Conference vicki::boats

    You should clean the boat with a dilute solution of phosphoric
    acid, (which can be purchased from a marine dealer for this purpose).
    Then it should be painted with zinc chromate, then you can put on the
    finish coat.  That is the right way to do it.  The phosphoric acid
    bit is necessary to clean oxidation off the aluminum so the paint will
    stick and stay on.  IMO don't bother, don't paint it.  Once you paint
    it you will have to repaint it regularly to keep it looking nice.
    
    Jeff

    Does this phosphoric acid shine up the aluminum a bit? I would like to
    clean my old boat up but don't really want to paint it.
    
                                                                wayne
    
                                                     

    
    
    Sorry but I left a major point out of the
    original note. The boat is already painted!
    It just looks terrible as it is- Sooo I 
    would have to strip off the old paint???
    It's not peeling but is very faded.
    
    Chet

    You might want to consider another alternative;
    
        IF you take the time to strip it all down to bare metal (there are
        some very good non-toxic strippers around these days), the you
        could do what I did - I used epoxy-based spray paint from Krylon
        right out of the spray-cans, on bare metal, and it's been rock-
        solid for three years now.  I even store it outside in the Winter!
    
     Works for me!
    
    Dick Cygan
    

If the old paint is NOT peeling, then I would think all you need to do.
Is sands the old paint with a fine grade of sand paper and then repaint.
Sanding is just to scratch up the old paint to give the new paint something
to stick to.

Unless of course you want the orginal look.

                                        Jim

Last year I restored the exterior of my 1954 Feathercraft aluminum
boat.  Many hours were spent on wetsanding, then scrubbing with Brillo 
pads and finally aluminum mag wheel polish.  It really shines, but 
makes the original oxidized interior stick out like a sore thumb.  

I'd like to paint the interior, with something similar to what's used 
in new aluminum boats.  Ideally, it should be a "satin" finish grey 
spray paint.  Conventional gloss is too shiney, and flat grey primer 
doesn't stand up to weather or wear.  In addition, either the paint 
itself or the primer should be capable of etching the aluminum to allow 
the paint to stick.  And if the world were perfect, the paint should 
also be gasoline proof and resistant to scratching.  

I'm leaning toward an acid wash, followed by zinc chromate primer, and
some sort of epoxy spray paint (in spray cans).  Except I haven't found
any semi-flat or satin semi-flat finish epoxy.  Anyone know the process, 
or source of materials so that an amateur could duplcate the interior 
finish used on new aluminum boats?

Thanks!
Rick

    I refinished my ALUMINUM truck camper John.  I did a soap and water
    wash, then a phosphoric acid wash, then zinc chromate primer, then
    two coats of exterior enamel.  It worked fine, no flaking or peeling
    is occuring 5 years later.
    
    BUT, the paint is still subject to wear of course, and oxidation in 
    the sun.
    
    Jeff

    Rick ---
    
    If you do what you say you want to do, you'll ruin the character of
    your boat!
    
    As I stood there in your driveway one evening marvelling at the boat's
    beauty -- this from a guy who normally thinks "aesthetics" and
    "powerboats" are mutually exclusive -- I couldn't help thinking that it
    was the "for real" character of the inside finish, or lack thereof,
    that testified to your cosmetic mastery.
    
    I assume you're familiar with the asian aesthetic imperative that a
    flaw must be left in the master craftman's work. If it's too good,
    you blaspheme the deity by striving for and -- horrors! -- achieving
    perfection, which is the province of deities and deities alone.
    
    So, Rick, leave it alone. It makes the rest of what you've done look
    great. And you'll have more time to rebuild motors to the Wilson
    standard.
    
    John H-C
    
    

    Rick, I also agree unless the original interior finish was painted like
    you intend.  Try to keep it original whatever that may be.  I only saw
    it from a distance but it sure likes like you have a nice collectable
    there that should be kept as close to original as possible.  Have you
    located any connections to get advise on it's restoration?
    Wayne

    This month's Power Boat mag has a brief mention of Feathercrafts, and a
    following of people who collect them. If you're interested I'll take
    another peak and see if it's of any value.
    
    ~jeff

re: .9
I hear what you're saying John.  Believe me, the boat has PLENTY 
of flaws without leaving the interior completely oxidized!  Even
if I were to restore the interior to perfection, the boat will not
be "blasphemied" by a lack of flaws.   8^)

You've convinced me however, to at least try something else before
painting.  When doing the exterior, I tried some NAPA aluminum cleaner
and Brillo pads.  It was very time consuming, and didn't give me the
finish I wanted.  With all the extruded ribs, it will be even more
time consuming on the interior, but may give me the "clean but dull"
finish I want.

re: .10
>> Have you located any connections to get advise on it's restoration?
 
I've made a little progress Wayne.  Interest in Feathercrafts seems to 
be picking up, but information is still scarce.  Two of the last three
issues of Classic Boating magazine have had "wanted" ads for Feathercraft
info.  I've located two sources of info, who are both members of the club
I belong to (Antique Outboard Motor Club).  One guy in Illinois sent me
a copy of the original sales literature, from which I found out my boat
is a "Vagabond" model, and that Feathercraft produced about a dozen models 
that year, everything from a 10' jon boat to an aluminum cruiser.  And 
another guy in Kentucky is reproducing the original decals for the boat.

re: 1001.11 
Jeff, If you could send me a copy of that info from Power Boat mag, I'd 
really appreciate it!  If the info you're referring to is a letter from 
Roger Melugian requesting a feature on Feathercrafts, that same letter 
appeared in Boating World mag. He's the guy from Kentucky who's reproducing
the decals.

Thanks!
Rick

    Rick, I used a product called "Noxon" (SP??) plus steel wool when I had
    to clean a great number of highly oxidized aluminum windows in a mobile home
    which I used to live in.  It worked GREAT. It removed the accumulated
    results of 17 years of never being cleaned and they looked brand new.
    The stuff washes away with water.  They sell it at County Stores in a
    green plastic  swirt bottle.  I then finished with S.O.S pads.  
      

    Rick,
    
    My dad cleaned his Airstream trailer/camper last summer with
    some aluminum cleaner and it came out looking great.  I do not
    recall the name but I believe he got it from a camping supply
    place.  He got the idea from out neighbor h=who gave him a 
    sample of some solvent used to clean airplanes.
    You might try asking a camping store what they would use.
    
    Mike