Pictures: Aluminum Pontoon Boat - Before & After

M

Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.

Active member
Joined
Dec 5, 2022
Messages
51,004
Reaction score
6
Pictures: Aluminum Pontoon Boat - Before & After


Before
watermark.php




After
watermark.php



2-day boat detailing class - February 9th and 10th 2019


Call Andre to sign-up

1-800-869-3011 x244

:)
 
Re: Aluminum Pontoon Boat - Before & After

Mirror shine! Was the boat picked up to get the area of the tubes that rest on the trailer bunks?
Does Meghan have hers next in line?:laughing:
 
Re: Aluminum Pontoon Boat - Before & After

RTexasF said:
Mirror shine! Was the boat picked up to get the area of the tubes that rest on the trailer bunks?
Click to expand...

No. We're not set up for lifting boats off trailers. This was to do some testing and dial in a simple as well as bubba-proof way to restore aluminum without using a rotary buffer and leaving behind holograms in the aluminum.

Here's some of my testing work...

Sun_Tracker_Pontoon_Boat_009.jpg



After doing some research on how to buff out the insides of the pontoons there's no super simple or safe way for the average person to remove their pontoon boat off the trailer.

Probably the best bet that's affordable and safe it to purchase a Portable Boat Lift and some bottle jacks or tall jack stands. If a person does a little Google searching they can find a company that offers these lifts. Looks like this....


Portable_Boat_Lift_01.jpg



Wider versions for pontoon boats....

Portable_Boat_Lift_02.jpg



Sure wouldn't want to be under the boat though on a windy day.


Boat detailing is a lot different that car detailing and buffing out aluminum is hard dirty work now matter how you approach it. That's why I say,

"Frequent boat care is easy boat care"


:dblthumb2:
 
Re: Aluminum Pontoon Boat - Before & After

So what did you use mike, as far as product and tools?

She looks beautiful! Not sure if i like those lifts. Freak me out lol. Have you used those before?
 
Re: Aluminum Pontoon Boat - Before & After

What do you coat it with afterwards? I have a small boat for a fun fishing project boat but never did even consider polishing it because I was told the oxidation stops right at the surface and prevents further corrosion. My boat was welded up in 1982 with 3/16" 5202. The only real corrosion is from the carpeted runners on the boat's sides.

View attachment 35052
 
Re: Aluminum Pontoon Boat - Before & After

Did you get any feedback on it?

Thanks for this experience, it's so nice that you and Autogeek give us this opportunity to learn and we can actually learn things right the first time.
 
Re: Aluminum Pontoon Boat - Before & After

Beautiful job Mike. Definitely going to need your sunglasses now when you are out on the water with that boat....:coolgleam::coolgleam::coolgleam:
 
Re: Aluminum Pontoon Boat - Before & After

antti@561detailing said:
Did you get any feedback on it?
Click to expand...

Yes. The owner was blow away by the results. He says it looks shinier than when he bought it.


antti@561detailing said:
Thanks for this experience, it's so nice that you and Autogeek give us this opportunity to learn and we can actually learn things right the first time.
Click to expand...

Thanks for helping out. Sometime in the future I need to get you and Frank to sign a release.


:xyxthumbs:
 
Re: Aluminum Pontoon Boat - Before & After

When it comes to polishing a pontoon boat, the question is...

How good of condition or how bad of condition is the aluminum?

My boat detailing book divides pontoon boats into 4 categories,

Category #1
New or Like-New

Category #2
Good

Category #3
Mild Neglect

Category #4
Severely oxidized

Then for each category I show how to restore the aluminum to look like a mirror.

Here's some pictures of a few pages showing machine sanding using a FLEX 3401 with Mirka Abralon Sanding Discs for boat in category #4


Pontoon_Boat_Book_000.jpg


Pontoon_Boat_Book_001.jpg


Pontoon_Boat_Book_002.jpg


Pontoon_Boat_Book_003.jpg


Pontoon_Boat_Book_004.jpg


Pontoon_Boat_Book_005.jpg


Pontoon_Boat_Book_006.jpg


Pontoon_Boat_Book_007.jpg



:xyxthumbs:
 
Re: Aluminum Pontoon Boat - Before & After

This was a very complicated how-to book to write because it shows,

How to use multiple tools for machine compounding, polishing and waxing.

How to do one-step, two-step, three-step and even four-step procedures by hand and machine.

How to hand sand and machine sand both gel-coat boats and aluminum pontoon boats and tons and tons of more information.

Without a doubt... the most complicated book I've ever written but also the most in-depth and detailed how-to book I've ever written.


