By Larry Fleszar

Update : BE SURE that you use an aluminum primer on bare aluminum. Also scuff the primer with a scotchbrite pad to give the coating something to adhere to.  I found out the hard way when after some usage the coating began to peel away from the bare aluminum.  Found out too when I had RHINO liner installed in my pick-up, that they made sure that if the paint was sanded through, they re-primed & re-scuffed before applying the coating.  I would also use two gallons (sixteen foot boat) of the coating to get it thicker then I suggested in the original article.    

Thought that I would pass along a project for that noisy, wet feet, water sipping aluminum boat that you cuss at after every time you use fishing. I went to my local Murray's Discount Auto parts store and purchased some "Duraliner" pick-up bedliner coating & application kit. After reading the instructions on the can I proceeded as directed. First I scuffed the total surface that I would coat with "scotch-brite" pads, roughing up every place that the coating would have to stick to. Then I wiped cleaned the bottom of the boat up to the gunwale with paint thinner several times (I can't stress how important this is to get good adhesion to the bottom). Masking off with tape the areas of the bottom that I didn't want to coat was the next step. I decided to spray the "Duraliner" coating instead of using the roller that came with the kit, so I used the sandblasting gun that came with my "SEARS" air compressor. I mixed the coating as called for on the can. I inserted the suction hose that would normally go to the sand hopper into the can of liquid coating. Set the air regulator of the compressor to 60#'s. Application began & I sprayed two coats rather than one thick one to allow some drying time between coats. I recommend using a high quality respirator when spraying this coating. Because it was summer when I did this boat, I applied the coating outside, otherwise I suggest a very well ventilated area because the fumes are pretty nasty while spraying and until the coating sets up.

Total cost for the "Duraliner" kit was $39.95. If you need a spray gun "CABELAS" carries the kit for $99.99 with the coating and gun included in the price. I used two gallons of paint thinner - cost of $9.00 a gallon - for wiping down the boat bottom & spray equipment clean up.

Results came out very professional looking, just like your buddy's pick-up bed. I believe that the roller method would also give excellent results but applying in areas under seats & various spots may prove to be a little tough.

Quotes from the real pro's (RHINO BED LINERS) was in the neighborhood of $300.00 for a fourteen-foot boat. You can do this yourself, save a ton of bucks & get an excellent looking job.

Good luck & see you at the next monthly meeting!