Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Started cleaning up the toons using NAPA Aluminum Brightener. No polish (yet). Here's the side by side comparison.

Anyone know if polishing will take out that line at the waterline? Maybe hitting again with the acid?

Wow, what is in that Colorado river water?? old jim

Previous owner of my pontoon used exactly that Alum Brightener and based on your picture, I guess I'll buy a gallon to clean my logs.

Sorry can't answer your question .

I use that same product from NAPA. Never have polished them, though. It lasts about a month for me & then gotta do it again. I trailer my boat so it doesn't stay in the water continuously. We do go every weekend, however. I hope you get longer lasting results

That water line looks light enough that it 'may' polish out. Mine was bad enough that it did not. I did not even try to polish under the water line. It gave my toons a two-tone look that I kinda like.

Here's mine about halfway through the polishing process.




I am continually asked how I got my toon so shiny. My default answer is "equal parts hard work and stupidity" 2 years now an maybe will need a brush-up after this year.

Tim

BoatCop wrote:Started cleaning up the toons using NAPA Aluminum Brightener. No polish (yet). Here's the side by side comparison.

Anyone know if polishing will take out that line at the waterline? Maybe hitting again with the acid?

I wasn't able to get rid of the line on my Sun Tracker, but I was able to reduce it with polish. I tried multiple applications and couldn't get rid of it. It was worse on the back flat side by the motor, didn't look too back on the sides.

Wow what a difference. What's the procedure using the NAPA aluminum brightener?

literally "Spray on, hose off"

I like to dilute it about 1:1 with water and I use a garden sprayer to apply. It will foam up, let sit for a few minutes (5 or so) and hose off. Repeat if desired.

WEAR GLOVES AND SAFETY GLASSES. This shit burns.

Tim,

I did mine last weekend and unfortunately, my dumbass forgot to snap a pic of it.
I used the Napa product full strength right out of the jug and applied with a chemical resistant spray bottle. Laid it on thick , let it set about a minute and a half then pressure washed it off. My toons were not real dirty to begin with as kept on a lift, but the difference was amazing! did each log twice and removed the waterline mark pretty well. Once its in the water you wont see the line anyway.,..
I have used toon brite before, and this stuff was as good or maybe even better and it cost me 28.00 for the gallon jug. I had to dilute the last two sprayer fulls by 1/3 to have enough to finish up the job. Took me about an hour for both.
Wear gloves , glassed and don't breath it in . worked well and happy . Didn't polish the toons as I'm just not ready for that commitment of keeping them looking that shiny. Plus the fact that its a lot of damn work to get them there. for those of you that do polish, I take my hat off to you .

Is this Aluminum Brightener available other than NAPA auto part stores?

You don't have to worry about damage to your trailer and bunks/carpet? For some reason, I thought I remembered someone saying that it needs to be off your trailer/lift when applying but that could be an urban myth.

BobL wrote:You don't have to worry about damage to your trailer and bunks/carpet? For some reason, I thought I remembered someone saying that it needs to be off your trailer/lift when applying but that could be an urban myth.

two years after application, I see no detrimental effects on the bunks or carpets, the boat sits on the trailer most of the time.

Tim

BobL wrote:You don't have to worry about damage to your trailer and bunks/carpet? For some reason, I thought I remembered someone saying that it needs to be off your trailer/lift when applying but that could be an urban myth.

Yep that is my concern too. I would assume this stuff is some type of mild acid. Acid and paint don't play well together....

what does the bottle say about contents?

Do yourself a favor and get a dual action polisher. Harbor Freight often has'em cheap when they're on sale. And it takes a wool applicator to put the polish on with. I use White Diamond metal polish from Advance Auto Parts, and it works just fine.

It's not a major expenditure. And the polisher does 90% of the work.

I can polish the 3 nosecones, the rear end and the sides of two 24' toons in 90 minutes or so.

Cowracer wrote:That water line looks light enough that it 'may' polish out. Mine was bad enough that it did not. I did not even try to polish under the water line. It gave my toons a two-tone look that I kinda like.

Here's mine about halfway through the polishing process.




I am continually asked how I got my toon so shiny. My default answer is "equal parts hard work and stupidity" 2 years now an maybe will need a brush-up after this year.

Tim

If it won't polish out, go to the automotive paint section and get some 1000, 1500, and 2000 grit paper and wet sand it out. A followup with polish will easily eliminate the fine marks from final wetsanding with 2000. This is how I removed one nasty scratch from mine when the DA and the rotary plus wool pad wouldn't take it out.