Can you actually paint your Trim Tabs

[johndoe]

I saw a guy painting his trim tabs with bottom paint... What's the deal? Isn't bottom paint made with metal?...

My tabs are so covered with slime and corrosion that I can't get them clean...
Can I sand them and paint them??? I think they are Stainless or Aluminum...
What product would be used for metal in saltwater.?

 

[marine4003]

Re: Can you actually paint your Trim Tabs

Yes you can , there is paint specially formulated for trim tabs, the tabs are stainless steel,so, corrosion means the zincs aren't working,check all the zinc's replace if needed,bottom paint protects against growth,not corrosion. Take the boat to a car wash..along with some powerful cleaner and a brush,then follow instructions for painting.

 

[Jdeagro]

Re: Can you actually paint your Trim Tabs

Good advice, but also make sure you do not paint the zinc (anodes) or between the zinc and the metal plate surface, as they need to have a bonding surface with the plate.

 

[johndoe]

Re: Can you actually paint your Trim Tabs

My zincs are off... and all of my zincs were completely gone... I have replaced all of them and I am adding a second mercathode to up the current... I had a broken down (a thousand parts laying everywhere) boat next to me but he has since moved away... I beleive he was the culprit in the marina... but just to be safe I am adding the mercathode...

Where can I find this paint, and what do I use to clean/sand these tabs to prep them for paint?

 

[marine4003]

Re: Can you actually paint your Trim Tabs

Right under the iboats.com banner on the top of this page, MARINE STORE,just look up bottom paint,as for cleaning,pressure wash works best,do not sand. Its Stainless Steel,you'd have better luck sanding rocks. Just get all the junk off,down to metal,install the zinc's,prime & paint..Like Jdeagro said...don't paint the zinc's them selfs. Good Luck Amigo.

 

[johndoe]

Re: Can you actually paint your Trim Tabs

None of the information I've seen talks about the specific metals that bottom paint can be used on.... I know there is non copper based and most of the paint for fiberglass bottom is copper based... I thought that non copper based was what you used on an outdrive or some other type of soft metal...
What is proper for Stainless...