Want to know when we have important news, updates or interviews? It makes your pontoon sparkle all the way from under the water. You can save your time and effort by skipping the areas lying below the waterline. If you simply want to clean your pontoon boat, you can skip this part. Theres no doubt that, if youre trying to get into shape, youve heard about the interference effect and how running can be counter-effective if youre looking to build muscle. A good choice if you're in the market is this one from Porter Cable. Go to town with a wool or other comparable pad and start polishing those toons! On a regular pontoon boat, this stage of the process should take around 2 hours. In my case, I applied a second coat. The process is fairly easy; it wont take more than 3 hours max. Honestly. Marine 31 Pontoon & Aluminum Cleaner will not leave swirl marks in your pontoon boat, and it will not dull or scratch the surface. This is as simple as using a pressure washer in straight up and down motions, until the tubes are clean of debris. Id highly recommend it if you havent cleaned your pontoons for years. Its important to never let it dry. This one from Porter Cable is a solid choice if youre in the market. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The best way is always to follow an S pattern or a circular motion. Be careful when applying polish on the pontoon that you dont wipe straight up or down as it may leave some patterns. You are never going to get a great polished finish on your logs unless you prep them first. Because of the salt deposits, this is especially true for saltwater pontoons. At the end of the second day I made one last call to Bland and got the final set of instructions. Depending on the condition of your boat, you can apply Marine 31 Pontoon & Aluminum Cleaner by hand or machine. Admittedly its quite a labor-intensive task to do the best pontoon polish job possible, but I do promise you that the results will 100% be worth your time. Start by painting the polishing solution over a small section of the pontoon. Dont go up and down, as this can leave polish lines that a very keen eye might pick up on. Add to that the algae and mineral buildup, and youll be amazed by the amount of dullness and discoloration that can happen to your pontoons. Then again, this is better than opting for a cheap protectant that turns yellow after a couple of months. This is especially true for saltwater pontoons because of the salt deposits, so a boat de-salt concentrate is an excellent choice. This is a good time to take advantage of any juvenile labor you might have lounging around in the house. There is not much clearance and the polishing wheel tends to kick towards your face as it grabs onto the next section of the unfinished aluminum. Spray off the boat cleaner using a hose or pressure wash. Then you can scrub and rub as you spray. You dont have to do a pontoon polish. The last step of the process is applying a marine pontoon sealant like the Starke Hybrid Marine Sealant. The pink polishing paste was applied with a paint stir stick in very small quantities as we worked one linear foot of the pontoon at a time. Pontoon Boat Electrolysis: How to Stop and Prevent Corrosion, How to Remove Barnacles from a Pontoon Boat in 6 Simple Steps, How to Properly Anchor a Pontoon Boat in 7 Steps, How to Store a Pontoon Boat Without a Trailer, How to Clean a Bimini Top of Mildew & Mold Stains With No Bleach. What You Need To Know. To be safe, check the suggested setting time on the cleaner package. Shark Hide comes with instructions, but it's very vague on how much to mix of the solution with water. For more information, you can contact us at (800) 203-5315. You may have to use special drops and ointments to prevent long-term damage. Pontoon sealant protects the metal (whether it's aluminum, stainless steel, brass or bronze) from UV rays, saltwater damage, bird droppings, algae and more. Step 2 must be redone, at the risk of seeming repetitive. As I waxed, my mind started to wander, and one of the thoughts that popped into my head was Can You Be Muscular And Run Long Distances? Boat Soap quickly rinses away dirt, grime and other marine detritus from your boat's pontoons. Were advocates of the saying work smart, not hard so we prefer to apply Marine 31 Pontoon & Aluminum Cleaner with a wool pad on a rotary polisher. As you may already know, the aluminum oxidation and buildup will need a specialized cleaning solution. Be careful when working on the inside surfaces and the center pontoon. If youll work with a rag, divide each pontoon into small sections. For the polish solution, I havent seen anything more effective than Sharkhide Metal Polish and Bio-Kleen S07401 Metal Polish. Every inch of the polished surface had to be thoroughly cleaned with many paint thinner-soaked paper towels until there was no more black aluminum residue on the paper. You may have your finish done with step 2 and you'll be ready to apply the boat polish. If you want that mirror-like polish to last for the longest time, do a final pass with the aluminum cleaner. If you have ever taken your boat to a dealer and asked them to clean up your logs and tubes, chances are they quoted you back a cost of nearly $500 for creating a mirror-like result, and then finish it off with Shark Hide. It's funny how pontooners get about shininess of their pontoons. DecideOutside.