Want suggestions... Boat paint and carpet

[catman529]

I am thinking of painting my new boat, maybe over the winter. It's currently white/cream colored, and the paint is adherent but scratched/rubbed off in a couple of places toward the bow. I don't want solid camo or green, because it's not very visible from a distance on the water. I also want it to be unique in that people will know its me from a distance if I am meeting someone on the water. My ideas so far are -

Olive green with a red stripe
Camo with an orange stripe
Open to suggestions

Now the other question - what about carpet. Tell me why I should or shouldn't have carpet. It's an aluminum boat and I plan to eventually re do the plywood seats, deck, transom and add removable floor boards. I want carpet because its quiet, and looks nice. I don't want carpet because it adds weight and holds rain water and fish slime. Tell me why I should or shouldn't put carpet in the boat.

Appreciate the input. Might help me be a little less indecisive.

 

[SilverFox]

Tennessee Orange with white carpet!

 

[catman529]

I will pass on that one...... :D

 

[scn]

Before I worried about paint and carpet, I'd be checking out the flotation (foam) in the boat. Current standards require the boat to "float" even if totally filled with water. I'm betting your boat pre-dates those standards. Some of the older boats can sink if swamped.

I'd check under any seats and in any sealed compartments for foam flotation.

If you can find them at a decent price, an alternative to the wood/carpet floor are interlocking rubber mats. The ones that aren't solid give you a reduced weight, decent noise reduction, and better footing. And, they are easier to clean than the wood/carpet.

 

[catman529]

Scn, the middle and rear seats have foam. It is old and brittle, but still solid. If I add more decking/flooring it will be plywood so it should help with flotation... This is an old boat, pre-HIN but in good shape, even the original transom wood.

 

[barkscaler]

I redone the carpet in my boat with the soft indoor/outdoor carpet from Lowes.Think I have around sixty dollars in it.Been in for 2 years and still looks brand new.You could also go with the roll on stuff"like rhino liner"from Bass Pro.As for paint,the camo and orange sounds cool.

 

[DBLAARCHERY]

I would paint it with rhino lining...If you have a compressor I can hook you up with any color you need...Its not expensive...I would paint the inside white and spatter the inside with what ever color you paint the outside...

 

[catman529]

I am thinking I will probably do the camo and orange stripe. Will look into that indoor/outdoor carpet and might look into the rhino liner as well. Thanks for the offer Aaron

 

[fishboy1]

If you do carpet, don't glue it down. Add snaps to the carpet and plywood floor.

Cut carpet to size, then torch or glue the edges to keep it from unraveling. Get a snap kit and add snaps around the edges.

When you get home from fishing, unsnap carpet, throw it over the trailer tongue and hose it out. When dry, roll it up and store it.
Come fishing time, roll it out and snap it in.
No stink. NO holding water on the plywood causing it to rot.

I did the roll on liner in my boat. So far I like it a lot !

 

[Winchester]

Rhino liner works great. We put it in a 16 ft Jon and it helps with footing as well as quietens and camos the whole thing!

 

[DBLAARCHERY]

This is all Rhino lined :)

BEFORE!

AFTER

 

[Headhunter]

I don't know if you can find any but my boat has a camo mat.



I put it in with double sided tape. The one I have is called neo-max camo mat. Soft, doesn't get to hot and if I duck hunt out of my boat helps camo it. Everyone who has been in it loves it.

How hot does the rhino lining get?

 

[BDS05]

How hot rhino lining gets depends on the color you spray.. They told me they wouldny warranty fade. PERSONALLY, I recommend pulling flotation and depending on you, adding new. I wouldn't. Coat floors in Rhino, LineX, etc... Or go with HydroTurf. If you read reviews on HydroMat,, many complain it holds water. I've been the HydroTurf route and will recommend it! Don't do plywood. My recommendations are expensive but worth it! Do it if you plan to keep it.

 

[Model70Man]

I'd go the cheapest route. I'd get 1/4 inch treated plywood and some indoor/outdoor carpet from Lowes. Cut the plywood to fit and glue and staple the carpet to the plywood. It might cost $70 max. I did that to my old jon boat 5 years ago and it still looks like it did back then except for a couple blood stains from fish. The carpet is much cooler in direct sunlight too. The plywood is still in great shape with no rotting. As far as the color of your boat, that's up to you.

