Anybody ever paint the inside of their aluminum boat with zolotone? I'm getting ready to zolotone the interior of my open Willie Predator as it's 17 years old and just needs a better look than all worn out.

Pulled the old floorboards out today and gonna replace them too! They musta weighed 100 pounds soaking wet! Thinking I will replace with aluminum sheet and Herculiner it and I have that figured out but the Zolotone has me a bit worried.

Just wondering how tough it is to do?

Special spay gun/nozzle needed?

What clearcoat is needed to go over the paint?

Any special primer/prep paint needed?

Do I need to sand/scuff old paint first or just pressure wash?

What else? This is a new challenge for me.

Thanks for any help,

fp

when I had my drift boat re done called Koffler boat people for help.
great group of people. set me up.

Fred,

It sounds like your intent on doing it yourself. If your not, I believe Willieboats offers that service.....thinking about doing the same on my Willie drifter. Downfall of doing that? Gotta drag the whole show down to S. Oregon.

If you are gonna do it yourself, at the least, I'd give them a call and they'd probably be happy to give advice over the phone, especially since your a long-time customer of theirs. If anyone could give correct info they would.

Complete run-down of the process here-

http://www.zolatoneaim.com/index.php

We have zolatone in our school buildings and are in the process of painting it over. It is immpossible to match. Would probably be ok in non-traffic area. Lot of work, special nozzle, and will stink the place up

zinc chromate is the aluminum prep that was recommended for a primer before painting my aluminum boat. Comes in small spray cans and I didn't do a whole lot of prep. Scuffed up the shiny spots left behind after power washing and that was it. Seems to be holding up.

ray w,
Thanks but I'll try myself without calling Koffler.

Eric,

Ya, Willie Boats is 450 miles 1 way from my driveway and 450 miles back. Too far so yes, I'm gonna do it myself with help from my son that was a auto painter a few years ago. Hope he has all the right spray equipment. Hoping to get a work party together in McCleary next weekend and do it. If you are interested you are invited to watch and help if ya want too. Nothing like hands on experience, ya know! All my buddies are headed to Idaho hunting so I'm kinda on my own with the kid doing most of the work.

Dan S,

That's it. Thank you,

fp

Stam,

Gonna do it 'bout like ya suggested.

Thanks and I'll do a picture tutorial but for some reason
I can't post pictures on PP as they are too big and I've tried the photoshop crap till I'm blue in the face and it doesn't work for me.

Again, thanks,

fp

If you use an HVLP sprayer be sure to thin the material down a lot or the gun will spit and be a nightmare to deal with.

Good luck, let us know how it goes.

stam [/quote]

Got any idea how much to buy? Just doing the front deck, inside walls and 4 seat boxes. The floor will get Herculiner. 20' Willie Predator.

I'm thinking a gallon of Zolatone and a couple quarts of clear???? It is pretty expensive and I'll buy whatever I need but would have no use for a 1/2 gallon left over if I didn't need it all. So far looks like over $100 bucks a gallon but I have only searched on line and will make a trip to Aberdeen and see if any place can order it .

Looks like if I can find the paint this Saturday will be the paint party. Picture tutorial will be taken if anybody else will want to do something similar.

fp

What ever ya do don't huff it to much as it will knock ya out.Good luck,
SZ

I re-did the zolatone on my first sled. Just as Stam said. Turned out great! I used 1.5 gallons of zolatone and a couple quarts (2 coats) of clear coat. I too used a HVLP and had no problems. This is the time to patch up any old screw/drill holes also (JB Weld and sand over them). You'll do fine FP!

Got the boat all pressure washed and it's about as clean as it was when it was new.

Now a little scuffing with a scratch pad and ready for some acid etched primer on the bare spots, epoxy primer, zolatone and clear coat. This is gonna be a job for sure.

Ordered the Zolatone from Wesco Autobody Supply today as per stam! Thanks,

fp

Been trying for days to resize and post a picture. I just might have figured it out. It ain't easy!

Here's the floor I'm replacing. Ya think I need a new one?















And after removing. Will get a picture of it tomorrow after power washing.














Ready for the dump.













fp

Haha dude! I'm changing my moniker!

fp:

Resize pictures??????.......heck I remember when you had trouble with email and setting up internet account........

You have done well!!!!!!!!!

Good luck on your project!!!!!!!!!!

what did Gov. Mike Lowery have to say?

Brewer,

He's got me covered Brewer. Thanks for the hot tip.

DrifterWA,

Ya, I seem to remember that old stuff too! Man, that was a bit ago...... The project is coming along good and hope to get a lot done this weekend but all my helpers have taken off hunting so I'm all alone putting in my couple of hours a day with it............

That resizing had me for weeks but I finally found all the right buttons.......grrrrrrrrr that was tough.

Now where did I learn about all those dots?

fp

Got the boat power washed and the side walls came out
pretty clean. Today doing some J-B Weld some drilled holes and
ScotchBrite some of the old paint and ready for the new Zolatone hopefully this Saturday.

Not to worried about some of the old yuck that didn't come off under the floorboards. This is a fun job and hope to have it done this winter sometime.


fp

Looking good- no foam floatation? or is it in sealed compartments?

And of course you are saving the old floor for templates.