Bought a new compressor (20CFM @ 90) last week, and media blasted the interior of the my hull.
I finished the blasting this past Sunday. I've wiped it down with white vinegar and acetone a few times this week. Boats stored indoors. Plan on painting this weekend.

I'm doing the same project on two boats right now. My Uncle J and my old Alweld.

My neighbor is the body shop manager for a Chevy dealer...but he's also a pretty big drunk outside of work. He came over to look at it and recommended from products - a self etching primer sprayed in a fine mist. 2 coats finishing at 60-70% coverage. He said follow that up with a a DP-40 epoxy primer. I think it's a PPG product. I looked into his stuff, and even buying it through him at 'cost', it was 500+ in material.

Before speaking to him, I had planned to use a zinc chromate or self etching primer. I was going to follow that up with some Duralux marine paint. Then a clear coat. I don't want to spend a fortune, but I want this to last a few years. I'm not real hard on the boat.

What ya think? Thoughts on Duralux?

I just used duralux with much less prep than you, and it's rock fuckin hard after curing for like a week (as long as it took with the humidity I'm experiencing). I used the aluminum paint (80/gallon) as a base/ primer and then the marine enamel (30/gallon) as a top coat. And then obviously camoed over that. And I rolled it on. Duralux aluminum paint I used as a base coat is a vinyl type paint, and it dries within a minute or two, and I would say would be shitty to spray and if you were able to thin it enough to spray, it might change the chemical properties of the paint. If I was you I'd roll that as a base, wait to cure, sand, and then spray the top coat if you want a nice finish.

Long story short, for the money I was happy!




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Ive got a gallon of aluminum boat green and a gallon of dead grass green. I've sprayed the dead grass in the past with success. I know that the aluminum boat green is the only one that's a primer/paint, which is why it cost more.

I haven't opened the aluminum boat green. You're saying it's not sprayable? I didn't look at the label too much. I know thinning isn't recommended.

Edit: From product label: Application Method - Brush,Paint Sprayer,Roller.

I'm not saying it's not, I'm just saying i wouldn't. But I suck at painting so I wouldn't do a lot of stuff lol


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Not saying right or wrong but this was what i did on my last one. I prepped very good as you have done. Then i sprayed 1med wet coat of etch primer then followed up with 2 coats of duralux dead grass color. I thinned the color some and used a 2.0 tip. It came out great. In an auto world i would not put paint right on top of etch due to the acid in the etch can change the color a bit but no problems in a boat world. Its a thick paint so i treated as such. If you spray it find the cool time of day in the shade. If you use a small tip or spray it when too hot you will fight overspray. Have fun

I used nason etch primer cheap and works good. Never use masterpro etch

I'm not a painter, I just play one a few times a year. Last fall I painted some 55 gallon grums and got pissed off at my low CFM on my compressor so I bought a new one with a good filter and dryer setup. It'll serve me well over the years I hope.

I'll read the labels when I get home and go from there on the thinner. I've sprayed the dead grass before in a siphon gun. It's old...early to mid 1990s. My uncle used it to professionally paint custom cars, and gave it to me. I know no details on it right now, other than it's always done the job I've asked.

I learned the hard way about painting in the heat and sun. I'm doing this project in my shop. Got everything moved out the way or covered in tarps as best I can.

I have dead grass green, aluminum boat green, and a semi gloss black. For now I'm just painting the interior dead grass green. I have a vinyl Max 5 wrap on the outside that is going to stay for now on the Uncle J. On the Alweld, its getting dead grass on the inside and either the aluminum boat green or black on the exterior.

Question: Application of the etching primer. My neighbor (body shop manager) said to spray a light see through mist and then come back and spray a second mist coat - That I should end up with around 60-70% coverage. He explained that the etch primer isn't to serve as a filler / leveler, that's its only purpose is to increase the bond. He also said he's really just learned proper aluminum prep the last few years and that they've spent a TON of money on training and equipment.

Thoughts on this?

the aluminum boat green has a primer in it already (that's why it cost more & is thicker) and using white vinegar before painting etches the aluminum

Spraying the etch,,, if you were doing a panel repair then the manager is correct but if you try to "mist" the boat you will get a ton of dry dusting on the boat . Test spray it on something, it sprays almost like water. Its also semi transparent so dont worry about full color coverage. 1 medium wet coat gets it done for me

I always spray etch primer, then either epoxy primer or a sealer, then a few coats of paint.

I've always used Nason paint and I've always been pleased with it. A little steep on the price but it works.

My bro in law painted his boat with sherwin Williams wash primer and kem400 and it doesn't hold up very well.


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Well - finished it up this weekend. Short term I'm happy, but we'll see how it holds up through the fall season.

Media blasted hull.
White vinegar and acetone wipe downs.
Even coat of self etching primer.
Scotch pad scuff up.
Duralux aluminum boat green paint/primer.
Light sanding and scotch pad scuff.
Duralux dead grass green.
Scotch pad scuff.
Duralux dead grass green - final coat.

I had good results last year with the Duralux dead grass green. I was moving and time crunched. I scuffed up the entire hull, painted with with some rustoleum self etch, and then put the duralux on top. It held up pretty good for the 1+ year it was on. I'm hoping this new paint holds up a lot better with all the time and prep work I put into it.

Thanks for the advice and suggestions. I was a little more confident on my side project because of it.

I was considering that, and now that I read it I might make it happen.