Cleaning toons on old boat

[roger56]

Ready to put toon away for year and I need to clean the toons on this old boat 1959 san pan. I do not know if they have ever been cleaned they look terrible. What products will clean,polish or restore these old toons?

 

[Bama Hound]

Re: Cleaning toons on old boat

Look terrible has different degrees. If it has been sitting the water most of its life it is deeply pitted and would need orbital sander to get to look decent. If you are talking dark anodizing, I have used Aluminum Cleaner from NAPA. Get a spray bottle use about 2 or 3 oz. per qt. of water. Use paint stripper pads from Wally World spray bottle in one hand pad in the other. If you let it sit too long it will turn them white. If they have scum and algae on them start with a pressure washer. I have heard people using air conditioner coil cleaner from heat/AC contractors, but have never tried it myself. If you are going to garage it it makes sense to do the job now. If outside it will make the yard look better but will need touch-up next Spring as they will be streaked and dull.

 

[roger56]

Re: Cleaning toons on old boat

I have read of people using a product called Toon brite and something called VVJ or something like that to clean toons. The boat comes out of the lake every fall but never had any maintaince on toons. I will get some pics this weekend. Just looking for the best product to get them cleaned up?

 

[Jlawsen]

Re: Cleaning toons on old boat

Roger56, if they are that bad then you might consider using AlumaPrep 33. It's used to prep aluminum for painting and welding. It will remove the mill scale and protective skin that naturally forms on aluminum but the good news is that the skin will start to reform about 10 minutes after the cleaning. Once you have it all cleaned up you can coat it with Sharkhide for long lasting protection.

 

[roger56]

Re: Cleaning toons on old boat

Where do you find AlumaPrep 33? and Sharkhide?

 

[Jlawsen]

Re: Cleaning toons on old boat

Where do you find AlumaPrep 33? and Sharkhide?

I get it from my local Dupont Automotive Paint Store. Some local welding supply stores carry it also. You can buy it by the gallon and it's a lot cheaper than Toon Brite. You can order Sharkhide from their website at www.sharkhide.com

Don't buy their aluminum cleaner, it's just repackaged 3M AlumaPrep 33. Toon brite is just watered down AlumaPrep, (I think, sure smells and acts like it).

 

[Bama Hound]

Re: Cleaning toons on old boat

I just did a search for Aluma Prep 33 and I got a source for $19.95 a qt. with a dilution ratio of 1 part cleaner to 2 parts water. It is phosphoric acid just like the NAPA Aluminum Cleaner, which I got for $12.00 a gallon. I has been 3 years since I bought some, price probably has gone up but if you have it shipped it may cost much for shipping and handling. (hazardous material?) Just saying watch your bang for the buck price. I suspect all of these cleaners contain the same active ingredient, some may contain perfumes or things to cover the rotten egg smell. I am tight with money so maybe I am not thrilled when I get mag wheel cleaner and the like for 6 or 7 bucks a squirt bottle full. I am not trying to be pick at anybody, just saying watch bang for buck ratio.

 

[DayCruiser]

Re: Cleaning toons on old boat

How thick are toons? Will sanding with a orbital sander(for deep pits) make them(toons) too thin and subject to leakage? Is it better to sand the pits or leave them alone?

Look terrible has different degrees. If it has been sitting the water most of its life it is deeply pitted and would need orbital sander to get to look decent. If you are talking dark anodizing, I have used Aluminum Cleaner from NAPA. Get a spray bottle use about 2 or 3 oz. per qt. of water. Use paint stripper pads from Wally World spray bottle in one hand pad in the other. If you let it sit too long it will turn them white. If they have scum and algae on them start with a pressure washer. I have heard people using air conditioner coil cleaner from heat/AC contractors, but have never tried it myself. If you are going to garage it it makes sense to do the job now. If outside it will make the yard look better but will need touch-up next Spring as they will be streaked and dull.

 

[roger56]

Re: Cleaning toons on old boat

I do not want to get into sanding the toons. I believe if you sand them you have to then polish and these toons are 53 years old. 1959 SAN PAN boat. I have no idea how thick they are?

