Stencil for camo duck boat

[Scott K]

I am going to be helping my son paint his duck boat up soon, and I was wondering what, and where you can get a stencil of cat tail reeds, or something similar cheap. I have found some at stores for $39, but I want something cheaper. 

 

Also if you have other tips, I have never done it before. How to clean it before painting, ways to make the paint last? Etc...

[bobbymalone]

I've painted a couple duck boats and haven't bothered with a stencil.  I tried it once and immediately didn't like the results.  Also didn't like the way it looked by using a handful of cattails and reeds as a reverse stencil.

I've just put down a dark brown base color, then layered two different colors of khaki or tan stripes over that using spray paint.  Layered in a little bit of dark brown, dark green, and black stripes too, then more of the khaki/tan on top of that.  It creates a sorta 3D look.  Seems to fool ducks.  Looks better than a simple stencil job, IMO, and it's don't get any easier than painting stripes with a spray paint can.   

I just power washed the boat to clean it up and then used paint that was marketed for turning metal boats into metal duck boats.   It seems to hold up pretty well, might need some touch up in a couple years across the gunwales, particularly where some straps rubbed on it.  But I wasn't expecting a one and done forever paint job either.

Take a look at a canoe I did last year.  I did use a stencil for Daffy.

 

 

Edited August 5, 2015 by bobbymalone

[Scott K]

I do kinda like that better as well. Where did you get the paint from? Fleet Farm? Napa? Walmart?

[bobbymalone]

I bought the dark brown base in a gallon pail from FF.  Put it on with rollers/brushes.  I think it's Herter's brand, but not sure.  Had a yellowish orange label.  

The spray paint I used for the layering was from Menard's.  I think it was rustoleum camo paint.  I know rustoleum/krylon/etc all have a "camo" paint line.

[Scott K]

Thanks! I will look into it.

[Neighbor_guy]

I did mine very similar. Rolled on the brown base coat then sprayed on stripes of green khakis and black. 

Its was all rust-o-lium from menards it won't win any beauty contests, but it works

Edited August 5, 2015 by Neighbor_guy