Homemade paint jobs for boat/motor

B

B Rogers

Member
I'm considering trying a homemade paint job on a motor. It's not something I want to sink a lot of money into so I'm hoping anyone who has attempted could post some pictures and details on your process. What worked/what didn't. I'd like to do something similar to bottomland camo but I'm open to anything at this point. I also prefer not buying a $50 set of stencils; I'd like to make them as well. Thanks in advance.
 
Acquire one can of Battleship Grey Flat Primer and spray away.
No stencils needed.
Or just make a cover out of a burlap sack.
 
Draw a stencil on paper, cut out. Start out with darker colors to lightest. Or get some grass and use as a stencil. Just need to break up the straight lines. Keep it simple...
 
Use some sand paper and lightly sand everything that's going to be covered in paint so the paint will bite. Use some degreaser and thoroughly wash and rinse everything. Let dry. Give the whole surface a coat of the Krylon brand brown camo spray paint. Let dry. Now I made my stencils out of poster board. I next made wavy vertical shapes with points on the ends and very lightly dusted this stencil with Krylon black camo to provide some depth to my brown base color. I now made various widths and lengths and curvatures of grass and used a couple different shades of camo tan and khaki that Krylon had and from a camo paint kit I bought from Cabelas. Try not to be very patterned or cookie color-like with your pattern. Overlap some of your patterns to create some more depth. After all grass patterns were applied, I lightly dusted everything with camo khaki. ........I've done a couple of past boats and motors and a friends as well. If you get the surface prepped right it will last for years and looks a lot like a Max4 or Max5 pattern.
 
No need to get fancy, spray it with a dead grass color for the background and then take a dark brown or black, and spray a couple "stripes " , Like a Tiger but not too close together, you want to just break up the outline of the motor.
Or just leave it grass colored, Burlap works good too.
 
I prefer a cordura nylon cover. Simple to make and can be sewd on home machine. Done the motor painting route years ago on various motors. You,ll find it less desirable to most buyers if you ever sell. If you must paint old pizza bxs. make a good cheap stencil material. Just wipe them off with a rag between coats. Most important thing is good surface prep as with any painting. Regular rustoleum camo paint will give you your various shades.
 
Phil Nowack said:
Burlap works.. well even.. I just don't like to have to put it on and remove it.. and then I forget to take out of the boat so it will dry.. painting this year.
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I've been doing the burlap thing as well. It's not pretty if you leave a pile of river soaked burlap for a week because you forgot to spread it out to dry.
 
Tom Roberts said:
Use some sand paper and lightly sand everything that's going to be covered in paint so the paint will bite. Use some degreaser and thoroughly wash and rinse everything. Let dry. Give the whole surface a coat of the Krylon brand brown camo spray paint. Let dry. Now I made my stencils out of poster board. I next made wavy vertical shapes with points on the ends and very lightly dusted this stencil with Krylon black camo to provide some depth to my brown base color. I now made various widths and lengths and curvatures of grass and used a couple different shades of camo tan and khaki that Krylon had and from a camo paint kit I bought from Cabelas. Try not to be very patterned or cookie color-like with your pattern. Overlap some of your patterns to create some more depth. After all grass patterns were applied, I lightly dusted everything with camo khaki. ........I've done a couple of past boats and motors and a friends as well. If you get the surface prepped right it will last for years and looks a lot like a Max4 or Max5 pattern.
Click to expand...

Thanks Tom, sounds similar to what I was planning. Do you have any photos of a project you've done like this?
 
roy brewington said:
I prefer a cordura nylon cover. Simple to make and can be sewd on home machine. Done the motor painting route years ago on various motors. You,ll find it less desirable to most buyers if you ever sell. If you must paint old pizza bxs. make a good cheap stencil material. Just wipe them off with a rag between coats. Most important thing is good surface prep as with any painting. Regular rustoleum camo paint will give you your various shades.
Click to expand...

I agree totally but the motor was painted prior to me buying it from a fella, and now the paint is looking rough so I'm trying to spruce it up. I had thought about buying some bulk camo cordura to make a boat blind. I was curious if it could be sewn on a home machine. I read at one point the size needle and specific coated thread that was needed. That may be another project I tackle before next season. I'm toying with trying to mimic a beavertail type boat blind.
 
