Decided to polish the tubes on my pontoon finally, Did it before my last pontoon ever saw the water, but as one gets older the ambition factor diminishes but last weekend it was in the 70's in march woo hoo!!! decided to get it done before season #4 on this pontoon. some pics of the project. 14 hours into doing just the outside of the outer tubes and the rear of both tubes and a sore body for 3 days after. Used Mothers aluminum polish, there are a ton of different metal polishes out there but this was readily available and easy to get and it worked on my last toon so I just went with it, used a standard variable speed buffer with a wool pad, after the final wipe down with acetone and final quick hand buff I put 2 coats of Sharkhide on it to keep them looking like this for years. Sharkhide is basically a clear coat for aluminum which has a chemical make up to it to prevent etching of organic growth and barnacles to adhering to the aluminum like you see hanging on boats that are kept in the water, they can still be on this but it will easily pressure wash off versus the harsh cleaners or acids and washing and scrubbing needed if they were allowed to etch into raw aluminum.

Just thought I would share something different.

Folks on the water love this as not many folks go through a labor intensive project like this, last toon I had done this to got several comments and thumbs up every time it was on the water. Makes me feel "special" I guess.  

Looks really nice!

Would this sharkhyde product you speak of work to protect aluminum wheels as well?

Polishing aluminium is labor intensive. Back in the day I use to be a polisher of my Honda's. Today it really doesn't matter.

 

I got to admit it does look really good...

Looks really nice!

Would this sharkhyde product you speak of work to protect aluminum wheels as well?

They show using it on wheels on their site.

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

That's a lot of work but be proud of the finished product because it looks great.   

 

A job like that is why you keep children and grand-children around.        

 

I'd do it to my boat but the prevues own scratched and gouged the sides taking it on and off the trailer.  I'd have to sand the hull so much that it would probably lose its integrity.

I use a product called Flitz for polishing aluminum parts like the landing gear, spinner and door hinge parts etc., on my plane. 

 

No kidding on the work involved.  Finished product glistens and of course you have to keep it up to keep it nice looking.

 

Don't have near the realestate to do as your boat, but shiney always brings in lots of cudo's.

 

The power buffer is a requirement.