will try that. thx

if you can test it before you do your drive - do that. I had tried to do clear over my black one year and it ruined the paint.... some aren't compatible.

I believe mercury makes a clear?

I've tried most all of the above recipes, and have not been successful with a boat that is moored full time in salt or fresh water. As said above the OEM
finish is magic!
Finally bit the bullet, and purchased a hydrohoist!

Drives look great!

Slightly off topic but has anyone had issues with hard water stains not coming off the drives? I re-painted my XRs with Merc rattle can black and clear last year. I float the boat for 10 days a year on Bull Shoals which has hard water and it leaves a white haze on them every time. Bio Kleen gets some of the black to come back but never to full shine, any ideas how to prevent this?

The outdrives are powder coated at the factory and unless you can do the same, the same results aren't possible.
When I bought my 252 Islander last year, the skeg had some missing paint. I scuffed it good with some 1600 grit paper, then wiped it down with prep solvent, then applied a couple of coats of zinc chromate primer, then...get this...used Krylon FUSION gloss black. To date it has held up great, no flaking or peeling.

interesting, I may have to keep that an option.

Use an epoxy primer and urethane paint. I used single stage PPG. (not acrylic urethane, or urethane enamel)
The first pic is 2010 last pic was 2020. Only paint missing is where it wore off the skegs from beaching. No chipping or peeling
Post 10 will show what I started with. Pitts were filled with Dynatron Dyna-Delite.
https://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/...-progress.html
2010
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...63312ac9de.jpg
2020
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...f0eb8dadad.jpg

I used to race high performance radio controlled boats, running 60% nitromethane fuel that would simply dissolve most paints, so I always used IMRON primers and paints, and yeah...NOTHING would touch that stuff, for sure.

I have painted many drives, what usually works for me is to sandblast the unit first, then use a good metal prep made for aluminum. Prime the units with either a good epoxy or chromate primer. I usually use a good single stage automotive black. As others suggested also make sure your anodes are correct for the type of water your boat sits in. Salt and fresh have different ones. As Craney suggested they do make a two part spray in a can, you can order it through Eastwick with other two part primers and clear if you do not have access to spray equipment. It also never hurts to keep them clean by wiping them down from time to time when you are at the beach. Good luck, hope it helps.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...c1b323f414.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...7cbf517d3b.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...118e514ae1.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...db50e87d36.jpg
This bottom one was taken right after it was out of storage for winter so they look dusty.