My first Aluminum Boat (I am ready to try motor but have ?)

[Gumby]

I just picked up my first Aluminum boat and after seeing all the cool stuff you guys have done to your boats lets just say I was inspired. After selling a few of my other toys and my pelican 10ft buster boat and trailer I picked up a boat off craigs list for $550 with motor, trailer and the boat. I felt it wasn't a bad price since I got $500 for my old boat with only a troling motor and a pretty wore out trailer. I want to go all out on the inside since I cant afford a big bass boat at this time in my life so just want to feel like a nice boat. I want to deck the front and rear of the boat for swivel seats and maybe even put a steering console in later on depending on space and money. I am VERY VERY VERY open to any suggestions and advice I would rather learn from others mistakes even thought I will make plenty of my own along the way. Today after work I am going to pressure wash it real good and decide if I want to paint it.

What type of Paint is best to use on outside and inside of boat?

Do I need to sand all the way down if I paint it or just rought it up?

I am from San Antonio area so If anybody is from around there and they have a boat they fixed up and wouldnt mind letting me check it out let me know I like getting lots of Ideas.

Thanks ahead of time for any help you give me.

 

[Nevillizer]

:WELCOME: aboard. That was a good find. Good looking little fishing budy as well.

 

[Froggy]

Great boat, welcome and good luck!

 

[Truckmechanic]

Welcome. That motor looks like it is in great shape!

 

[BaitCaster]

Welcome. You will get plenty of ideas, inspiration and help on this site. Good deal on that rig for $500! It should make a great little fishing machine.

 

[Rat]

That is a good find for $500. Did I miss the size? You are welcome to come look at my rig whenever you please, but I may have some sanding for ya when you get here! :mrgreen:

Id that midseat movable? If so, that is pretty freakin' cool. Get 'er done and let's go to Calaveras for some Reds!

 

[Rat]

Also, on the painting questions, what type of finish are you looking for? just about every kind of paint that can be used has been used on this forum; from house porch paint to Sterling LPU. It really depends on the finish you want as to what type of paint you will use. Same with the primer and sanding. Some paints, like Parkers duck boat paint, cover old paint better than Sterling would due to the matte finish. If you want that bass boat finish it is going to take lots of sanding, faring and priming. Most people are happy somewhere in the middle tho.

 

[Loggerhead Mike]

Nice boat brother!

i need that motor

 

[Gumby]

Thanks for the welcoming I hope I can build mine to look like some of yours.

The boat is a 16ft dura craft like 1974 I would have to get title out to be sure but some where in there.

Hey Rat I have fished calavaras and I have never caught anything but catfish! Im not complaining but I do kind of suck at fishing also so any tips I can get that would be cool. Would be nice to catch my one TOKEN catfish that I always catch.

The little knuklehead yea shes a pretty good supervisor until she looses interest (see pic below) she also agreed to be first mate. She struck a hard deal it involved some cheerios and yogurt drops but shes in for the long hall.

Ok so tonight I came from work and tried preasure washing the boat hopeing the 1600psi would take all the paint off but no luck it did make a dent in it though. so I think a few hours this weekend with a pneumatic wire brush will help. i do need suggestions for the type of paint I dont want to break the brank with high dollor paint but dont want cheapest either. I would like to go white on top again and a dark grey on the bottom and prob will paint inside also white even though I will deck out the whole insdide with sub floor. Idead of @ cost of paint cause I do have thoughts of Powder coat but it will run bout 200-300 bucks.

I filled boat up with water after after preassure washing and only found a few small weaping rivits. The pic is off the worse ones after about 30 mins or 2 beers what ever came first. easyiest part of build so far sit and drink beer while fills up with water. I might just do it again tomorrow night it was so easy.

 

[MikeyBob365]

psh, calavaras... go to braunig! red fish (27" featured in my signature on my first trip out in the boat), stripers, and black bass! OH MY! and not too much farther!

Welcome aboard, I'm from S.A. as well! gettin my new project started here to!

i won't be too resourceful on building, but i do know braunig!! so if ya wanna know some spots be sure to PM me!

 

[Rat]

psh, calavaras... go to braunig! red fish (27" featured in my signature on my first trip out in the boat), stripers, and black bass! OH MY! and not too much farther!

