Rusty Snake

[Ocean Addiction]

I'm after some advice on my 54lb Watersnake. I've had it for about 3 years and looked after it well (washed down after every use and annually pulled down and lubricated). I'm quite happy with it and I've only had to invest $1.40 in repairs so far (touch wood).

Recently though I've noticed some surface rust creeping in around the bottom of the shaft. There also appears to be some bubbling of the paint around the top of the steering box.

How would you guys treat something like this (I'm reasonably handy)?? Would I be best served taking the parts to a local smash repairer for a respray or is this something I could do myself? Would really appreciate some advice on the best approach.

[Zacnoel]

Hi - I too have the same unit. Although mine hasn't seen much use I have seen countless units on the road with the same problem making me a little uncomfortable about the motors longevity. I will follow this post as I feel a solution may be useful to me in the future - good luck

Edited July 16, 2015 by Zacnoel

[Fab1]

Wire wheel on drill,sand paper,deoxidine(rust converter)1 can of etch primer 1 can of paint,wax/grease remover,masking tape.

All can be purchased from any automotive store.

Wire brush and sand the area,mask off,clean with w&g remover,apply rust converter,etch primer and paint.

Don't bother taking something like that to a paint shop.

It took longer to write this than what it will take to remove the rust and paint that.

Hope this helps.

[Ocean Addiction]

Thanks Fab1, Do i need marine paint for the top coat or just car spray paint?

David

[stevefish]

What is the life expectancy for one of these? Mine is now 6 years old and looks worse although surface and superficial rust only hopefully.

I have noticed the electronics like regular use, I found they would not go when I first put it in, I keep mine "down" now and give it a go every few days when I walk past.

[Fab1]

Thanks Fab1, Do i need marine paint for the top coat or just car spray paint?

David

Marine paint is just an expensive way of saying 2k(2 PAC)) in the marine industry.

There's no way in hell I'd pay the money they want to paint a boat,but that's a different story.

Just buy an enamel or acrylic and touch it up like I said.

Yes car paint is fine,your painting an electric motor not a Maserati.

[Juggs]

get what you pay for

mine was completely covered in flaking powdery paint from the aluminium bubbling underneat h but as long as the seals hold its only a cosmetic issue

cheap is cheap and i considered them disposable units

[Ocean Addiction]

I had some time over the last week to get the paint job underway on the trolling motor. Firstly a big thanks to Fab1 for the advice on the approach. The initial plan was to do some touch-up work to the corroded areas. Once I got the parts off I decided to give each of the parts a complete paint. I thought I would post up some info about my experience in case anyone else is interested in doing a similar job themselves.

Step 1: Gather Supplies

I wasn't sure what the existing paint was so I decided to go for an acrylic gloss. The standard white colour looked like it would match the existing paint quite well. I already had a few of the items required and got the remaining supplies at the local auto shop.

Supplies

• Wax and Grease Remover $12
• Rust Converter $12
• Masking Tape $10
• Sand Paper $1.39
• Etch Primer $16
• Acrylic Gloss White Paint $15
• I already had a wire brush, lots of rags and some methylated spirits

Step 2: Prep work

I disassembled the unit to gain access to the main shaft and top side of the steering box. All the parts got laid out. Anything small went straight into a zip-lock bag so that nothing got lost. I usually pull the unit apart once a season for servicing and lubrication. This made disassembly a simple process. I recall the first time it pulled it apart was a bit tricky getting some bolts out.

Next step was to remove the flaking paint around the corroded areas. For this I used a wire brush on a drill. A quick blast with the brush made short work of the compromised paintwork. This brought the affected areas back to bare metal. I found the wire brush to be a little too coarse for the metalwork though. I would recommend trying something a little less harsh even if it takes a bit longer.

Then I gave all the parts a thorough sanding using some 180 grit paper over a sponge block. I removed just enough material to take the gloss off the existing paint. It also provided some texture for the new paint to adhere to.

The last part of the prep work was applying rust converter. Using a small paintbrush I painted over the corroded areas. After half an hour wait it requires a wipe down with a damp rag. Then immediately another wipe down with a rag dampened with methylated spirits. Then wipe down again with a clean rag. It was about this stage that it got dark and I had to put the job away overnight. The next day in new light I noticed some corrosion still around the base of the main shaft. I reapplied the rust converter which cleaned all the remaining rust off.

