How’s Your Powder Coated Underwater Parts Holding Up?

[UNSTUCK]

I’m thinking about powder coating my taps plates and FAE gloss black to match my black gel coat at the transom.

I’m also thinking about making some new taps plates out of mild steel if powder coating them will work well enough to prevent rust. If not then I’ll use SS or AL.

So what do you think? Anyone have issues with the coating bubbling or flaking? My boat lives on the trailer. It’s never in the water more than 8 hours at a time, except for the Tige reunion when it lives in the water for a few days. Never in salt water.

[Jetdriver]

FAE was offering powder coating on their pipes as an option for awhile but they had issues with it flaking off pretty quickly. It hasn’t been an option for awhile now. I’m not sure if the powder sticks better to SS than aluminum, I’m guessing a lot has to do with how the surface is prepped before the powder is applied.

[Bakes5]

Maybe black anodized. I'd never powder coat either of those. Probably cheaper to anodize them as well

[TigeFamily]

I have heard that neither will last long term on stuff that is below water surface.

[UNSTUCK]

Can you anodize stainless? I was thinking it was just done on aluminum. I can make the new tabs out of AL, but don't want to mess with the center tab that is stainless.

[NICKYPOO]

My taps plate and FAE are both powder coated. The taps plate looks brand new. The down pipe of my FAE is completely naked.

[UNSTUCK]

Nick, how long have they been coated? Did you buy the FAE coated or did you get it done? I assume you had the taps plate done. Do you know the process they used? Was zink or galvanized first or just prepped and coated?
Thanks.

[Zackdogg]

I would think it’s 100% the conditions that the powder coating is under. Water alone shouldn’t affect it, but harsh water, flexing on the parts, any water getting under the coating and starting to rust, and that kind of stuff will mess it up, pretty quickly.. I think you’d be far better off with SS or Aluminum, personally. Powder coating is tough, but I’d bet it won’t last as long as something that’s not going to rust.


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[BCRider]

The after market Taps plate that Corey makes is powder coated I believe. No issues with mine so far.

On my previous boat my FAE was powder coated black and it did peel near the bottom of the exhaust. I'd blame the peeling on prop wash though from sand when in shallow parts of the lake.

[NICKYPOO]

My taps plate is factory original. My FAE is super old. The down tube started peeling years ago. I ended up painting it and all the platform brackets with bbq paint. That lasted nearly a season. It’s now bare again but the platform brackets still look great. To Zackdogg’s point, I’m sure the propwash has much to do with stripping it. Plus the fact it’s the old super long down tube. The new ones are extremely short. Anybody ever cut one down? There’s a very deliberate shape to the cut off so I think I’ll need to replicate it.

[NICKYPOO]

My taps plate is also the old double actuator design so nearly zero flex to it.

And yes, bought the FAE powder coated.

[Zackdogg]

What’s happenin Nick?? This little baby amount of sunshine is making me itch for lake season, brotha!! Gonna be an epic year, I feel like! Think we’re going to kick the season off at Bullards on Mother’s Day weekend, if you guys are looking for something to do. Actually, could end up doing a little bar hopping at tahoe on Sunday, if you’re bored, but definitely won’t be getting wet yet!!

Do you know if your plates are steel? I would think powered ss or aluminum would hold up better, just because they wouldn’t rust under the power coat. I wouldn’t trust powder coat to prevent rust forever, not to say I’m right, that’s just me.


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[NICKYPOO]

I’m actually not sure it’s SS or aluminum. I think it’s SS.

I’m 100% ready for a boat ride. We’ve been on the snow every Saturday and Sunday for months now. I’m actually kind of over it. The problem is I’m addicted to it. So are my kids. And it keeps snowing. There’s not going to be much of a transition time from the mountain to the lake this year. I’m predicting 5days. I’m sure we’ll hook up sooner rather than later.

Come on man. I’ve ridden Tahoe in April. Water is only cold while you’re in it bud.

[Zackdogg]

Yeah, I got 2 new pairs of sticks, last year, and still haven’t put bindings on them yet. I get pretty busy in the winter, which is good to cover the Tige payment, at least!!

Well, we know you ride better than I do, and now we know you’re tougher too!! Riding at Bullards, in April, last year was about my line.. water was 52°, no wetsuit, and that is the bare minimum I’ll be riding in, for the rest of eternity!!


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[UNSTUCK]

I scored a remnant piece of 12 gauge stainless yesterday that was exactly the size I nested to fit all the parts...so I'm going stainless and will polish it up, hopefully to match the taps plate. I felt like a kid at a candy store walking out of there with the material I needed at less than half the price I was quoted the day before. I guess I better learn how to tig weld stainless now.