Need help with dirty stubborn pontoons

[waybel1]

Hello one and all .Recently bought a 2008 SunTracker 21 foot pontoon boat .Decided to try and clean up pontoons.Former owner said they were dirty when he bought it 5 years ago from original owner and he never tried to clean them up .Said they were in the water for most of the time he had it but not salt water . I Tried everything from power washing,hand cleaner and the about the only thing that worked from the water line down was SOS pads.Yes a lot of work and scrubbing .Saw on the internet to use Napa Aluminum brightener .I tried diluting it and even full strength on the under water line .Still didn't work.No idea what to try unless back to the SOS pads.Oh the brightener works well on the upper part lol . and the last pic of the sos pad and polishing.

 

[Scott Danforth]

If you want to keep the polished look. You will need shark hide or equivalent

 

[waybel1]

Still trying to figure out how to get that whatever that build up is below the water line .

 

[cyclops222]

There are so many different chemicals and stuff in the water from all those years. Really a tough problem to correct.

 

[rolmops]

This may sound crazy and weird, but I have had amazing success with a product called "spray nine" for the oily residues. It is soap on steroids. You spray it on and let it do its thing for half an hour and then scrub it off.
There is another product called "Lysol advanced power clinging gel" It is a toilet bowl cleaner, but it can do so much more. I managed to remove all the 20 year old deposits of iron oxide deposits from the bath tub and the toilet which had a distinct sh-t color. My sister in law had given up on trying to clean it and had put up a note saying "This is not what you think it is". I just squirted a heavy layer of the gel and let it do its thing. The next morning I scrubbed a bit and all the brown rust stuff came off. I would definitely give that stuff a try. Squirt it on and let it sit for like half an hour and then take a brush to it.

 

[cyclops222]

Do not use toilet bowel cleaners. They are VERY VERY strong corrosive chemicals. They will drip on to Aluminum and eat it alive very quickly. EXTREME caution if used. Must have a pressurized garden hose next to the cleaning area.

 

[mr 88]

I've seen one so polished up by a body man that it looked like chrome when he was done . You could see your face in the reflection. Was using a 7 -1/2" polisher with different grit papers and then a finishing compound . I'd be going that route before trying it by hand only .
Been using Spray 9 for decades , mostly on fiberglass tough spots,marks ,spider crap etc . not for cleaning hull bottoms

 

[waybel1]

I've seen one so polished up by a body man that it looked like chrome when he was done . You could see your face in the reflection. Was using a 7 -1/2" polisher with different grit papers and then a finishing compound . I'd be going that route before trying it by hand only .
Been using Spray 9 for decades , mostly on fiberglass tough spots,marks ,spider crap etc . not for cleaning hull bottoms

Was thinking of trying sandpaper but was afraid of messing up the aluminum .Wonder what grit would be safe to try ?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Was thinking of trying sandpaper but was afraid of messing up the aluminum .Wonder what grit would be safe to try ?

start with 240, work your way up to 800, then grab the buffer.

 

[waybel1]

start with 240, work your way up to 800, then grab the buffer.

Should i use just a regular electric sander or do it by hand ?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Should i use just a regular electric sander or do it by hand ?

if you have no experience, then you do it with a soft pad and by hand.

if you are experienced in metal polishing, then you use a pneumatic DA, wear appropriate PPE and go that route (because you will be covered in black goo from the sanding and polishing)

 

[JimS123]

When I got my used tinny I cleaned the hull to a shiny finish using a scrub brush and Aluminum jelly. Worked like a charm.

As the years went by it gradually tarnished.

One Summer we spent a week in Chautauqua Lake in southern NY and after taking the boat out of the water the hull below the waterline looked shiny brand new. If someone would check the pH and chemical composition of that lake they could formulate a cleaner and make a fortune.

The only downside to that vacation was that after swimming we needed to take a shower due to a strange body odor. Over the years we spent 3 vacations there and the same thing happened every time.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Chautauqua Lake in southern NY has a high ph level. my guess is the water was dissolving your skin (was in a CSI eppisode)

 

[JimS123]

Chautauqua Lake in southern NY has a high ph level. my guess is the water was dissolving your skin (was in a CSI eppisode)

Good to know. I guess I'll go back now. Swimming sounds better than a diet anyway.