Wanting to paint an old jon boat that was passed down to me from my grandpa.  It has never been painted, question is do I have to put speical primer on it?  The local Lowe's has aluminum paint ( for siding) can I just pick my color and start painting?  

I would scrape it down first and use a spray on rust remover-primer it gives it more strength and it lasts longer. Get rust-o-leum paint it is probably better than the stuff that you were looking at.

Believe me i have done it before.

Wade,

Hold off for a day or so. I am going to ask the head chemist (my wife's 2nd cousin) at the Valspar plant near my home. Valspar is one of the biggest paint manufactures in the world. They make the paint they use on MTV's "Pimp my Ride." It is also probably the brand you saw at Lowe's.

I will get back with you.

JT Bagwell

wade, you will want to use an epoxy primer after you get it down to bare metal.  PPG makes a primer called DP40 and also DP50(just different colors,same primer)this is the primer you want to use for direct to aluminum. DP40 is not sandable so after you spray it on if its not perfectly clean you will have to spay another primer on so you can sand it. A sandable primer is called primer surfacer,usually urethane but I think lacquer based is still available,its a lot cheaper.As far as paint goes use the best you can afford. anything from enamels to urethanes will work but the urethanes will be much more durable.As JT was saying valspar (sikkens) is a huge paint manufacturer and I have used their stuff and its great,in our town PPG has a better retailer so thats what we use. If you use the valspar tell them you want a primer similar to the dp's in PPG's line. I would guess that you are looking at about 300-400$ in materials but dont go the cheap route, youre doing a lot of work and i'm sure you dont want to do it again next year!Let me know if you have anymore questions,i'll do my best to help out

Thanks for the replys,  before the posting the plan was to scrub the boat with a wire brush and wash it off really good, then start painting it.  I'm not looking for a perfect paint job, anything will look better than the way it is now, and if I have to repaint it in time, not really out anything but time.  Have seen pics of guys using rhino lining on their boats, looks good but thinking that is much more than I need.  I have my 4 yr old so excited about going out in the boat fishing she is driving her mom nutz.  I'm lovin it!!!

I had to paint my newly aquired 12' jon boat a couple of years ago.  This thing was a mess!  It had been painted and had tar all over it.  As I removed the tar I found out why it was there. The first thing that I would do if I were you is test it to see if it is sea worthy.  Find any small leaks and patch them.  I used two different things to patch my boat.   I used epoxy to fill the smaller holes.  The bigger holes were in the bottom rivots.  I used epoxy, then spray on bed liner, as the epoxy alone didn't work on the first test on the water.  I cleaned this thing as best as  I could.  I got some paint at good ol Wal-Mart.  It was for outdoor equipment, machinery.  I let my little girl of 5 years old help me pick a color, as she was so excited to go out on the lake.  Let's say I have the brightest boat on the lake.  Kentucky Wildcat blue it is! But I don't mind, I am a Wildcat Fan.  The paint is still in excelent shape, and it only cost about $50 to do this boat over.

Sounds like you and I are in the same boat,  poor family guys!!!  The boat itself is in great shape, been stored in the back of my dads barn for many years.  Grandpa got it right before he retired and not sure if he every put it on the water.  I had it out couple times many years ago.  50 dollar Wally-World paint is probably what is going to happen to mine to.  If I had the money would buy a two man fiberglass boat with the live well.  But for now be floating in what I have.  Glad to know I am not the only poor guy on the water.

lol...im an even poorer guy thats not on the water... ;D

I have done this with great sucess a couple of times. I have paint on my hands as we type I am redoing my tracker.

Do not use any hardware or super store paint.

It can get costly so this is your first decision.

Arrumming the boat has no paint you need to prep it.  

1.Palm sand with paper 220 to 600 grit.  just to get the crap off it.

2. This is the most important part.  But what is called atching primer (automotice paint supplier)

spray any and all aluminumsufaces to be painted.

3.Get the approipriate primer the paint store guys can help. rough up with 400git before applying paint.

then buy the paint, if you want a gloss finish without buffing you must tell them that also.  there are additives to harden an gloss the paint.

products cost about $120.

If you wantthe paint to stick you have to use the etching primers.

goodluck