Refinish OB (lower unit) Foot?

[Casey]

The foot/skeg on my Honda 150 is beginning to look pretty ratty due to various scrapes with shallow water, and just plain 'ol water abrasion. There is no damage as such, just paint scrapes.

Is it feasible to refinish the foot?

My guess is: No. ...but I'd like some other opinions.

Given the abrasive quality of water (even without contact with the bottom!) I suspect the original paint is baked-on, epoxy, or pretty difficult to redo.

Ideas?

Best,
Casey

[Sea Wolf]

Casey-

While it may not be possible to reproduce the exact paint and application mode that came from the factory on your motor, you can very easily buy cans of reasonably rugged replacement/touch-up paint from a Honda dealer that will do a very good job of making the skeg and rest of the leg look fine again.

Sometimes the factory motor color can be matched by single part epoxy paints from other sources, too.

The new paint won't be as hard as the original, but will serve to replace it and protect the motor. Give it several coats, then re-do it every season when the motor is out of the water.

I'm pretty confident most most folks do this on a regular basis.

It's very easy with spray cans, etc. You can use a marine compatible zinc chromate primer first, if it's really scratched up badly.

(In California, zinc chromate is outlawed (poisonous to the environment), but some of the substitutes are expensive , i.e., $17 a can, and don't hold up at all! I did both Mercruiser outdrives on my Sea Ray a couple of years ago, and the paint and primer were both gone three months later, submersed only in fresh water! Re-did it with zinc chromate for the primer, and there're still fine!)

Do the prop(s), too, while you're at it with good paint. Single part epoxy in a spray can is easy to apply and works wonders, cosmetically.

Sand and prime the prop to get it especially smooth, since it moves through the water many times faster than the skeg.

Have fun!

Joe

[Hunkydory]

Casey

I had just finished ordering paint and clear coat from Outdoor Network LLC
730 US Hwy 27 North
Lake Placid,FL 33852
Direct: 863 465 6669
Customer Srvc 877-408-1499
parts@outdoornetwork.com

for our twin silver metallic Honda 40's before reading your post.

Pressure washing the Honda's caused the paint to bubble then peel. Think the foot would be much easier to do with a good outcome then covers. There ID number paint name is 11-08707-NH282MA : OYSTER SILVER PAINT.

Jay

[Casey]

Thanks All ....

This will probably be on the project list for when we get back out to AZ. There are some things higher on the list, but this will get done in due course.

In the other thread (water pump stuff) I was sorry to hear about the bolt problems, but glad they finally got resolved. The idea of using a non-hardening grease on the bolts (being careful to torque properly...) sounds like a very good idea even if you're not due for an impeller.

Gee's ... my "list" is getting longer and longer!

David - you mentioned leavint the "throttle" on ... I assume you meant leaving the motor in gear(?) to facilitate aligning the shaft?

Best,
Casey
PS: We're in Key West for a couple of days. Wx is good, the crowds are pretty well thinning out, and Life is Good. ("Katmai" is at home having her cables replaced, and getting Autopilot!)

[Larry H]

[thataway]

Ihave had good results with both Zinc and Stronchium Chromate--some of them two part epoxy as primers. You can also buy a Stainless Steel skeg guard which fits over the skeg of the lower unit--and this is a Permenant "fix" for this problem. I just live with the abrasion of paint, since I do occasionally drag the skegs in the sand as I come into our bayou.

[Doryman]

[thataway]

You are not susposded to be hitting rocks with the skeg...it is often used for situations where the skeg has been broken or worn down. I haven't heard of any transfer of shock to the upper part of the lower unit. You do want to protect the prop--and keep from breaking gear teeth--that is what gets expensive. (Ill tell you how--I did hit a rock under water--in a dinghy with a 25 hp outboard--had to eventually buy a new leg--broke the skeg, put a hole in the gear housing case and chipped some gears. But I was able to patch it up with JB weld, for a few days until I found the parts I needed.

[Wefings]

Honda sells a factory paint kit . It has the correct color paint and a clear coat to go over it .It aint cheap.
For the last 6 or 8 years Honda has some of the poorest finishing and the most corrosion issues in the outboard industry . Cowlings peel , lots of rust . But they do cost alot !And when they are running well they really are great motors. Too bad they don't address these ongoing problems .
Marc