Welcome aboard, I'm from S.A. as well! gettin my new project started here to!

i won't be too resourceful on building, but i do know braunig!! so if ya wanna know some spots be sure to PM me!

Cool, never been to braunig. Maybe we need to have a Central Texas TinBoats.net Redfish Rally!

 

[Gumby]

I am having issues finding paint. I want white for the top of the boat and the inside and maybe a blue or grey for the bottom. Only paints I can find is camo colors or this https://www.rustoleum.com/CBGBrand.asp?bid=13 it doesnt say its for aluminum though. Do I need to primer it also all I have been able to find is above the water primer also from rustoleum?

 

[Rat]

Here is the Primer I recommend for Alu., I have used it several times with no failures, just follow the application notes and it is easy.
Pettit Aluma-protect

I would use a good topside paint like Brightside by Interlux or, for the most gloss, one by Sterling. I have never used the Rust-oleum paints, but on the topside I think they would proly work; they have been making paint for a very long time. You can use these all the way down to the waterline.

For below water most paints are anti-fouling, which is great if you leave your hull in the water most of the time, which we don't. You could use a good two part epoxy paint on the bottom and be very well off. Also, you could use steelflex over the bottom, all the way to the waterline on the sides. Steelflex is just a twp part epoxy, nothing special really, not much different than a good two part epoxy paint with carbon added. Either way I would use a good ZC or SC primer on the bottom first; even though steelflex says you don't need it, it will improve the finish.

Start your shopping at West Marine to get an idea of what type of paints are best on different places of the hull, and then go from there. I get my paints from West Marine or boatbuildercentral.com.

 

[MikeyBob365]

Cool, never been to braunig. Maybe we need to have a Central Texas TinBoats.net Redfish Rally!

I'd defiantly be down!
Great posts on the paint, Rat, i'm about to get started painting mine as well.

 

[Gumby]

OK so its been a bit since I updated on progress on the boat for 2 reasons. First I have been working on the boat and second I work with computers all day its hard for me to bring myself to even turn on my laptop when I get home even harder after a few beers! So I have sanded down all the white paint and roughed up the green and covered it in a white poly paint I got from west marine bout 100 bucks for a gallon. I pretty much used what metal and aluminum I could find around work and at my buddies shop to frame it in. I used like 3/4 ply wood for the flooring and the casting deck I thompsons water sealed before carpeting. Cut the front casting deck out so I can build me a live well out of an ice chest and drop it in the hole. Next worked on the rear seating area and storage area for the gas tank and battery box for the rear of the boat. I plan to build storage areas in different areas along the sides and another as a step to the casting deck still to come. I still have to attach vertical pieces and also the whole back section down to the aluminum. I am using those stainless trim washers that take a tapered head screw over the carpet to hold it all down. Kind of dont like the screws being over the carpet but it makes it easy to replace pieces if needed and to work on, but with the trim rings it will look nice. This next week I am going to get it registered renew my trailer plates and prob take it down to a boat ramp somewhere just to put it in the water and see how she floats. I am kind of worried about all the weight I have added but figure its a decent size boat so should be OK. Any suggestions on things I should do or check on the motor before trying to start it up. I am going to try and file for a lost title on the motor also this week. Any of you in Texas ever been asked for registation info on the motor while fishing. I know most other states dont require titles on motor but Texas does just curios how often you are asked.

 

[masterofillusion]

Nice job. I am right behind you. Plan on painting mine next week, then finish the inside.

 

[Froggy]

Real neat job so far!

 

[wolfmjc]

cool boat and nice job!! like your fishin buddy! they grow up quick..... :shock:

 

[perchin]

Looking good man 8) very clean. Are you going to brace your sides, somewhere between the front deck and rear seat? Just some small little S braces would work.

 

[Gumby]

Do you think I need to brace the side? I didn't cut anything out of the middle and the bench was movable and it didnt seem to have that much strength the way it was mounted.

Do you think if I put side boxes down the inside attaching them to the very top under the top rail then to my plywood floor would stregthen it up?

What is the reason for the bracing to keep the boat spread open or for twist in the boat or for lack of better term horizontal strength?