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Possible to paint the rails?

lostpacket

lostpacket

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The more I see it the more I love the blackout rails but I didn't want to spend the money on them. Now that my boat has been delivered (not picked up) I'm starting to think about what I can do to it. :) Curious if it would be "easy" to paint them black with the correct paint. Can they be removed or would I have to do it on the boat? Would it hold up over time, would it look painted on?
 
I don’t believe they are painted from the factory but anodized black.
 
They are anodized. Even the silver you have are anodized - just clear instead of black. Another advantage, Bennington.

Personally, not sure I'd attempt painting them, considering the difficulty and potential issues down the road. Just my opinion though.

Anodized is much more durable than any coating.
 
lostpacket said:
The more I see it the more I love the blackout rails but I didn't want to spend the money on them. Now that my boat has been delivered (not picked up) I'm starting to think about what I can do to it. :) Curious if it would be "easy" to paint them black with the correct paint. Can they be removed or would I have to do it on the boat? Would it hold up over time, would it look painted on?
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As stated, they are anodized. Your talking a huge undertaking being the panels are crimped onto the rails. You MIGHT possibly find someone to cover the panels and powder coat the rails. I would say powder coating would be more durable, as I've already found some light scratches in my Blackout. Definitely not as durable as expected, BUT, I knew going in scratches were going to happen, and I just keep a sharpie on hand for touch ups. You can barely notice the touch ups.
 
I would get the Bennington first of all, put it in the water, give it a season and enjoy it. See if next year you still feel the same about your rails. We all have the urge to make our Bennington's look the best they can, actually they already look the best. Enjoy!
 
^ Ditto what was said above. Give it a season and see what you think first. You might find you don’t want to change them at all.
 
I like the anodized railings on my boat. Durable and pretty. I wish I could adhere some type of railing along the fiberglass portion of the hull to minimize any pier post damage....
 
What about doing a vinyl wrap on it? Not exactly the same, but would be probably easy to do.
 
Powder coating would be the most durable aftermarket application but the rails would have to be removed for the curing process which involves heating to 390 degrees. It also would be very difficult to find someone that does pc with an oven big enough to handle the parts.

The only way paint would have a chance of lasting more than a season is if it was protected by a clear coating. 3M makes a film used for vehicles marketed as a "clear bra" and it's very durable. I had it applied to the front of an '04 Accord when new and it's still on there. It hasn't yellowed or peeled, and there isn't a single rock chip despite 130,000 miles of busy freeway driving. Application is usually done by the same shops that do window tinting.
 
BulldogsCadillac said:
What about doing a vinyl wrap on it? Not exactly the same, but would be probably easy to do.
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I talked to my car guy who recommended we do a 3M double thickness clear wrap on the sides. It would protect the exterior better than that fragile ass paint.....may be my only option
 
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