Fiberglass Over Metal?

[Snipe Hunter]

I bought a rust encapsulator.  that link is from a previous thread I made here specifically on rusting pool rails.  this thread is more about how to protect the rail section that is under the pool ladder, since it sees a lot more water.

I'd clean it real good and make sure you rinse with clean water before painting. I'd use that rust encapsulation on any rust. Give the area to be painted a good scrubbing with soap and water and scotchbrite. And make sure you know it's 100% dry before coating it with the encapsulator. Then I'd spray Bulldog on it.
It's a good adhesion promoter. I've used it for years on new parts, mostly plastic. It will bond well to your rust encapsulator. It sticks to everything. Just make sure you put your primer on as soon as it dries for best adhesion.
Then prime and paint it. You should shoot your paint soon after the primer dries also unless you use an epoxy primer where you'd shoot when it's cured, whenever that may be. 24 hours? I'd probably spray a 1K Poly on the primer like This.
Maybe find a color that somewhat matches the existing. This stuff is very easy to spray. If you don't have a spray gun, borrow one or cough up the $17 for the purple one at HF.

[Woodenfish]

Did you ever check with the local pool dealer? They might have new old stock replacement parts in storage.

[ez-duzit]

West Marine (the makers of the West System)...

West Marine does NOT make WEST Systems epoxy, though it is one of the many products they sell. WEST Systems epoxy is made by Gougeon Brothers.

[crokett™]

I'd clean it real good and make sure you rinse with clean water before painting. I'd use that rust encapsulation on any rust. Give the area to be painted a good scrubbing with soap and water and scotchbrite. And make sure you know it's 100% dry before coating it with the encapsulator. Then I'd spray Bulldog on it.
It's a good adhesion promoter. I've used it for years on new parts, mostly plastic. It will bond well to your rust encapsulator. It sticks to everything. Just make sure you put your primer on as soon as it dries for best adhesion.
Then prime and paint it. You should shoot your paint soon after the primer dries also unless you use an epoxy primer where you'd shoot when it's cured, whenever that may be. 24 hours? I'd probably spray a 1K Poly on the primer like This.
Maybe find a color that somewhat matches the existing. This stuff is very easy to spray. If you don't have a spray gun, borrow one or cough up the $17 for the purple one at HF.

thanks, but it's all going to be brush work.   I don't want overspray on the deck or the water.   The finish quaility is less important than saving the pool rails.  I don't want to take them off.  They are part of the pool wall structure and were difficult to install and line up properly.  My old pool the plastic rails were just cosmetic.

[mike4244]

The top rail of my pool is metal.  There are some spots that will need paint.  The rail under the pool ladder is pretty bad.  I am going to move the ladder but want to do something to protect that rail after I fix the damage.  I was thinking of things like truck bed paint - if I could get it colored white and could brush it on, or even flex-seal.  Another thing I thought of was fiberglass applied to the top rail.  I've never done fiberglass.  Would it adhere to the metal  How well would it take paint?

Neighbor had same problem. I cut a slot in 3" PVC pipe 1-3/4" wide in the length of the pipe. Couple of taps on the pipe with my fist and the pipe was on the rail. I cut the pipe on a table saw. Made two tapered plugs, one for each end of the pipe. Added a 3" x 4" scrap at plugs to keep the pipe from tilting. Ran pipe over 1/2" high raised blade , then reversed the pipe end for end. This cut the slot . The ladder hooks were too small and were replaced. 
mike