scrapes, scratches etc, it's easy enough to pull out the spray can and touch it up during the season. Not to mention that during the actual hunting part of it all, you're not nearly as paranoid about nicks, scratches, scrapes, etc.

Also, it gives you a fun project to look forward to each year or two. Or am I the only one that really really likes doing camo paint jobs on things???


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## everlast1 (Nov 9, 2006)

PETIT makes a good oil based paint in Marsh grass and Dead grass colors


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## jiggineyes (Feb 19, 2005)

Rustoleum just came out with camo paints last year. They come in 4 or 5 diff colors! Make some stencils and go to town!


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## BVG (Nov 18, 2004)

I had mine primed by a friend who owns an auto body shop. The primer he used is for aluminum and they added Phosphoric Acid to it. The acid etches the metal and the bond is great. I have not lost any primer in 8 years of hard service. The primer just happened to be marsh puke brown and made a great base color to stencil over. I also spent a full day scrubbing the boat with a scotch brite before I had it painted. Enough paint to cover a 16 foot boat twice was about $400.00.


For a topcoat I use three different colors of Rustoleum camo paint. I use a handful of Foxtail for a stencil. Just hold the Foxtail against the boat and spray the paint through it. It makes a great pattern. The only problem is the Rustoleum does come off in places of high traffic like the seats. However, it is an easy fix. I just grab some Foxtail and give it a touch up each fall.


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## grouly925 (Dec 6, 2006)

Another vote for cheap route. It all depends on what the boat is to begin with. We bought a 14' flat bottom for only $500 and didn't want to sink much into it. Went to our local unclaimed freight shop/salvage shop and bought some military paint and rolled it on. We bought it by the gallon and have only gone through about half of the gallon. Sure once in a while we have to touch some areas up, but I think we have about $40 into our paint including the case of Bud Light we drank while doing it :lol:! We do most of our touch up work with the spray bombs of camo paint. After 4 years of doing that it has its own unique pattern and blends well with any natural cover.


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## dlbaldwin01 (Jan 12, 2008)

I would probably go the cheap route. Just bought a gallon of flat marine enamel from Lou at lock stock and barrell and it is $49 a gallon. I'm sure it will hold up well but may be a little pricey too buy enough for a large boat.


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## greenheadsmacker (Aug 14, 2008)

I bought a 14' aluminum boat 3 years ago. I sanded it down with my rotary sander and some fine emery cloth. I went to the local army/navy surplus store and bought a gal of BLP Mobile Paint in olive drab latex ($29). I rolled it on and brushed where I had to. Then I ordered the stencil kit from Cabelas. I used the whole gallon of paint doing the inside and out. The only place the paint needed a touch up in 3 years was some of the floor and the gunnel's from people getting in and out and the dog baleing out. I think it would have held up better there if I had sanded it better or etched with some muratic acid. Other than that it's holding up fine. You can see pictures of it in my post on this forum. It's on page 2 titled "Pictures from last weekend-Great hunt!"


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## JUSTCATCHINUM (Feb 19, 2004)

Zero1 said:


> I have used a paint by "kush paint" located in roseville.mi my father
> used this paint 20yrs ago ! on his boat and i bought the same paint
> matched great . prep was a piece of scotch brite , the also make
> a aluma primer for boats , it was great price 18-22 a gallon when i bought it .... good luck


Actually it was 35 years ago with on touch up coat about 7 years ago. Kush makes great paint. They have supplied boat and decoy paint for many years. They have a mulituude of color charts to match your needs. No I dont work for them, I just know the quality of paint they make.

Justcatchinum.


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## 2001rotax800 (Jul 30, 2004)

Zero1 said:


> I have used a paint by "kush paint" located in roseville.mi my father
> used this paint 20yrs ago ! on his boat and i bought the same paint
> matched great . prep was a piece of scotch brite , the also make
> a aluma primer for boats , it was great price 18-22 a gallon when i bought it .... good luck


 
I just Bought 2 gallons form Kush $12 a gallon for oil based ultra flat dead grass color. They make a big batch once a year in the fall for the hunters. I beleive it is a bunch of left over stuff they mix together. Every year is a little different color, but for $12 a gallon you cannot beat it.:yikes:

I am painting my new 1645 jon boat after I fix the hole. Very good deal on the paint!!!!!


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## rochesterhunter (Feb 7, 2006)

iv had pretty good luck cleaning with easy off oven cleaner and painting with oil based marine paint that i picked up at the army surplus store


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## lestat (Oct 27, 2007)

Thanks for all the input. Its much appreciated!!


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