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Author Topic:   Has anyone powder coated factory bow rails?

MilwaukeeWhaler posted 09-17-2002 10:25 AM ET (US)
I know Tully-Mars has had experience with powder coating rails. Has anyone else? How costly is this process? How durable is it? Pros and Cons? Thanks~mw
smirkless posted 09-17-2002 12:25 PM ET (US)
The problem with powder coating is, once it is scratched and salt or other corrosives begin to damage the finish, it becomes a real bear to touch-up. Suggest Krylon if you must paint.
Smirk
tully_mars posted 09-17-2002 12:48 PM ET (US)
The powder coating won't last for reason just stated. I re-did mine with Imron and spent about $125. They have been perfect since and very durable.
Tully Mars
SSCH posted 09-17-2002 11:50 PM ET (US)
I had my T Top, leaning post, and bow rails custom made for my Whaler (out of aluminum) and powder coated after final welding. The job was done two years ago and they all look great today. Powder coating is durable, very abrasive resistant and can be done in a number of colors. The powder coating has held up much better than the finish on the standard Whaler black cleats.
I would do it again.
My recollection is that I saved enough on the mill finish aluminum (rather than anodized finish pipe)to pay for the powder coating. I may be remembering the assembled prices. It is much easier to weld mill finish pipe. One advantage of this approach is that the welds themselves are coated along with the rest of the pipe. No weld corrosion or after the fact touch up painting.
jimh posted 09-18-2002 12:28 PM ET (US)
Was the powder coat finish available in a color that was a decent match to the cockpit/hull color (which I assume was Desert Tan)?
Matching to pure white might be simple, but getting a shade that looks good with Desert Tan might be more of a problem.
Louie Kokinis posted 09-18-2002 04:03 PM ET (US)
I’m probably more of a fanatic (ok borderline anal) when it comes to these things than most people. That said, my observations are that powder coating sucks and anodizing isn’t much better. Both have to be babied, and IMO are not for smaller boats where everything gets used. I can however see it being nice for areas that are rarely touched and not subjected to trailering debris.
In less than 4 years I’ve already redone my rails and cleats once (after 2 years use), and they need re-doing again!
I am currently running a little experiment: My radar tower is anodized aluminum, the rails and cleats are power coated, and a piece of aluminum in my bilge that is painted.
I will probably end up with Imron. To-date it’s doing the best.
SSCH posted 09-18-2002 07:55 PM ET (US)
Jimh
I chose gloss black for the finish on my aluminum. It looks great with the black trim on my all white 25 Guardian. I doubt that desert would be available. I remember the choices of white, black (either gloss or flat), red, blue, green, off white, aluminum (gray really), orange and a few other colors.
The items are baked one color at a time where I had my work done. The odder the color, the longer the wait for an oven load. Its fairly hard to find a shop that can bake a 5x7 7 foot tall T Top, fully assembled. The gloss black choice was influenced, in part, by the time factor and the choices at the shop I picked to do the work.

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Author	Topic: Has anyone powder coated factory bow rails?
MilwaukeeWhaler	posted 09-17-2002 10:25 AM ET (US) I know Tully-Mars has had experience with powder coating rails. Has anyone else? How costly is this process? How durable is it? Pros and Cons? Thanks~mw
smirkless	posted 09-17-2002 12:25 PM ET (US) The problem with powder coating is, once it is scratched and salt or other corrosives begin to damage the finish, it becomes a real bear to touch-up. Suggest Krylon if you must paint. Smirk
tully_mars	posted 09-17-2002 12:48 PM ET (US) The powder coating won't last for reason just stated. I re-did mine with Imron and spent about $125. They have been perfect since and very durable. Tully Mars
SSCH	posted 09-17-2002 11:50 PM ET (US) I had my T Top, leaning post, and bow rails custom made for my Whaler (out of aluminum) and powder coated after final welding. The job was done two years ago and they all look great today. Powder coating is durable, very abrasive resistant and can be done in a number of colors. The powder coating has held up much better than the finish on the standard Whaler black cleats. I would do it again. My recollection is that I saved enough on the mill finish aluminum (rather than anodized finish pipe)to pay for the powder coating. I may be remembering the assembled prices. It is much easier to weld mill finish pipe. One advantage of this approach is that the welds themselves are coated along with the rest of the pipe. No weld corrosion or after the fact touch up painting.
jimh	posted 09-18-2002 12:28 PM ET (US) Was the powder coat finish available in a color that was a decent match to the cockpit/hull color (which I assume was Desert Tan)? Matching to pure white might be simple, but getting a shade that looks good with Desert Tan might be more of a problem.
Louie Kokinis	posted 09-18-2002 04:03 PM ET (US) I’m probably more of a fanatic (ok borderline anal) when it comes to these things than most people. That said, my observations are that powder coating sucks and anodizing isn’t much better. Both have to be babied, and IMO are not for smaller boats where everything gets used. I can however see it being nice for areas that are rarely touched and not subjected to trailering debris. In less than 4 years I’ve already redone my rails and cleats once (after 2 years use), and they need re-doing again! I am currently running a little experiment: My radar tower is anodized aluminum, the rails and cleats are power coated, and a piece of aluminum in my bilge that is painted. I will probably end up with Imron. To-date it’s doing the best.
SSCH	posted 09-18-2002 07:55 PM ET (US) Jimh I chose gloss black for the finish on my aluminum. It looks great with the black trim on my all white 25 Guardian. I doubt that desert would be available. I remember the choices of white, black (either gloss or flat), red, blue, green, off white, aluminum (gray really), orange and a few other colors. The items are baked one color at a time where I had my work done. The odder the color, the longer the wait for an oven load. Its fairly hard to find a shop that can bake a 5x7 7 foot tall T Top, fully assembled. The gloss black choice was influenced, in part, by the time factor and the choices at the shop I picked to do the work.