 

[catman529]

I can't use treated plywood, it supposedly reacts with the aluminum. I will use regular plywood and soak down with thompsons water seal or similar waterproofing. Would like to keep the project budget for sure, but not so cheap it doesn't last. Will look at the indoor outdoor carpet and see how that is.

 

[Big J]

I would head over to tin boats website buddy. They have every answer you could ask for.

 

[AllOutdoors]

How big is your boat? If it is smaller I would definitely not do plywood. What hp is your motor? Will it plane with the extra weight? Plywood would not go in my boat if I planned on keeping it for a while. The paint is up to you. I prefer carpet.

 

[catman529]

I would head over to tin boats website buddy. They have every answer you could ask for.

haven't been there in a while. I had a tinboats sticker on my old boat, need to get one for the new boat.

How big is your boat? If it is smaller I would definitely not do plywood. What hp is your motor? Will it plane with the extra weight? Plywood would not go in my boat if I planned on keeping it for a while. The paint is up to you. I prefer carpet.

Its a 13 foot V-hull. The current motor is only 5 hp but I am saving up for a 20 hp which should get it on plane no problem. What would you do instead of plywood?

 

[AllOutdoors]

I would head over to tin boats website buddy. They have every answer you could ask for.

haven't been there in a while. I had a tinboats sticker on my old boat, need to get one for the new boat.

How big is your boat? If it is smaller I would definitely not do plywood. What hp is your motor? Will it plane with the extra weight? Plywood would not go in my boat if I planned on keeping it for a while. The paint is up to you. I prefer carpet.

Its a 13 foot V-hull. The current motor is only 5 hp but I am saving up for a 20 hp which should get it on plane no problem. What would you do instead of plywood?

I would use aluminum wherever possible. Wood will get heavy, especially if it gets wet. I realize aluminum will be more costly up front, but will be light ( shallower draft and better performance from a smaller outboard) plus it will never rot.
Good Luck getting your boat fixed up to your liking.

 

[Headhunter]

the mat I have does not hold water at all.

 

[scn]

Your boat should have a plate on it with the USCG maximum HP and Max. weight allowed. If it pre-dates that requirement, you can check with the USCG and by formula they can give you those figures.

The maximum weight includes everything that is added to the boat after manufacture. Items such as boat moter, gas tank, trolling motor, battery, tackle boxes, weight of occupants, additions such as your plywood and carpet, coolers, etc..... all count towards that weight total.

Those numbers are there for a safety reason to keep boats from swamping in rough conditions, etc. I'm guessing that with a 13' boat that the total weight allowed is going to be fairly low. It is something to consider in your boat modifications.

 

[AllOutdoors]

Those numbers are there for a safety reason to keep boats from swamping in rough conditions, etc. I'm guessing that with a 13' boat that the total weight allowed is going to be fairly low. It is something to consider in your boat modifications.

[/quote]

Yep. I've already pulled one boat out from a friend that got swamped on the Duck because he was overloaded for his boat. Also picked up a guy and his dog who's boat went under on the Duck.

 

[catman529]

I don't think my boat has a capacity plate. It's likely a 60s model. I won't overload it though, I want it to ride light. Aluminum floor and decking is out of the question, at least for now. Ill use plywood and coat it in 2 or 3 coats of lacquer.

 

[DBLAARCHERY]

How hot does the rhino lining get?

Rhino liner like gel coat which most fiberglass boats are made of are best painted light colors...The inside of my boat was white and was perfectly fine...I added a bigger deck and used what ever color I had...I fish in the keys barefoot on my rhino lining...Doesn't bother me...

 

[DBLAARCHERY]

I don't think my boat has a capacity plate. It's likely a 60s model. I won't overload it though, I want it to ride light. Aluminum floor and decking is out of the question, at least for now. Ill use plywood and coat it in 2 or 3 coats of lacquer.

How big is the deck area you are planning on building...I have some panels left over from the jobs we do that may work for you...They are aluminum...about a 1/4" thick...I also have some aluminum extrusion you could use for the framing...

 

[bassbug]

Google marine vinyl flooring I've been in boats with it and its very nice

 

[J Hartman]

i used tuff coat on my new boat project.... so far so good.

 

[J Hartman]

 

[J Hartman]

 

[J Hartman]