Shark Hide On New Pontoon Boat-Good or Bad Idea?

[LadyGT]

When I got my boat I expected my toons to be shiny and be able to see my reflection after being on the forum and reading these types of threads. It seems to me that once you polish, it is something you have to continue doing. I noticed while taking my boat out for the first time that nobody polishes their toons. I think cleaning them is good, but not sure why putting a reflective shine is all that important to begin with. None of the boats at the dealer's are shiny either. To be honest, I do not want to spend hours polishing toons just to impress people at the lake and it's a lot of time and energy to maintain that look.

[zoom650]

I got my dealer to throw in Sharkhiding my boat before it even got wet. Then I left it in my slip for 6 months before hauling out.

Pressure washing blasted most of the crud off. Aluminum cleaner did the rest. My toons sure don't look like they did when I got the boat a year ago.

First time out on the boat, actually taking out at a ramp, a large boat on Lake Lanier didn't observe the no wake zone and threw waves big enough to surf. They rocked my boat violently against the dock, breaking off one of my fenders. End result, the toons scuffed against the dock and bumpers removing spots of Sharkhide and the end of the "sparkle era".

I'm sure the way I've beached my craft in the sand, I've rubbed it from the bottom of the pontoons too.

Pontoons aside, the underskin of the boat received the Sharkhide, which should help with going in salt water. I'm going to keep my toons clean but let them develop their own unique patina from now on.

[hypnoj]

ok, so just to be clear. Sharkhide is only for making your toons look shiny? Any other added value?

[badmoonrising]

ok, so just to be clear. Sharkhide is only for making your toons look shiny? Any other added value?

No, Sharkhide is a metal protectant. Once the are polished to a shine, regular seasonal applications will keep them that way (above the waterline).

[Strake]

OK...... Looks like I'm next into the world of Sharkhide.....

Our 10 month old Tritoon (which is on a lift in a covered boat house) looks terrible. Heavy staining / oxidation down all sides of the toons. Getting almost black looking. I've bought 2 quarts of Toon Brite and have a brush, but didn't want to use it yet until I've got the Sharkhide here to seal it after it's clean.

I've also got my Porter Cable buffer here, but need to get some bonnets and polish/cleaner before I get started.

This afternoon, I spent one hour with a Scotch Brite pad and some Simple Green spray cleaner, hoping it would just come right off and be back to original Aluminum look..... No such luck. In the hour, I got one of the nose cones cleaned on the outside, and about another 2 feet of the outside of one of the toons. I'm going in just a back and forth motion with the Scotch Brite pad. Did pretty good, but it's a lot of work. I'm hoping the Tune Brite works much easier when I'm ready to use it.

QUESTIONS for the experts who have already gone down this path.....

Is 2 quarts of Tune Brite enough to do the 2 outside tunes, plus the nose cones of all 3 tunes and the ends of all 3 too?

HOW MUCH Sharkhide to I need to do this?

I ONLY plan on using the buffer if I have to to get an even look. I'm not looking for SHINY, REFLECTIVE aluminum, just clean, and even looking..... Then I'll seal it.

All help is greatly appreciated. I don't have a trailer, so I have to do this on our lift

My boat dealer, where we bought it said they would do the work for me, but we didn't get into talking a price yet. Have any of you paid to have the toons cleaned, and sealed AFTER the boat has seen a year's use or more?

thanks,

Richard

[Bryden24shp]

Its work great above the water line. It will wear off from running it in the water and beaching it. But if someone bends over to look and says something negative about it, just kick them in the butt! Perfect time....

[Soonertoon]

Ok folks, I have read all the posts in this and many other threads dealing with the issue of keeping the pontoons looking nice. People are buffing, polishing, rubbing and squirting all kinds of stuff on them spending hours and hours of sweat and money ...all to keep them from looking like shit...
Here's the ultimate question. Can someone explain to me why in the hell don't they do something with these things when they are made that won't tarnish like this? Can they not anodize or something? A 60k pontoon with logs that look like they came off a scrap project all on the span of one season. Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.