 

[Jlawsen]

Re: Cleaning toons on old boat

I just did a search for Aluma Prep 33 and I got a source for $19.95 a qt. with a dilution ratio of 1 part cleaner to 2 parts water. It is phosphoric acid just like the NAPA Aluminum Cleaner, which I got for $12.00 a gallon. I has been 3 years since I bought some, price probably has gone up but if you have it shipped it may cost much for shipping and handling. (hazardous material?) Just saying watch your bang for the buck price. I suspect all of these cleaners contain the same active ingredient, some may contain perfumes or things to cover the rotten egg smell. I am tight with money so maybe I am not thrilled when I get mag wheel cleaner and the like for 6 or 7 bucks a squirt bottle full. I am not trying to be pick at anybody, just saying watch bang for buck ratio.

Having owned aluminum boats for many years and as a welder with a lot of experience welding Aluminum I can only say that you get what you pay for and I've pretty much tried them all. There is an even more expensive product out there that is exclusively for welding but it runs about 50.00 a quart with no dillution ratio. The difference between it and AlumaPrep is the amount of time it takes and when you're welding, time is money. That's not your problem so no need to go there.

Here's the deal, if the cheap stuff at Napa works for you then use it but if it's not cutting the mustard then try the AlumaPrep.

 

[roger56]

Re: Cleaning toons on old boat

I think I will try the AlumaPrep I just have to find a place that sells it? You said automotive paint store sells it, I will start looking for it this week. Every one thanks for the info it helps me out a great deal!

 

[artistwood]

Re: Cleaning toons on old boat

I used sharkhide toon cleaner on my 88' party hut. dilute in a spray bottle, spray it on, watch it foam, spray off. I tried the other cleaners listed above and the sharkhide proved to be the most cost effective because i used it only once as compared to repeated trys with the others. Left the toons nice and bright. coated twice with sharkhide protectant and i'm good for a few years.

 

[ripperace]

Re: Cleaning toons on old boat

I use Zep-A-Lum on tubes, which is basically a phosphoric acid. It works great on tubes that have about a seasons worth of crap build up on them. Long story short, I've got a toon at my place now that needs cleaned, and Zep-A-Lum is having a hard time cleaning the stuff off. I don't know when the last time the tubes were cleaned, as the stuff that's on them is REALLY HARD. It's old algae and from what appears to me is lime. Do you guys think AlumaPrep will work? I tried sanding it off in spots with a jitterbug and 120 grit paper, which will bite through the stuff, but I can't see doing that on 48 foot of tubes.

Ripper

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: Cleaning toons on old boat

It's easiest to go to your local boat dealer to buy aluminum cleaner. Or, go to napa to buy their cleaner. These acide based products will clean the hulls, but they will put out a dull finish. Aluminum polish, substantial elbow grease and a large pile of rags will be required to get'em to shine. Then, you would keep'em shiny using sharkhide protectant. It too is available at boat dealerships that sell aluminum boats and/or pontoons.

If you have a 1959 san pan, it ought to be one of the few in existence, and a collector's item. As far as i can tell, san pan started building aluminum pontoons in 1958, and they were the first. I don't recollect seeing aluminum pontoons prior to 1970.

 

[roger56]

Re: Cleaning toons on old boat

I will get pics for you this weekend. Did not know it is a collectors item. Its just a poontoon my brother and I have had since we purchased it from my uncle 25 years ago. Its decked out with Cub stuff hence the name Cubtoon.

 

[lakegeorge]

Re: Cleaning toons on old boat

Don't sand toons, they are only .080 thick and that's before all the pitting. Use a chemical cleaner.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Cleaning toons on old boat

Turbo tip on a pressure washer is how we clean dads boat after it sits in the lake for a year. If you are just looking for clean then it works great with no chemicals. If you are looking for a polished finish then you would need something else

 

[woody66912]

Re: Cleaning toons on old boat

I acid wash 20 a year, I use two quarts of zing per unit and I don't cut it, But I use a pressurized garden sprayer, adjust the tip so you get a fan spray.

 

[roger56]

Re: Cleaning toons on old boat

What is zing? Cleaning Peoduct?

 

[woody66912]

Re: Cleaning toons on old boat

Yes, we sell that over the counter, in quarts, but in the shop we buy bulk,