Rust paint for trailer

[BK]

As everyone is probably getting their boats ready for summer sailing, last year I recommended a rust paint for the trailer that I bought from Home Depot. One year later and there seems to be no rust that has reappeared from that paint job. The rust paint is Hammerite "Rust Cap" paint made by Kilz. The paint requires no priming and encapsulates the rust. You can paint right over the rust.

[greybird-M]

I have only about 250 miles on my trailer-from Cape Coral, Fl. to Merritt Island, Fl. but that was enough to get a bunch of dings that went down to the primer (at least!). I wonder why Macgregor paints these trailers-almost every other trailer stored at my marina is an unpainted aluminum trailer. Anybody got any ideas WHY these trailers (mac trailers) are painted? Anyway, thanks for the tip-if I keep the Mac trailer, I just might grab some of that paint.

[kmclemore]

Yes, Hammerite is wonderful stuff. We used to use it for the restoration of historic automobile parts when I lived in the UK... the stuff is virtually impervious to water and hence rust. And it's tough as a pig's snout, too. If you can't power coat it, use Hammerite. You can't go wrong!

I noticed recently, however, that their solvent has changed... used to be Triclorethane, but now it's Toluene based (as are most modern VOC paints). I wonder if that new formulation holds the same properties as the old stuff? I sure hope so!

-Kevin McLemore

[Mark Prouty]

Anybody got any ideas WHY these trailers (mac trailers) are painted?

These steel trailers are much cheeper to manufacture. My last sailboat had a galvanized trailer that never rusted. It was also better built but the boat was much harder to launch.

[Dimitri-2000X-Tampa]

They should have been galvanized (I'm sure the customer base would have been all to happy to pick up the extra cost)...aren't the new ones coming out galvanized, or still painted? The paint comes pretty thin from the factory for my harsh environment. I've already hit it with about 4 coats of rustoleum over the last several months. I'll probably do a few more coats over the next year and then the paint should be thick enough to actually keep the rust away for a while. I think if you beef up the paint on it, it will last almost as long as a galvanized...but if you do nothing, it will probably rust away in 5 years in a saltwater environment. A new trailer would be nice, but I'd rather avoid the cost as long as possible and of course, the little ladder comes in real handy at the bow.

[Tom Root]

I buy the cheapest paint I can find, 89 cent stuff, and spray it on area's that need touch up, alot! Doing this gets you about 5 years before you have to do the big job of derusting it. I am dunking mine a minimun of 3 times a month, and up to ten times. I am trying not to let it get ahead of me!

Steve Kennerly may put Rhino liner (or similar product) in white, now that sure sounds like the trick! I saw it used on a bass boat trailor on television, looked good! Should work even better!

[Steve K]

My post above. Thought I was logged in. Sorry.
SK

[BK]

I forgot that last year when I painted the entire rusted trailer, I brushed on a red primer first and then brushed on 2 coats of the Hammerite coat. It was a complete paint job due to some much rust. I also wired brushed the rust as best as I could. I do not remember the name of the red primer.

[Steve K]

Hey all,
While looking on the web for Hammerite, I ran into this interesting product.
Check the comparisons with all the other rust paint products you know.
http://www.itkillsrust.com/

SK

[Harry van der Meer]

I did the POR-15 treatment last fall. It was a big job but the results are very good.

These were the steps:
1. Scrape off loose rust
2. Remove any grease with marine-clean
3. Treat rusted area with metal-ready
4. Two coats of POR-15
5. Two top coats

POR-15 claims that rusted spots will never rust again. I believe the key is that POR-15 is a moisture cure coating (I actually had a problem with curing because it was too dry in my garage). This stuff dries to be very hard and adheres very well. I had some on my skin and after dying noting would take it off. We still have a couple of speckles on our kitchen counter (that got me in trouble...) and after about 6 months it is not possible to remove it. According to the supplier, other rust paints cure due to solvent evaporation. This will leave microsopic holes in the paint which will allow moisture to come in contact with the metal causing rust to form again. I am not a chemist, but it sounds believable.

In an other month I will start launching again in salt water. I am very curious to find out how it will hold up.

Regards,

Harry

[Dimitri-2000X-Tampa]

When I bought my boat last summer, the trailer had already spent more than 3 years in the harsh Florida environment and had a fair amount of rust on it. I painted about a pint of Skyco Ospho product on all the rusty spots. It is green liquid, smells like the same acid used in naval jelly...phosphoric acid I believe. Works great to kill rust, turns it black and makes it stop. The next day, I started spraypainting it with cans of black rustoleum. First a couple coats of flat and then a couple coats of semi-gloss. I'll keep painting it frequently for the next couple years and then just touch up after that...hopefully, it will hold up.