Painting Your Boat
There’s nothing like boating to make the most of a beautiful day, and doing it on your own boat is all the more fulfilling. But whether it’s just not quite “you” or it’s looking a bit worn, you’ll need to paint or repaint it every so often to keep it fresh and personalized. We here at Nisswa Marine want your boat to look its best, so we’ve put together some tips for painting your boat. To learn more, or to see the boats we have for sale, contact our store in Nisswa, Minnesota, today!
Why Bother?
You might be wondering if there’s really a good reason to paint or repaint your boat. In fact, there are several reasons, but they each depend on your personal situation and the boat you’ve got. They include:
- Making a pre-owned or old boat look like new. There’s nothing like a fresh coat of paint to give a worn-out vessel that special something.
- Preparing to sell it. Sometimes your needs change and your current boat just isn’t a worthwhile investment anymore, and painting it can help you sell it for a better price.
- Customizing its look. Whether you’ve got specific colors in mind or just hate the factory options, painting your boat can make it distinctly yours.
Check Your Owner’s Manual
It’s vital that you look through your owner’s manual before you even start buying painting supplies. Chances are it will have recommended products and lists of materials that should never touch your boat. We might have good general advice, but your manual is written for your boat specifically and should take precedence over our suggestions. Only use recommended paint supplies!
Step-By-Step
With all that out of the way, it’s time to get started on the actual paint job! Step one is to remove any and all hardware, including rails, cleats, and vents, and you should also remove any wood trim before starting. You should also pull out any and all personal belongings—you don’t want to paint life jackets and bluetooth speakers, after all.
Next, search out and repair any surface imperfections and damage like chips, dents, or gouges. You should then wash, de-wax, and thoroughly sand the surface. These steps make sure the paint job is on an even, receptive surface.
Next, apply primer and allow it to dry thoroughly before applying the paint itself. You may need multiple coats of paint, but only one or two coats of the primer. Once everything is dry and you’re happy with the paint job, it’s time to re-wax the boat from stem to stern. This will keep the fresh paint looking shiny and new for longer.
We hope these steps helped you get your boat looking how you want it! If you have any questions, or you just want to see the boats we have available, contact us at Nisswa Marine. We proudly serve the people of Minneapolis and St. Cloud, Minnesota—let us serve you today!