As Redhook suggested if you paint your outdrive only use paint designed for it. My suggestion is don't paint it! Over time you'll get paint build up and your drive will look nasty! I've always kept my powerboats in the lake for extended periods. Eventually you will need to pull it and refuel. This is a good time to clean it in and out! With the right cleaner, cleaning your hull is easy and quick. In addition your boat will hold its value better without bottom paint, but I am biased and hate bottom paint on a trailerable boat.

I agree 100%. A nice shiny outdrive is always best. Only put bottom paint on your hull as a last resort. Noting better for resale then a clean hull and outdrive, both with no bottom paint. Easy enough to pull it out occasionally and pressure wash or clean......

I wouldnt ever do bottom paint on the hull, just asking about the outdrive....just thought if i got the right approved paint and gave it a shot of black paint it would slow it down some...worth doing still or just leave it and clean the **** out of it at the end of the season? It will stay in the water for the 5months...

Using the Trilux 33 from a spray can gives good results. The finish is not quite as shiny as using Phantom Black, but close. The general rule is to use one full can per outdrive. I did this with my Amberjack (twin Bravo 2 outdrives) that was kept in the water year round and had good results. I used Trilux 33 on the runnig gear on the other boats I have owned that were kept in the water as well.

We've always had great luck painting our outdrives, but we strip them pretty much every season and re-paint. It generally takes about a day to do it right, but we're able to get some other things done while the paint is drying, etc.

We've always just used the Merc Phantom Black from Westmarine, but I always wanted to use a more durable paint, with better shine.

Do you use zincs/mags? And if so, are you careful not to paint the mating surface of the anticorrosive metal (zinc or mag) to the outdrive? With changing zincs every year and painting we have virtually zero issues with corrosion. We never ran magnesium, never had to. We just changed the zincs every year even if they didn't look too worn.

Also, do you run a battery switch, and do you switch your batteries off when you're not using your boat? Some people say it doesn't matter, some people say it adds to the metal parts corroding. We always shut ours off.

ok so in freshwater do you use zincs or mags? Battery switch i leave on to power on the charger and charge both batterys

Magnesium. Your battery charger should not go through your battery switch. It should always be connected straight to your batteries. As should your bilge pump.

We've always used zincs, that's all that Westmarine stocked back then (we haven't had a "leave-in" boat in about 5 years), but everyone else apparently says to use magnesium. Zincs worked fine for us though. Fresh paint lasted the entire year, no corrosion, we would just be missing a bit of paint of the bottom of the skeg from running through Muskamoot bay shallows, but still no corrosive problems.

I agree with Redhook about the battery chargers not running through the switches. They shouldn't need to be "on" to charge the batteries.

I could be wrong about the switch....havent seen the boat all winter

Mine is in fresh water from May to Sept every year. Magnesium anodes all the way. Zinc anodes will do NOTHING in freshwater. Aluminum anodes are OK but Mag does a far better job.

Zinc = Saltwater
Alum= Salt or Fresh
Mag= Fresh Only

I run my Mercathode and new Mag anodes every year. Virtually no corrosion to the drive with this setup. I touch up the drive every year with Merc phantom black enamel paint. Jump in and wash the drive, sides and what I can reach of the bottom every weekend.