Powder Coat ponntoons?

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PontoonNewbie2017
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Powder Coat ponntoons?

#1 Post by PontoonNewbie2017 » Tue Oct 17, 2017 6:16 am

As a salt water user I was thinking of buying my next pontoon boat with the powder coated pontoons, I know that play craft does them, and I know that Regency does them, can anyone fill me in on what other manufacturers offer powder coding as an option ?
Also, I know play craft are great boats , does anyone have any opinions on the regency line?
Thank you

BobL
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Re: Powder Coat ponntoons?

#2 Post by BobL » Tue Oct 17, 2017 7:52 am

Can't answer your question but curious.....

Are you doing this for looks?

You mentioned salt water and am curious if powder coating will help with marine growth.

If for looks, someone on this site had his toons wrapped and they looked great. I don't think he has reported back on the durability.
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Re: Powder Coat ponntoons?

#3 Post by PontoonNewbie2017 » Tue Oct 17, 2017 10:34 am

I'm doing it to avoid corrosion, but I think it also prevents marine growth, the same way bottom paint would. At least I hope it does!

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steve1313
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Re: Powder Coat ponntoons?

#4 Post by steve1313 » Tue Oct 17, 2017 2:10 pm

I can't imagine it would work the same as bottom paint. Bottom paint has additives (usually copper) in it or it is ablative (wears away)

Here's an article that explains the two.

http://www.bottompaintstore.com/blog/bo ... tom-paint/
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Re: Powder Coat ponntoons?

#5 Post by PontoonNewbie2017 » Wed Oct 18, 2017 4:25 am

Hmmm. This now brings up another question for my original post, if I buy powder coated will I have to bottom paint the powder coat? Also, has anyone had any success in getting the dealer bass pro) to discount the Regency. They seem pretty firm on their nationally advertised pricing...

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Re: Powder Coat ponntoons?

#6 Post by willy13 » Wed Oct 18, 2017 5:55 am

On a side note, I would be careful using a paint with copper in it on alumunim. The copper may keep the growth down but it also may react with the aluminum and cause corrosion. Unless the manufacturer of the paint gives the O.K.

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Re: Powder Coat ponntoons?

#7 Post by Bamaman » Wed Oct 18, 2017 11:00 am

Call Tracker Marine customer service in Springfield and ask the questions.

I have never seen a powder cost operation with ovens 30' long. And I have no idea about powder coating and salt water.

With only 2 pontoon companies seeing substantial sales growth, why would Ranger even come into a very crowded manufacturer industry? How can they compete with companies selling 4-5 different length hulls, 3-4 different trim levels and over 100 different seating combinations?
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Re: Powder Coat ponntoons?

#8 Post by FLOUNDERPOUNDER225 » Wed Oct 18, 2017 11:24 am

Just a few comments, Powder Coating will definitely not prevent marine growth in salt water, an ablative coating would have to be applied if the boat was going to be left in the water, just as any other boat being wet slipped. The type of bottom coating is different if being applied directly to aluminum, because as mentioned the chemicals (copper) will react in the salt water environment. If there is already a barrier coating, such as Powder coating, then the only compatibility question would be to the MFG of the bottom paint if compatible with powder coating, my guess would be yes it is fine, you would just scuff the PC for adhesion. Now I was on the beach this weekend next to a regency with PC toons, I asked the man about durability and scratches from docks etc.. he already had a few long scratches on one toon. He's not sure how to repair those scratches? you certainly cannot re-powder coat the area, I suppose you could color match and use a below the waterline urethane paint? seems high maintenance if your worried about the perfection of your finish on the toons, for me I think it would stick out every time I looked at it.
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steve1313
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Re: Powder Coat ponntoons?

#9 Post by steve1313 » Thu Oct 19, 2017 4:36 am

There's a boat in our marina with powder coated toons. It has a ton of scratches in the PC that I certainly notice!!
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Re: Powder Coat ponntoons?

#10 Post by ralph » Thu Oct 19, 2017 5:48 am

My pontoons were painted with Trilux 33 for what its worth. I am in fresh water though (Lake Erie). Has held up great after 2 seasons. Probably got 2 or 3 more to go before another paint job.
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Re: Powder Coat ponntoons?

#11 Post by Jake_Daddy » Thu Oct 19, 2017 9:41 am

I will jump on the bandwagon of no powder coat...it looks really sweet in the showroom but it will inevitably be scratched up and you cant reapply the powder coat only paint it.

As for ablatives I would only use it if your boat stays in the water for long periods of time but they do make copper free formulas for aluminum hulls.
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Re: Powder Coat ponntoons?

#12 Post by rancherlee » Wed Oct 25, 2017 4:49 am

Also note that the heat involved with powder coating usually makes the aluminum brittle so a small hit that would have been a ding might become a crack!
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Re: Powder Coat ponntoons?

#13 Post by willy13 » Thu Oct 26, 2017 6:25 am

[quote="rancherlee"]Also note that the heat involved with powder coating usually makes the aluminum brittle so a small hit that would have been a ding might become a crack![/quote]
I do not believe this is true, and do believe it is the opposite. Heating aluminum alloys will actually take out the temper and make it more ductile. For example, in order for me to bend 6063-T6 tubing in a tube bender I had to heat it to approx. 800 deg F. and allow it to cool before bending. This took the temper out, and now I can bend it with out cracking. I dont know if it took all the temper out or just brought it down to T2 or T3. But it was enough for bending. Usually T6 is too high of a temper to bend, and its tough to find 6000 series aluminum that is not T6. I don't know if 400 F (poweder coating) is enough to effect temper, but if it was it would make it more ductile not brittle. Also, from what I have read, the temper will come back over time.

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Re: Powder Coat ponntoons?

#14 Post by rancherlee » Sun Oct 29, 2017 4:43 am

[quote="willy13"][quote="rancherlee"]Also note that the heat involved with powder coating usually makes the aluminum brittle so a small hit that would have been a ding might become a crack![/quote]
I do not believe this is true, and do believe it is the opposite. Heating aluminum alloys will actually take out the temper and make it more ductile. For example, in order for me to bend 6063-T6 tubing in a tube bender I had to heat it to approx. 800 deg F. and allow it to cool before bending. This took the temper out, and now I can bend it with out cracking. I dont know if it took all the temper out or just brought it down to T2 or T3. But it was enough for bending. Usually T6 is too high of a temper to bend, and its tough to find 6000 series aluminum that is not T6. I don't know if 400 F (poweder coating) is enough to effect temper, but if it was it would make it more ductile not brittle. Also, from what I have read, the temper will come back over time.[/quote]


I'm just going by experience with snowmobile parts, I've seen many guys customizing their sleds by powder coating aluminum parts and having those parts crack instead of bend from an impact. A local powder coater refuses to do any aluminum snowmobile suspension parts anymore! Many of the snowmobile tunnels are made from 5052 just like pontoon tubes, and the other parts with issues are cast aluminum. I agree on the 6000 series though!
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Re: Powder Coat ponntoons?

#15 Post by Jake_Daddy » Tue Oct 31, 2017 9:52 am

I would agree with the heating making things more ductile. I don't imagine there would be any issue from powder coating heat. Whatever heat is used in coating will not be anywhere close to what was produced during welding which drops the temper out of any metal, anneals it, and if the manufacture wanted to gain back full strength of the tempered aluminum they would need to post weld heat treat all of their pontoons which would be big $$!

Heck maybe they do heat treat them after welding but I wouldn't imagine so, some metals will need a quench after treatment to get their strength back and I don't recall ever seeing a machine dunking finished pontoons anywhere!
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