If the original blue paint is sticking good, then just lightly sand it (320 grit) and paint over that. If you sand through in a few spots, spray them with ACID ETCH primer in an aerosol can. Pick up a can at an auto paint store.
If you insist on stripping the boat down to bare metal, follow Salty's recommendation.
The issue with bare aluminum is the fact that is rusts so quickly. Yes, it does rust! When iron/steel oxidizes, it gives you the brown colored rust. The oxidation of aluminum gives you a white rust that is hard to see. Aluminum actually surface rusts much quicker than bare steel.
Strip it, sand it, and prime as soon as possible with acid etch or epoxy primer. Make sure you sand the bare aluminum before priming.
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