Don Casey Tip #43  

Repainting Your Outdrive

As with all paint projects, the key is preparation. For recoating paint in good condition, you only need to wet-sand the old paint with 120-grit wet-or-dry paper to provide tooth for the new topcoat. If there is a chance that the outdrive has ever been waxed, wipe the entire surface with a dewaxing solvent before you do any sanding.

Where the old paint is bubbled or peeled, you must remove all loose paint along with the underlying corrosion. I generally wet-sand exposed aluminum with 80-grit wet-or-dry paper. If the aluminum is pitted, you will need to use a wire brush to remove as much oxide as possible from the pits. After you clean the bare aluminum, fill significant pitting with an epoxy filler-Marine Tex or something similar.

When the aluminum is clean, oxide-free, and completely dry, give it a couple of coats of zinc phosphate primer. This primer etches the bare aluminum for better paint adhesion. Sanding the primer likely will not be required, but be guided on this by the instructions on the can.

Follow the primer with a couple of spray coats of acrylic lacquer and the outdrive should be well protected for a few seasons. The process is the same for repainting outboards. Readily available spray cans of both the primer and the top coat in factory-match colors make this job easy for the do-it-yourself boat owner.