Painting outdrive on your I/O,and Zinc change frequency

[enginesilo]

What type of paint do you all use on your I/O and sit in salt water? I have the alpha 1 gen 2 drive and have always aerosol painted it, but this past year someone told me the roll/brush paint is so much better. I used that instead and the engine didn't look any better than when I used the aerosol. Just curious what everyone else is using who leave their boat in the salt water for the season.

How frequent do you all change your zincs? Yearly or every 2 years? My zincs definitely take a beating in 1 solid season, but i'm thinking I could make it 2 seasons. What is the norm?

I am up in Connecticut where the water gets pretty warm in the Long Island Sound.

 

[alldodge]

What type of paint do you all use on your I/O and sit in salt water? I have the alpha 1 gen 2 drive and have always aerosol painted it, but this past year someone told me the roll/brush paint is so much better. I used that instead and the engine didn't look any better than when I used the aerosol. Just curious what everyone else is using who leave their boat in the salt water for the season.

How frequent do you all change your zincs? Yearly or every 2 years? My zincs definitely take a beating in 1 solid season, but i'm thinking I could make it 2 seasons. What is the norm?

I am up in Connecticut where the water gets pretty warm in the Long Island Sound.

Many use zinc chromate then top with epoxy, but doing it every season, just keep doing what your doing. Need that paint on there to keep the corrosion down.

As for the zincs, when in doubt replace as your doing. They are the only thing that is between you and a new outdrive. Book states when they are more then 50 percent. I replace when they don't look right but I'm also in fresh. With taking a real beating with your zincs, I would suggest getting the Merc test prob and see what your Mercathode is putting out. Could be you need to add another in parallel as I did years ago.

 

[tpenfield]

I have used the aerosol version of the TriLux 33 anti-fouling with mixed results. This year I am trying the brush-on version of the same paint in hopes that the coating will be thicker & better. If your boat 'sits' in salt water (i.e. not trailered), then a mid-season freshen up of the paint can help keep the marine growth down.

 

[enginesilo]

Many use zinc chromate then top with epoxy, but doing it every season, just keep doing what your doing. Need that paint on there to keep the corrosion down.

As for the zincs, when in doubt replace as your doing. They are the only thing that is between you and a new outdrive. Book states when they are more then 50 percent. I replace when they don't look right but I'm also in fresh. With taking a real beating with your zincs, I would suggest getting the Merc test prob and see what your Mercathode is putting out. Could be you need to add another in parallel as I did years ago.

Around here we sit in salt all season, so TriLux 33 is about the best and everyone seems to use it. What does the Merc Test probe do, does it constantly monitor the zincs and if their effectiveness drops it alerts you or something like that?

I have used the aerosol version of the TriLux 33 anti-fouling with mixed results. This year I am trying the brush-on version of the same paint in hopes that the coating will be thicker & better. If your boat 'sits' in salt water (i.e. not trailered), then a mid-season freshen up of the paint can help keep the marine growth down.

I've used the exact same 2 paints. I used the aerosol for a solid 4 or 5 years and every year by the end of the season it looks like it has all come off, protects ok, but not excellent. This past year I used the TriLux33 and brushed/rolled it on. My drive still had growth but now has some spots where it completely came off, and others where it is still intact. Only downside to the brush on is that after a few years it will probably look all layered and uneven since it doesn't come off in all spots and there will be high/low areas. Not really a big deal either way. I guess i'll probably just stick with the brush/roll this year since I have some left over. A mid-season freshen up sounds like a great idea in theory, but to haul and let the boat dry probably won't happen.