Aluminum Bracket Painting

[whale]

Originally Posted by THEFERMANATOR

Powdercoat is nice, but even it has weakness's. The biggest killer of the aluminum is it being unbonded and in contact with the water. If it is completely encased then this isn't an issue. One chip though and it WILL begin corroding and the powdercoat will come off. The only way to properly paint it would be to remove it and have it media blasted, then prime it in a ZINC CHROMATE etching primer and follow up with a hard epoxy paint. Don't forget the inside of the bracket as well as electrolisis doesn't care where it begins, it will attack any exposed metal. I would also find a way to bond the bracket to the engines anodes or add an anode to it. This will do ALOT for preventing corrosion. Also check with large marinas as they have special anti-foulant paints for large ships that are aluminum.

It does have a zinc on it so that is good....

[Steplift 72']

Originally Posted by whale

It does have a zinc on it so that is good....

Take special note of TF's note to use special anti-fouling on your aluminum bracket. The stuff typically used on fiberglass hulls is loaded with copper as the active ingredient. Copper and aluminum are at opposite ends of the nobility scale....contact with copper will quickly turn the aluminum into dust in salt water.