It is one of the most common and pressing issues with marine engines, corrosion. It matters not how awesomely powerful and wonderfully reliable a marine engine is, if it is not properly protected, the corrosive marine environment will eat through all that greatness in no time and destroy the engine from the outside, after all the care was taken to keep it running in the inside.
Great strides have been made in our industry, and marine materials are more resistant than ever, as well as specialty paints and enamels that create a protective layer to keep salt and moisture away. Modern urethane based paints are not only extremely heat resistant, but they also withstand the expansion that comes when engines get hot. However, care must be taken in the application of these paints, and also in how they are matched with primers, and how many layers are applied. The better paints and primers are expensive, and not everybody uses them. At Medusa, we use exclusively 3M primers and Eastwood high temperature ceramic paints.
Then, in stark contrast to many other manufacturers, we do not overcoat our engines. Five or six layers of paint do not necessarily protect any more than two or three layers, and in fact, may increase the potential for warping with the extra thickness. So we use a Flexible Multi-Coat technique, laying down more coats on areas of low expansion, usually closer to the bottom, and less layers in areas of higher expansion. This approach is actually far more effective than the overall thick layering used by most manufacturers.
To top it all off, no pun intended, we then spray all of our surfaces with Boeshield T-9, Boeing's legendary formula to protect airplanes. This magic liquid does wonders in providing a long lasting barrier against the elements, and in fact, we provide Medusa owners with full year supply of Boeshield T-9, which can be used to treat electronics and many other important parts of the boat.