cleaning aluminum~bad "scale" issue

[YamahaC40Guy]

Hey guys, wondering if you can help. It's a cosmetic issue mostly (and I try not to ever let that bother me) ...but I have a good deal of discoloration and scale on the hull of my boat, most obvious on the transom. My boat started it's life as a rental/tiller and sat in a slip all season long...year after year. I've tried a couple of products (the names escape me)...but have have considered trying CLR as it looks sort of like calcium. I'm not after a "like-new" finish, but would like to clean this stuff off. Any ideas? Here is how she looks now;

Thanks for looking, and taking the time to respond.

Cheers,
Rob

 

[grizzly]

3M makes a little handheld rotary wheel attachment designed to remove gasket material from aluminum oil pans, blocks, etc. it's usually yellow and has a couple hundred hard rubber 'fingers' on it. it cuts through hardened cork and fiber gaskets and leaves the aluminum shiny and undamaged, that would be my best suggestion.

 

[Quackrstackr]

I can't see the pictures right now because of the firewall that I am behind but from your description it sounds a lot like corrosion caused by electrolysis.

I suppose it wouldn't hurt to try taking that off but you may very well wind up with tons of pin holes depending on how bad it is.

 

[turne032]

Use toon-brite, or alumabrite. its an acid that will clean your boat right up. just be careful with using it. it can be harmful if mis-used

 

[Jim]

Look at sharkhide too! I have seen boats cleaned up with this stuff and it is a night and day difference.

Give Clint a call and he can help you out for sure!

https://www.sharkhide.com/index.html

 

[Mike Redmond]

This might sound weird,but here goes anyway.I'm a construction worker and I have a stainless steel thermos for my coffee,after a while it gets grungy in there.The magical solution to really clean the inside of it is to drop a tab of Polident(Yes the stuff that cleans dentures) in there and fill with water, really does the job and inexpensive.Just wondering if one was to take a tab t of that polident and less water to make a stronger solution maybe it could work on your boat ,...///have you tried WD40?The last thing to do, is to use of a stiff brush, and other abrasive stuff, Aluminum is a rather soft metal, and you want to keep as much of it on your boat/// Good luck Mike

 

[FishingCop]

This might sound weird,but here goes anyway.I'm a construction worker and I have a stainless steel thermos for my coffee,after a while it gets grungy in there.The magical solution to really clean the inside of it is to drop a tab of Polident(Yes the stuff that cleans dentures) in there and fill with water, really does the job and inexpensive.Just wondering if one was to take a tab t of that polident and less water to make a stronger solution maybe it could work on your boat ,...///have you tried WD40?The last thing to do, is to use of a stiff brush, and other abrasive stuff, Aluminum is a rather soft metal, and you want to keep as much of it on your boat/// Good luck Mike

The polident tablets work wonders on clogged drains and many other cleansing problems - wouldn't be surprised if it works on aluminum too??? Alka selzer does basically the same thing too....

 

[GrumMan]

The CLR sound's like a good idea. Don't know if it'll work or not, but try a little bug and tar remover if ya have some laying around.

 

[Waterwings]

I've never used it personally, but as Jim said, try the Sharkhide. It's supposed to last a long time after it's been applied in accordance with the instructions.


Mike Redmond,

Thanks for the tip on the stainless thermos cleaning. I've been trying to figure out what to use on mine. 8) . How long do you let the Polident solution set in the thermos?

 

[Waterwings]

I gave the Polident a try in my thermos last night and it worked great! Checked it this morning and I was surprised how much gunk came out when I emptied it in the sink. Got about 95% of the coffee residue in the bottom out, so I have another tablet soaking in the thermos now. Thanks! 8)

 

[Mike Redmond]

You just let sit overnight,been doing that for years///2 or 3 times a year,and still got the same thermos. Mike

 

[ben2go]

Please let us know what you use to clean the boat.I am considering buying a bare aluminum V hull.

 

[Waterwings]

Please let us know what you use to clean the boat.I am considering buying a bare aluminum V hull.

When I had my Tracker I used some stuff from Walmart, but can't reacall the name of it though. It was recommended to do small sections and rinse real good. It won't make it show room shiny, but will clean it.

 

[Zum]

Would it make it this nice?

 

[ben2go]

That's a polished spit shine.

 

[Macgyver]

sand the entire boat using 400 grit paper. resand with 800 then 1500 and then again with 2000 grit. get out the buffer with a good quaility machine glaze, like 3M perfectit III. it'll look like polished chrome when your done.

that's what I did with this piece of 1/4" thick aluminum I made a custom motorcycle brake stay from.

edit: forgot to mention , you'll have to rebuff it every so often then as the oxidation will come back after some time and being in the water .

 

[Waterwings]

Here's a pic (I think I posted it a long time ago, & had the owner's permission) of a Bass Tracker that has been done with Sharkhide. In this particular pic I believe he said it's been on there about 3 years as I recall. Wipes it down when he brings it out of the water and any scum rolls right off.

https://www.nitroowners.com/~library/5983/boat.jpg

 

[ben2go]

sand the entire boat using 400 grit paper. resand with 800 then 1500 and then again with 2000 grit. get out the buffer with a good quaility machine glaze, like 3M perfectit III. it'll look like polished chrome when your done.

that's what I did with this piece of 1/4" thick aluminum I made a custom motorcycle brake stay from.

edit: forgot to mention , you'll have to rebuff it every so often then as the oxidation will come back after some time and being in the water .

:shock:
If I sanded my boat that much,there wouldn't be a boat left.