Painting the Out Drive Bravo 3

[geoman52]

I had to scrape a bunch of corrossion off my out drive (06 240DA) and therefore primed and repainted it. Two questions:
Is it necessary to wait a week to apply the second coat of Mercruser Fanton Black paint like the can says?
How long after painting before I can get the boat in the water?
geoman52

 

[Nehalennia]

I had to scrape a bunch of corrossion off my out drive (06 240DA) and therefore primed and repainted it. Two questions:
Is it necessary to wait a week to apply the second coat of Mercruser Fanton Black paint like the can says?
How long after painting before I can get the boat in the water?
geoman52

Did you spray on a coat or two of Zinc Chromate primer prior to painting. It's really necessary to make sure that paint stays.
Letting it cure properly will also allow that second coat of Phantom black adhere with the most durabilty.

 

[geoman52]

Yes I used zinc chromate primer (green) before the first coat of Phantom Black.

 

[gerryb]

Forget phantom black...trilux black in the can variety is significantly better and will last much longer.. primer is important as well - I do 2 coats of each and have zero corrosion after 4 summers in salt water. You should also make sure your mercathode is working.

But to answer your question, few people wait a week between coats...my dealer usually waits an hour at the most.. You can get the boat in the next day assuming it not very very humid where you are. I would not put the boat in the water if the paint was even the slightest bit tacky to the touch.

 

[Jerroz]

GerryB
I hauled my 2005 320SD this week and couldnt belive the damage on the BravoIII's that has occurred after one seasons use. I just bought the boat in the spring and they were pristine at that time. I noticed you said you put 2 coats of primer, and 2 finish coats on your drives and have no corrosion problems.

Would you mind telling me EXACTLY what primer you use and EXACTLY what finish paint you use? I want to get it right in the spring.
Thanks
Jerry

 

[Redhook98]

As with everything else paint related, it is all about preperation. Proper sanding, corrosion removal and surface preperation make all the difference. When I sand mine down, I use a good self-etching primer on the bare aluminum, then a few coats of Primicon, then a few layers of Trilux-33. I use the brushable paint for all coats and ensure I leave the proper drying times in between. Never had any issues with losing paint or adherence issues. No corrosion issues either. After a few season when it starts to get thick, I sand it down and start over.

 

[Daytripper]

Is it necessary to wait a week to apply the second coat of Mercruser Fanton Black paint like the can says?
How long after painting before I can get the boat in the water?
geoman52

I sanded, primed, and painted my outdrive last spring as well. Because the Mercury Phantom Black paint is an enamel paint it is OK to recoat within the first hour while it is still tacky. Otherwise it is important to wait the week between coats because the enamel creates a shell finish preventing the paint beneath from drying quickly. Waiting one week will allow the paint enough time to thoroughly dry.

Lightly sand the surface and recoat.

Not waiting will ensure that the first coat never really cures causing it to lift from the drive surface.

In short- recoat within one hour or wait. A better paint job will result.:smt001

 

[gerryb]

GerryB
Would you mind telling me EXACTLY what primer you use and EXACTLY what finish paint you use? I want to get it right in the spring.

Ive brush on a few coats of Primocon, then brush on a few layers of Trilux-33. Preparation as always is important. I lightly sand between coats and use a light acetone wipe to get off residue/dust. I do use relatively heavy coats of the trilux.

http://www.yachtpaint.com/usa/default.asp

then look for trilux 33 and primocon. (brush on - never spray can) I do use the spray can for a few of the hard-to reach spots but no more than that.

 

[skolbe]

GerryB
I hauled my 2005 320SD this week and couldnt belive the damage on the BravoIII's that has occurred after one seasons use. I just bought the boat in the spring and they were pristine at that time. I noticed you said you put 2 coats of primer, and 2 finish coats on your drives and have no corrosion problems.

Would you mind telling me EXACTLY what primer you use and EXACTLY what finish paint you use? I want to get it right in the spring.
Thanks
Jerry

You need to investigate what is causing this issue. Because something is not right. Either mercathode is not hooked up, wrong anodes or some very bad stray currents in you slip.

 

[gerryb]

You need to investigate what is causing this issue. Because something is not right. Either mercathode is not hooked up, wrong anodes or some very bad stray currents in you slip.

I agree - I would not pin the resolution to your corrosion problems on the paint type or technique. I have the additional mercathode pucks which are a good investment (IMO) and have the testing module for my multimeter to thest the water near the units. These drives are too expensive to not stay on top of them. At $5K+ a pop, I want to get as many years as possible out of them.

 

[Jerroz]

Guys,
Thanks for following up so quickly!
Two more followup questions:
1. What do you call the attachment for the multimeter for measuring stray current? I will need to get one. I agree, maybe there is a problem at the slip.

2. Do you reccomend using Aluminum anodes for the Bravo III in brackish waters? My boat is predominantly in the sassafras river and northern chesapeake (brackish water).

Thanks again,
Jerry

 

[Redhook98]

1. The attachment is a silver-silver Chloride probe that gets dipped in the water and connected to your multimeter. The other end of the multimeter is connected to your grounding system, A chart comes with the probe giving you the values desired. Very handy. I bought one several years ago when i was dabbling with steel and aluminum hulls. You can get them at www.boatzincs.com

2. YES! You should be using aluminum anodes already! The zinc is wasted away much to quickly in brackish water. Your anodes will last twice as long with using aluminum in brackish water.

Hope this helps.

 

[skolbe]

Fresh Water is magnesium anodes, for anyone reading this post in fresh water. The right anodes make a big difference. You want the anodes to dissolve not your drive.

 

[Jerroz]

Finally getting around to ordering the paint for applying in the spring. Question is on the 320, how many quarts of the Trilux-33 would say I should buy for applying a few coats to each outdrive? 1 or 2?
Thanks

 

[Rono007]

A very informative thread for a newbie like my self. My B3 has some bare spots and minimal corrosion (under the paint) in a few small spots. The boat was fresh water for the first 6 years, salt for the last 2 years, and now I am putting her back in fresh.

I am going to be painting the bare spots on the outdrive in the next week or two.

Here's it's current condition...

The first few pics are from the first owner a few years back, and the last pic is from the previous owner and taken just before I bought her last December.

 

[unlvrebel]

Ron,

Was your skeg that dinged up when you got the boat? Or have you been running into rocks? Yikes!

 

[Rono007]

It was dinged like that when I got the boat. The pics from the first owner so no signs of that excessive wear, so it was the second owner. I asked and he said he ran shallow on a boat ramp getting it on the trailer. Looks like he hit some rocky sand to me. Then again, that's what the skeg is for ... to take the damage so the props remains safe, right?

I'm thinking of spending a couple of bucks and putting a skeg guard on.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Don't use a skeg guard. It changes the natural "break" point of the skeg and moves that point closer to the "torpedo". If you hit something hard enough, you could shear the skeg off so close to the torpedo that it can't be fixed... which means you'll be buying a new lower foot.

Skegs can be repaired by welding a new piece in.

 

[Rono007]

Probably best just to leave it as is then. It's not really THAT bad.

:grin:

 

[JohnEGraham]

I rivited some aluminum over the missing peices and used marine tex to cover up rivets and mold the piece in after paint looked brand new.