[GO DAWG GO]

I agree with the others on the Cres stainless steel. Try to get some 320-321 Cres steel from a supplier. You can get it polished. This will not incur any corrosion, even in salt water.

Otherwise

The aluminum: Most yards will have aircraft quality 6061-T6. This is tempered and will work fine. If you can ask for some 6061-T6 CLAD. This will be coated with pure aluminum and will have a mirror finish. (We used it on American Airlines fuselage and wing skins..and it still looks great.

If you want to paint it, you will need to abrade the surfaces with 320 grit paper and then alodine it ( Alodine 1200) finish with a primer coat of Zinc Chromate or Epoxy based primer. Then you can paint any color...

Sounds like a pain in the you know what, but its the right way to finish aluminum.

thanks

Bob