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. The sale of pontoon boats continues to gain steam with 3-4% annual growth with around 64,000 pontoons sold in 2022. Then wash all the soap and wipe the surface dry with a super absorbent microfiber sponge before moving on to the next step of applying an exterior protectant. Just about every pontooner who does this job uses Shark Hide. Whilst those aluminum logs dont look like much, they have a surprisingly large surface area, especially if you are a stickler for detail like me and even like to polish the parts that nobody would ever conceivably see. Contrary to common belief, leaving the cleaner on for additional minutes wont make any difference. You soak the diaper with the metal protectant and run four linear feet at the timetop to bottom this time. If you take your pontoon boat to your dealer, you would probably spend $400 for a mirror-like finish. In addition, I purchased three gallons of paint thinner, lots of heavy-duty paper towels, wool orbital sander pads, one spray bottle, rubber gloves and a pack of Birdseye weave cotton baby diapers. Use a polish protectant. Unlike the previous steps, the metal protectant needs to be applied in a. Initially, I tested the whole process on the center pontoon behind the motor before moving on to the more visible parts of the boat. The latter is a bit more expensive, but its also more concentrated. Make sure you have a seat low enough so you can sit down and run the wheel in a somewhat comfortable position. We hope this simple guide has been useful in your DIY pontoon boat cleaning journey. Instead, move the polisher in wide S patterns. We used close to three gallons and I went through eight rolls of paper towels. Just turn on your radio for a little music and soap down the boat. Dont be the only one who doesnt. Take your time and spray it. Use with boat wax, polish, teak sealant, buffing compound and more. Shark Hide is used by almost every pontooner that undertakes this work. In little less than two hours my boat looked like the day it came from the factory! This site is owned and operated by MindBuilders. But is it We love camping, adventure, and being outside. However, it has to be done within 48 to 72 hours after the first coat is fully cured. Years ago we tested an Angler Qwest 820 Pro Fish. Marine 31 Pontoon & Aluminum Cleaner is an environmentally-friendly, ammonia-free pontoon boat metal polish that restores a brilliant mirror finish to your aluminum pontoon boat. Sharkhide finish is easy to keep clean and Im sure it will add to the resale value. If you dont have access to a pressure washer, use a wet rag with a spray bottle. To do it properly, spray one section at a time with just one coat. If it does dry on, you will have to clean it again. Dry pontoons were sprayed from the bottom up at a 4-foot long section. As an additional tip, itd be ideal if you can quickly spray your pontoons with water after use, especially if you drive in brackish or saltwater. (these items are from Amazon). You cant leave any polishing compound on the pontoons since it will get sealed and look awful. You're saving a good chunk of money by doing this project by yourself. Looking back, I was fortunate to have two detail-oriented friends around, as they were able to point out areas that needed extra attention. If you have regularly cleaned your pontoons after each trip, then hopefully you wont have any of this grim build-up to remove. Also, try to find a shady area or at least work on a side of the boat that is not exposed to direct sunlight. Just spray the polish on the cloth and wipe it on your pontoon. This part of the job will likely take about 2 hours on a standard size pontoon boat. PontoonSpot.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Use left/right arrows to navigate the slideshow or swipe left/right if using a mobile device. This guide will do the trick to help you have a boat that is clean, slick, and shiny in just under 3 hours. June 13, 2022 A bit of the paste and a few runs with the wheel took care of those imperfections. The Ultimate Luxury Pontoon Boat Furniture Pieces Guide, Whats the Proper Shaft Length for Pontoon Boat Trolling Motors, Best Pontoon Boat Covers Reviewed in 2022, Pontoon Boat Accessories That Will Make Your Life Easier, This website is currently for sale on Flippa.com. Pontoonopedia is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Pontoon Flooring Debate: Carpet or Vinyl? Go over the entire boat working in sections. Then, grab the polisher with a polishing pad installed and start working the solution around. Marine 31 Pontoon & Aluminum Cleaner will make your 10 year old boat look like a 10 day old boat! In this guide, Ill show you how to clean pontoons on a pontoon boat. Spray off the cleaner thoroughly with a hose. Theres a reason why, its just really, really, good at what it does. The prep work can take longer depending on how much cleaning youll have to do. Sometimes, there will be algae, salt build, and other grease on your pontoons. The same technique was used on the starboard side. Also, less paste will result in less polishing wheels used. Bigger boats may require an electric polisher like a Dewalt or Makita - just make sure to polish in a circular motion for the best application. If