BOOK: How To Detail Boats With Marine 31 by Mike Phillips


Boat_Cover.jpg




It's no coincidence that car guys also tend to be boat guys!

The two hobbies go together well when it comes to having fun and also when it comes to detailing and maintaining both cars and boats.

This how to book contains more in-depth information on boat detailing than any other book ever written on this topic. This is without a doubt the most complete and information rich how-to book I've ever written. (I have 5 paperback how-to books in print and 3 ebooks available).

This paperback book on how to detail boats goes over every surface of a boat both inside and out. It also covers every conceivable condition a boat is in with specific steps for correction.

It covers all these tools,

Flex 3401
Flex PE14
RUPES BigFoot 21
RUPES BigFoot Duetto
RUPES TA50
Cyclo polisher
Porter Cable 7424XP
DeWALT 849X
Makita 9237CX2
Griot's Garage 6" DA Polisher
3M Air DA Sander

Working by hand
I know most people start out working by hand so I included hand techniques for every topic.


Plus all the pads, brushes and sanding discs to use with the above tool.

Instead of typing out all the topics covered in this book I've simply taken pictures of the index which shows you just how in-depth this how to book truly is...


Boat_Book_Index_001.jpg


Boat_Book_Index_002.jpg


Boat_Book_Index_003.jpg


Boat_Book_Index_004.jpg


Boat_Book_Index_005.jpg


Boat_Book_Index_006.jpg


Boat_Book_Index_007.jpg




Many of the topics covered also apply to car detailing so it's a valuable resource even if you don't yet own a boat.

If you're familiar with my writing style in the forum world you'll find the same style of writing in all my how-to books. That is I explain in simple terms how to perform a process plus why you're performing it and it's a combination of including both types of information that helps you to do the best work possible.


On Autogeek.com

How To Detail Boats With Marine 31 by Mike Phillips




:)
 
Re: Aluminum Pontoon Boat - Before & After

Joe@NextLevelDetail said:
Wow Mike you did a lights out job as always.
Click to expand...


After the test spots and doing one-side, a few day later I had a few guys to help do the other side.


One thing for sure.... I'm not a huge fan of sanding and buffing out pontoon boats. In my opinion and as I state in my boat detailing book, it's a LOT easier and a LOT cleaner and a LOT faster to regularly maintain the aluminum on a pontoon boat then to let it go for years and then salvage it.


:)
 
Re: Aluminum Pontoon Boat - Before & After

So glad I got the book with the Marine 31 Kit. Been on stumble with a request I had today for polishing aluminum on a pontoon. Looks like a need Pontoon and Aluminum Cleaner
Carry on Don
Carry on
 
Re: Aluminum Pontoon Boat - Before & After

With all of your experience to estimate time , and with the products you have noted above , with a catagory 3 how much time should I plan. Never polished pontoons before. 23 ft long.
 
Re: Aluminum Pontoon Boat - Before & After

I just did this. Mine was a category 4. Acid wash. Wool pad/rotary/Marine31 aluminum polish. Then flex 3401/Lc Orange ccs/marine 31 aluminum polish
 
Re: Aluminum Pontoon Boat - Before & After

What Acid Wash Products did you use and how were they applied?. You can also shoot me an email at [email protected]
 
Re: Aluminum Pontoon Boat - Before & After

For an acid wash I used a product from Flitz

Flitz Industrial Strength Metal PreClean

Flitz_PreCleana.jpg




Be forewarned however that this will stain your driveway.

I applied it then scrubbed the aluminum using a very coarse Scotchbrite pad and the acid wash, my elbow grease and the Scotchbrite pad chewed off a lot of what is called white rust.

Then proceed to machine sand or buff whichever route you decide to go.


:)
 
Re: Aluminum Pontoon Boat - Before & After

Thanks for the info Mike. Pontoons are something I get hit up with all the time. Everyone wants the toons clean. Just noticed this was an old post I searched on. But still looks good.
 
Re: Aluminum Pontoon Boat - Before & After

attention2detaillhc said:
Thanks for the info Mike. Pontoons are something I get hit up with all the time.

Everyone wants the toons clean. Just noticed this was an old post I searched on. But still looks good.
Click to expand...


Thanks Jon...


It was a challenge to restore the pontoons on this pontoon boat and I love a challenge but I'd rather let other guys have the blessing as I like to say.

Kind of like buffing out Air Force 1 or old war birds or even old rail cars. They certainly have their unique factor but at the end of the day it's basically production detailing at a grand level and I prefer show car detailing any day of the week.


:)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top