Painting Outdrive Tips and Barnacle Removal?

[enginesilo]

Anyone have any tips on their process of painting and out drive and removing barnacles for spring commission? Last year was the first year I used a roll and brush, instead of aerosol and thinking back the process was painful and long. At the end of the season I had some barnacles on the drive that I scraped off with a paint scraper, but I have some inside the bell housing/Gimbal housing I need to get to. How do you all go about scraping those out? I read that some people use Muriatic Acid and then they wash right off. Also curious how you all get paint back in those areas when you aren't using a spray can?

For prep I usually just sand/scuff the drive lightly since about 85% of last year's paint is still on, prime it, and then repaint. Anyone sanding like crazy or is a scuff enough?

Tips on getting those barnacles out and make the paint process less painful?

 

[alldodge]

Anyone have any tips on their process of painting and out drive and removing barnacles for spring commission? Last year was the first year I used a roll and brush, instead of aerosol and thinking back the process was painful and long. At the end of the season I had some barnacles on the drive that I scraped off with a paint scraper, but I have some inside the bell housing/Gimbal housing I need to get to. How do you all go about scraping those out? I read that some people use Muriatic Acid and then they wash right off. Also curious how you all get paint back in those areas when you aren't using a spray can?

For prep I usually just sand/scuff the drive lightly since about 85% of last year's paint is still on, prime it, and then repaint. Anyone sanding like crazy or is a scuff enough?

Tips on getting those barnacles out and make the paint process less painful?

I'm not dealing with barnacles (fresh water) but all I do mainly is wire wheel, and maybe a bit of sanding. Then prime and paint, but don't remove any paint which appears to be covering and adhering.

 

[tpenfield]

Screw driver for the barnacles that are hiding among all the bell housing and transom assembly stuff. I usually save a couple of spray bottles from the domestic recycling bin and use those to manually spray the anti fouling paint in and around the bellows and transom assembly. It gives a coarse spray and a much thicker coating than the aerosol cans.

Be careful not to stab the bellows with the screw driver, cuz that can lead to real problems. Once you got the barnacles out of there, give everything a good blast with your pressure washer, but not too close on the bellows, etc.

 

[JoLin]

I usually save a couple of spray bottles from the domestic recycling bin and use those to manually spray the anti fouling paint in and around the bellows and transom assembly. It gives a coarse spray and a much thicker coating than the aerosol cans.
.

I'm going to 'brush paint' the drives this year instead of using an aerosol spray, and that's great tip. Thanks!

 

[enginesilo]

Screw driver for the barnacles that are hiding among all the bell housing and transom assembly stuff. I usually save a couple of spray bottles from the domestic recycling bin and use those to manually spray the anti fouling paint in and around the bellows and transom assembly. It gives a coarse spray and a much thicker coating than the aerosol cans.

Be careful not to stab the bellows with the screw driver, cuz that can lead to real problems. Once you got the barnacles out of there, give everything a good blast with your pressure washer, but not too close on the bellows, etc.

Thanks for the tips. I've always pressure washed then scraped whatever was left with a screwdriver in the past but saw a video of some guy spraying them with acid so that's why I posted to see if there was a better way. I guess not.

Interesting tip on using a spray bottle for the paint. I think i'll give that a try.

 

[gm280]

I have to admit I've never ever dealt with barnacles myself either being a fresh water trailered boater. But I do know about refinishing engines and such. I think your best bet is to work with what you can during this season and after that take the time to strip all the crap off the engine or outdrive, sand and sand some more and prime it properly and use a good quality catalyzed paint with a good spray gun. And even a nice clear catalyzed top coat finish as well to keep things looking good and protected. But that is just how I do things...