transom assembly painting

[dpagini]

Hey All,

I just completed an outdrive reconditioning project (detailed at the below linked post), and now I'm anticipating connecting my outdrive to my hideous transom assembly, which is not refinished. I don't mind the look, as it's all underwater, but I did the aforementioned project to protect the drive. This transom assembly can really use some similar love, and I'm wondering if anyone has suggestions on some easy options for me...?
I wanted to just give as much of the surface area as I can a real rough sanding, and I was considering just hitting these areas with some anti-fouling paint. I was told not use ablative or anything, b/c of the metal contents of those paints, and it could cause some type of galvanic corrosion. An Interlux rep at a recent boat show told me specifically to use their outdrive primer, and outdrive paint (spray paints) to do this area. Is that my best option? Those cans were a bit pricey, maybe $35/each... any cheaper options? With all the odd angles here, is painting part of this assembly even going to protect anything?

I have a similar question about my trim tabs... Can I paint these the same way?

Thanks for any help.
Dave

pics:

 

[Bondo]

I wanted to just give as much of the surface area as I can a real rough sanding, and

Ayuh,...... If it were Me,..... on my Merc,...

I'd do the sandin', 'n cleanin', spray the bare spots with Rustoleum zinc oxide primer, then their red oxide primer, 'n top coat color it with whichever color of Rustoleum industrial enamel ya care for,......

I knock the zebra mussels, 'n other sealife off my drive once, 'n awhile, 'n shoot it with black Rustoleum enamel,....
'course, I'm in sweetwater, not brine,.....
A piece of cardboard in 1 hand, 'n a rattlecan in the other,...
Nothin' fancy, just Black,.....

Hit yer tabs with CLR to get rida the mineral build up,....

 

[dpagini]

Thanks Bondo
CLR - like the cleaner? Those don't need any further protection, just a cleaning? Thanks for the advice on the assembly question. Am I OK to paint all that stuff while it's still attached to the boat? I will obviously miss spots in the crevices and odd angles, but at least I can hit 80% of the exposed metal.

 

[Bondo]

CLR - like the cleaner? Those don't need any further protection, just a cleaning?

Ayuh,.... They're just covered with a mineral build up, not corrosion,.....

Am I OK to paint all that stuff while it's still attached to the boat? I will obviously miss spots in the crevices and odd angles, but at least I can hit 80% of the exposed metal.

'ell Ya,.... Way better than doin' Nothin',.....