Step 3: Masking and Painting

Time to mask up the job and get painting. I am usually impatient by the time we get to this stage so I had to temper my enthusiasm. The plan was to mask around the joints on the motor unit and paint in two sessions. First the main body, then the nose cone and tail section. After taping it up I decided that it wasn’t looking too flash. I pulled the tape off and disassembled the motor case. This would allow better access to some of the corroded areas around the joins. The nose cone came off and the tail section slid back just enough to expose the join. I was careful not to damage the extremely fine seal rings that sit in each of these joints.

I used masking tape (with junk mail) to build a shield protecting the inner motor. I also used a nail and some heavy fishing line to hang the unit in a well ventilated location. Another tip at this stage is to tape and secure the wires at the top of the shaft. Losing one down the shaft would be a nightmare to retrieve. The other parts were strung up on metal coat hangers fashioned into hooks.

Next up was a coat of etch primer. Upon seeing how dark it dried I thought I might be visible through the top coats. Too late to change now though. Following the primer were 5 coats of the white gloss acrylic. Each coat applied 5 minutes apart. Using light coats I could still see the primer for the first 2 coats. From coat 3 it started to look better and by coat 5 it looked fantastic. I left it to dry for 24 hours before continuing.

The following day I reversed the masking so that I could paint the tail section. I was starting to run low on junk mail so used a plastic bag for the majority of the masking. I followed the same process; wax and grease remover; 1 coat etch primer; 5 coats of gloss. After leaving it to dry I removed the masking tape. Then after 24 hours I reassembled the motor unit. When reassembling the tail section ensure that you push the motor brushes back. This needs to get done before trying to join the tail back up to the main unit.

Step 4: Polish and Reassemble

Finally I gave it a quick polish as there was a slight orange peel effect in the paint. This brought out a good shine on the paint. Next was to reassemble and relubricate the parts ready for its next outing.

Key Tips:

• Regular servicing makes a job like this much easier!
• The metal is quite soft so be gentle with abrasives
• Ensuring you get rid of all the corrosion before painting (double check in good light)
• When reassembling the motor housing ensure you first push the motor brushes back before trying to close the tail section

David

[amkr]

Good work.

I have a bit of a love for stripping parts down and painting them.. When you're done and it looks brand new again it makes all the sanding worthwhile.

[antonywardle]

very nice job!

[Ocean Addiction]

Good work.

I have a bit of a love for stripping parts down and painting them.. When you're done and it looks brand new again it makes all the sanding worthwhile.

I know that feeling now. Looking at doing the motorbike exhaust now...

[Fab1]

Well done on a great looking job.

You can't beat the satisfaction of doing things yourself let alone the amount of coin you save over the years.

I've saved hundreds and thousands over the years from car repairs to adding extra rooms to my dwelling as a owner builder.

Good onya for having a go.

Cheers.

[mrsswordfisherman]

great post and detail there David - thanks for sharing this for members to grab some tips

[Blood Knot]

great post and detail there David - thanks for sharing this for members to grab some tips

Plus 1 for that - good onya for taking the time to share that mate

Cheers Blood Knot

[GreyNurse]

Thanks david,

I have a Water Snake. It's still in good nick, but if I notice any corrosion setting in, I now know exactly what to do

[Ocean Addiction]

Thanks. I havent had the chance to use the snake for a few months since I painted it. However, I have knocked it over on the gararge floor a few times. The new paint job is holding up surprisingly well vs the concrete!

I wish they had a convenient way to store them (like hang them off the wall with the quick release mount).

[brad_tate]

I made a mount myself for my MK. Just took a piece of 38 mm pine, cut it to shape to match the Polythene mount on my bow, carefully drilled holes to fit the securing U-bracket and mounted it vertically in my shed. Effectively the vertical equivalent of the horizontal Polythene mount.

After I dismount and clean my electric, I pop it on the vertical mount and slip in the U-bracket (I do need to support the weight of the motor by hand as I do this). Another benefit is the bracket and the securing clip are then left in place and can't be lost.

Let me know if anyone wants to see a picture.

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[Ocean Addiction]

A DIY puck. I've searched a few times for additional pucks (which I could never find) as I would like to use my electric on a couple of boats.

I never thought of making one out of plywood. Ill have ot give it at try. Thanks very much for the suggestion!

[brad_tate]

Mine is made from a thick piece of solid timber. Ply might be ok, but the pressure from the U-bracket might separate the sheets depending on where the slot is. Any piece of solid timber would work, look for offcuts in your local timber yard.

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