your pontoon boat is on the small side, you could get the cleaning job done with a microfiber wax aplicator set, which includes two large buffing microfiber cloths, three round foam wax applicator pads, three microfiber applicator pads, a grip handle and a storage pouch. First of all, youll need to get a polisher. Some elements like fibers and other buildup materials are almost invisible but they can stubbornly stick on the surface and affect the finish. As weird as it might sound, toilet bowl cleaner is the best product for this (something like this is fine). It makes your pontoon sparkle all the way from under the water. Check out a preview from our August issue! Good chemical resistant gloves, safety glasses and a long sleeve shirt are a must during this process. The very first thing you should do is clean your boat. However, if you want that mirror-like finish on the pontoons, then this is the step that will give you the best results. Because this is the final step before applying the Shark Hide sealer, be very thorough in cleaning and rinsing the whole surface. After being thoroughly cleaned, some areas required additional polishing and then repetitive cleaning. In my case, I spent close to three days working on my 23-foot Premier with substantial help from two buddies. Some individuals use acid baths or other pontoon boat-specific solutions, but the majority of folks Ive seen use standard toilet bowl cleaning combined in a bucket with 2 parts water and 1 part cleaner. By doing this tube and log polishing step, your aluminum pontoons are going to have a stunning mirror-like finish, making them look brand new. After you finish, wipe the pontoons with a. A freshly scrubbed and algae-free surface tends to hold boat polish and wax longer than one with bits of barnacles all over it. I know what you have in mind right now but polishing your pontoon boat requires a 2-step cleaning process. If youre not happy with how shiny the pontoons look, dont be afraid to apply additional coats. In this case, you may need to pressure wash or use boat de-salt concentrate. Blame it on the fun of a water battle on a hot summer day and all those cool garden hose nozzlespray patterns. . At this point, I had all my supplies and tools and the only remaining item was a dry weekend to complete the project. But you can always browse through Starke Yacht and Care Supplies for boat cleaning products that will help you save a good chunk of money. Because youll be leaving the aluminum bare for air oxidation and mineral buildup. These 4-inch high aluminum strips were held with 20 self-tapping screws on each side. Check Price on Amazon- This 9-piece microfiber wax applicator set helps provide a professional buffing job to pontoons, hulls and other boat surfaces. For those of us who trailer our pontoon boats, this won't apply. Apply a coat of paint to the whole boat. . I consider myself a handy person so I figured all I needed was a quick rundown from Bland. Is there any better way to have a barbecue on the open water from the deck of a pontoon boat? Youre thinking, really? Why? But nonetheless, whether a yacht or a pontoon boat, special care must be taken to keep your watercraft investment in tip-top shape and looking good. link to Can You Be Muscular And Run Long Distances? If you dont want to spend that money, then use a wet rag. Then you move to the next area away from the initial spot and take care of it. The whole buying experience was a breeze, as my friend was very particular about his boat use and its regular maintenance schedule. Firstly, youre going to need a polisher. In the end we came back to the port side and cleaned the middle section. My friend Brian was in charge of the washing and drying, while I was applying the acid mix. However, it should not be taken as a substitute for his methodology and coaching. If there is no visible buildup on the pontoons, then a simple pressure wash with water will do fine. You can't leave any polishing compound on the pontoons at all or else it'll get sealed on there and look terrible. Be it fresh, brackish, or saltwater, Sharkhide works like a charm! This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. (these items are from Amazon). Other brands of marine metal protectant include: Better Boat Marine Metal Polish Seal-Brite, Marine 31 and Star Brite. Without any further ado, lets dive right in! It wont stop algae and other debris from growing on your pontoons, but what it will do is protect your logs from stains, oxidation, rust, weathering, salt spray, and pitting. Then scoot down and return with another full wipe. Since this is the last step before the Shark Hide sealer, be extremely thorough to be sure that the entire surface is cleaned off and rinsed very well. If you want to make sure its completely gone, use a moist towel and massage while you spray. If you trailer your boat after each use, the amount of buildup will be minimal. For that matter, most boaters use Sharkhide Metal Protectant. The demo boat was used for more than a year and the pontoons still looked like they were brand new. It will take you much longer though and will be very hard work. Ill teach you how to clean your pontoons properly so they look their best out on the lake in this article. Whether you have symptoms or not, its a good idea to consult a doctor after acid injuries.