I,ve made my motor cover patterns from brown painters paper availabl;e at lowes, etc. in 3' wide rolls. Always make mine to reach far enough to cover prop but that's because unless freezeing my motor is usually trimmed up out of water . Thread available at Walmart, heavy black or brown nylon. Needle size appropriate to thread size available. My wife sews pieces together on her home machine rather easily. 1000 denier cordura nylon is what I,ve used. The part that takes the most time is sewing on grassing loops. Designed and built a new roofed cordura nylon blind for my 20' seaark jon this fall. Now the sewing of that did take a few Saturdays. Motor & gas tank covers easy peasy! Mud that cordura before using to eliminate shine. The cordura drys quickly after hunt and lasts forever stored out of weather. And does,t turn unto a sodden mess when wet!
 
roy brewington said:
I,ve made my motor cover patterns from brown painters paper availabl;e at lowes, etc. in 3' wide rolls. Always make mine to reach far enough to cover prop but that's because unless freezeing my motor is usually trimmed up out of water . Thread available at Walmart, heavy black or brown nylon. Needle size appropriate to thread size available. My wife sews pieces together on her home machine rather easily. 1000 denier cordura nylon is what I,ve used. The part that takes the most time is sewing on grassing loops. Designed and built a new roofed cordura nylon blind for my 20' seaark jon this fall. Now the sewing of that did take a few Saturdays. Motor & gas tank covers easy peasy! Mud that cordura before using to eliminate shine. The cordura drys quickly after hunt and lasts forever stored out of weather. And does,t turn unto a sodden mess when wet!
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Sounds nice. If you have a chance to snap some pictures I'd love to see it.
 
Ah, already painted. Then skip the burlap, go back with paint!
Dont over think it, base color with some striping is my camo approach.
 
I have seen at least one response saying not to paint due to resale value and I agree that a painted motor doesn't look good to a buyer. Instead of paint use plastidip or at least use it for the base color that way if you go to sell the boat you can just peel all the paint right off
 
Carl said:
Ah, already painted. Then skip the burlap, go back with paint!
Dont over think it, base color with some striping is my camo approach.
Click to expand...

Simple is definitely best especially in this case.
 
If you are worried about resale, duct tape everything up, shake,rattle and spray. If you use short pieces the ends will fray and give a 3D look.
 
Good morning, B~

I've done both - but prefer the motor cover. (I no longer use burlap because it soaks up so much water.)

View attachment Evinrude 9.9 - painted - small.jpg

I cover the entire motor - and lash Salt Hay onto the webbing. Here's a Tutorial on making this one:

http://www.duckboats.net/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=271050;search_string=Motor%20Cover;#271050

View attachment 20 Tilt.JPG

As others have said, de-greasing is critical. My local NAPA had what I needed.

View attachment Motor 1.JPG


Another approach is to mount thatch rails on the cowling.

If you sew your own, SailRite has helpful info on needles and threads for sewing Cordura, Sunbrella, etc.


https://www.sailrite.com/Selecting-a-Sewing-Machine-Needle


BTW: I am a big fan of pre-wound bobbins and Seamstick basting tape (for holding everything together while sewing). And, I second the idea of kraft paper for patterns (although Dura-Skrim is the ticket for bigger, more complex projects).

All the best,

SJS

 
I don't know what size motor you have but on my small motor, three and a half hp, I just put an old camo tee shirt over it. It is also the dinghy motor for this sailboat so the Admiral wants it to look pretty.
The big motor,60 hp, I have a camo canvas cover for it. Again too nice to paint over.
In my old boat I just painted the motor cover od. Solid with no stencils.
 
Thanks Steve, very nice tutorial. I appreciate the level of detail. That really helps out when tackling a project for the first time. I may need to book you a flight down once I start on the boat blind [;)].

Thanks again~ Bryson
 
Even on a motor painted with flat duckboat paint I always cover the motor with some type of fabric cover like canvas or burlap. I find the soft material soaks up the sunlight instead of reflecting it back out..crucial for the smart blackducks we have here on the Island..
Leave an old piece of burlap out in the weather all summer and fall to darken it up...It will get better with age over a few seasons..

View attachment PB240198.JPG
 
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