Aluminum Cleaners

[pjay9]

Hi ALL, Been a while since I posted anything or asked a question. But I have been reading the posts. I did do a search and found some really good info on cleaning. So here is the situation...I have been working and finally retired from being a Captain but the boat sat for 5 years and I have had some medical stuff, like a knee (Nov 2020) and hip replacement this past May. So now I am looking at the boat and cleaning her up. It has been covered for the most part except for the bow area. The coating has bubbled and much came off with a jet stream from hose. The rest I used sander and paint remover...now that is all gone. Now I need to get a sturdy buffer and some 600 grit to get a smooth finish.

Now the rest of the hull is decent but some surface dirt and discoloring and what looks like salt but isn't, just weathering.

So I am wondering if these spray on and wash off cleaner/brightener are what I should use?

I was lucky that not too much damage did occur from just sitting...I found a critter nest in the anchor locker and rode chewed about 10' from the bitter end and foam from some PFD vests along with leaves and pine cones. Vests are tossed. The only other thing I have found so far is the both antenna cables were chewed, why? Only God knows unless the covering was some of the stuff made from food products. Both the VHF and the AM/FM. Funny it is only $10 more to get a new 5' Shakespeare VHF fold down than to get all the fittings and new cable to fix the old one.

Anyway, advice on cleaner brightener would be appreciated.

I tried to post some images but not working for me...maybe I lost the touch. How do I get them from the phone onto here. Phone is hooked up to laptop...hummm!

THX for any advice.

[kmorin]

Capt'n PJ, sorry to hear your carcass is aging like so many others'. (Mine too) Glad to hear you're working to patch your 'hull' (aging body) and get back on the water on your own personal boat.

Acids, or aluminum brighteners can help clean old coatings off marine aluminum. Zep-a-Lume is a great acid "soup" that will generally clean aluminum boats to a 'white metal' condition. Should wear proper PPE (and lots of it! especially respiratory protection) and oil skins to keep from dissolving your Levis!

The advantage to an overall acid etch is the entire boat gets to have an even 'patina' or metal surface coloration.

Glad to see your post.

Cheers,
Kevin Morin
Kenai, AK

[pjay9]

Kevin, I saw your answer from 2008 on the subject when I did a search. So let me state what I am hearing. This will clean off all the grime and some small corrosion. This takes the metal down to a white all the same look surface. So if you wanted to spend the time to get to silver you'd need to buff it out, as I have seen on so many uTube videos.

Right now I just want things to look decent. I have ordered 600 and 800 grit discs to get the bow to an even look getting all the old paint off. Had to use different grits and some of it would not move. Left some scratches. You know now that I think about it, it might be simpler to rattle can that small area with an appropriate primer and paint. The surface is ready for sure. Or I can do the same to that area to make it look the same as the washed hull after I smooth it out with the 600/800. There are no easy fixes...it is all work...yep know about the PPE and respirators!

After reading more about what it does to the metal and the no so good stuff about using it I am thinking that a good buffing may be be a better option...not to a shine mirror finish but a good easy cleaning type of buff. HUMMM!!!

Thx for your advice!

[one3powerboats]

This product works almost as well as Zep and available in Qrt containers. https://sharkhidestore.com/products/sha ... um-cleaner