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color matching metal on 2015 boats?


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Has anyone found a vendor that can color match the finishing of the metalwork on the 2015 boats? I referring to the board racks, steering wheel, although trim, etc.

I'm fairly sure it's an anodizing process, I know it not a "time saver" finish. I've got some parts from my old boat that are "bright" metal and I'd like to get them to match the metalwork on the new boat so I don't have a "clown boat" of mismatched metal.

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I need two upper racks done as well. I am curious if anyone has found an inexpensive solution. I was thinking of finding spray paint to match but haven't really looked yet...

Edited by bunji169
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  • 2 weeks later...

I dropped off my rack forks at a metal finishing shop in Sacramento on Friday; When I carried in the stock forks, the guy I met with looked at them (from across the room) and said "yup, that's our gray". I'm picking them up later this week and I'll post pictures and contact information. I'll let everyone determine the quality and color matching skills in a few days.

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@bunji169 $25/ea x 8 forks = $200. It's more than I wanted to spend, but I only plan to do this once and when I compared the color on the Malibu parts to some samples they were identical. I'm really hoping that the color carries over to the Skylon forks.

If you're interested I can PM you the details on the contact and business, but I don't want to post it here until I have results to share. Just in case the results aren't what I'm expecting, I don't want to send people to a business that doesn't deliver. BTW: they're on the other side of town from you, off of Power Inn on the Rancho side.

Edited by mikeo
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I got the rack forks back today and they look awesome. I just put everything back together and it's too late/too dark to mount them on the boat and take pictures. I'll post pictures in the morning when I take them. It almost makes me want to have the screws anodized so they match too. I'll post all the contact info when I post the pictures.

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I don't want to have too large of an image here, but hopefully you can see how well the anodizing color match came out. I have to retract my earlier comment about wanting to color match the bolt heads too, after seeing that the Malibu hardware was still stainless it just makes sense to leave all the screws the polished stainless look. Contact info for the metal finishing shop that did the work is below the picture.

post-3087-0-63312800-1433647139_thumb.jp

Metal Finishing Group aka Alta Plating aka Aluminum Coating Technologies

8290 Alpine Dr.

Sacramento, CA 95826

(916) 442-1063

I worked with Clint, but Scott can help you too. For reference, the material I started with from Skylon was 6061 aluminum as detailed here:

http://www.skylonsports.com/shop/wakeboard-racks/racks-forks-shocker.html

The website appears to be offline, but call and let them know you need parts to match 2015 Malibu gray and they'll know what you're talking about.

If anyone needs/wants a super high resolution picture PM me with you contact info and I'll send it to you.

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Does skyline sell the splines separate from the base? and can they be attached to the Malibu base? or do they come together as a package? Finish turned out perfect, looks great!

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The "shocker" forks you see in the picture (and the link) are purchased as just a set of forks that bolt directly to the Malibu bases. I've got four sets of these so I can hold 8 wakeboards and 4 surfboards before I have to resort to using the floor or a storage locker. I have the slider (fixed) racks on the top tower mount and the "spinner" racks on the lower tower mount.

The rubber "snaps" out so they're just metal parts to be anodized, that makes the prep and reassembly easy. One (repeat) word of warning: everything bolts right up to the spinner bases from Malibu, but the "slider" (fixed) bases present a small challenge: the holes don't line up right because the spinner racks have an extra .2" of plastic washers in them so they spin without metal on metal. I put .1" plastic washers in the "slider" bases so that the holes lined up.

Here's a crazy close up picture of what I'm talking about: (red arrow)

post-3087-0-22623900-1433659636_thumb.jp

The only part I don't like is that there is a bit of metal overhang from the forks to the bases, and this is consistent going back a number of years. I have a family member who has a VLX that is a few years old with the polished spinner bases and he has the same overhang. It's not a major issue since you don't notice it unless you're looking for it and it's not where anyone is going to put their hand and get scratched. (blue circle)

Edited by mikeo
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