Aluminum Canoe

abbeysdad · 05-04-08, 03:24

I posted this under 'machine polishing' then realized it might be a better fit here...

We inherited a 17' Grumman's aluminum canoe from my wife's grandfather's estate many, many years ago. It's gotta be about 50 years old (we've had it for 35, wife paddled around in it when she was a kid). It's anodized and and overall dingy from age. On top of that, it sat in a boathouse in the water for many years before we got it. I cleaned up the algae (scrubbung) from the bottom/water line when we first took it out of the water all those years ago, but the bottom remained stained.
I'm thinking of polishing it but am looking for a good procedure. I googled and got a few hits.
One I read began with using oven cleaner, steel wool, then polish (rotary/wool).
Another suggested a Draino/water mix, steel wool, sanding (600+ grit) then polishing.

Can anybody point me to a good procedure for restoring this aluminum canoe?
Can this be done using a PC, or is this really rotary territory?

RTexasF · 05-04-08, 04:17

You might want to look into this:

Toon-Brite Aluminum Pontoon Cleaner & Polish

abbeysdad · 05-04-08, 05:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by RTexasF

You might want to look into this:

Toon-Brite Aluminum Pontoon Cleaner & Polish

Thank-you - looks like it could work - wonder if this canoe is so extra dingy that some acid like wash may be needed first.

Setec Astronomy · 05-04-08, 06:57

I'm confused about your comment in the other thread regarding the anodize of the canoe. I happen to have a Grumman canoe brochure from about 30 years ago, and it mentions nothing about an anodized finish. What makes you suspect yours is anodized and how do you expect that will play into your restoration?

abbeysdad · 05-04-08, 10:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Setec Astronomy

I'm confused about your comment in the other thread regarding the anodize of the canoe. I happen to have a Grumman canoe brochure from about 30 years ago, and it mentions nothing about an anodized finish. What makes you suspect yours is anodized and how do you expect that will play into your restoration?

To be honest I am uncertain - just that the exterior surface is not like smooth aluminum as you would see with aiplanes, pontoon boats, etc. Perhaps it is just so old/ozidized that it just seems like anodized.

Setec Astronomy · 05-04-08, 11:09

Modern aluminum airplanes have clear paint on them. If the canoe is anodized, some of those aggressive methods are likely to compromise the anodic coating. Bear in mind that according to my brochure, the skin is only .050 thick, or .032 for a lightweight canoe. I think the metal polish/wool combo is going to work fine, just going to go thru a bunch of pads.

RTexasF · 05-04-08, 12:49

Here is the all time winner for an aluminum boat:

Blinded by the Shine! - Car Care Forums: Meguiar's Online

abbeysdad · 05-04-08, 04:41

Yea, my bad - I looked closely and I don't think it's anodized, just really oxidized from about midway down to across the bottom - and the bottom is badly stained from all those years in the water.

themightytimmah · 05-04-08, 05:29

I used to have this Hydroflouric brightener they used on tanker trucks. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, but it sure as heck did a nice job prepping a surface for polishing. I used to brush it on with a long-handled brush and rinse off with a hose from as far as possible away

.

I got it at a truck stop, if you don't mind taking some *serious* precautions it might be worth a shot.

abbeysdad · 05-04-08, 07:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by themightytimmah

I used to have this Hydroflouric brightener they used on tanker trucks. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, but it sure as heck did a nice job prepping a surface for polishing. I used to brush it on with a long-handled brush and rinse off with a hose from as far as possible away

.

I got it at a truck stop, if you don't mind taking some *serious* precautions it might be worth a shot.

Well that seems a bit too scary to do in the yard with the dog and such. I wonder if there's any merit in the one process I read that began using easyoff oven cleaner? Or maybe I'd be better off taking it to a truck wash where they might have a process similar to what you describe.

themightytimmah · 05-04-08, 08:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by abbeysdad

Well that seems a bit too scary to do in the yard with the dog and such. I wonder if there's any merit in the one process I read that began using easyoff oven cleaner? Or maybe I'd be better off taking it to a truck wash where they might have a process similar to what you describe.

Yeah if you can pay someone else to work with the chemicals, the results are really worth it.

abbeysdad · 05-13-08, 09:27

Here was the response I got back from the boat factory:

Quote:

You may be able to find some aluminum cleaner like Aluminum Jelly. If not, then you will most likely have to get a rotary power buffer and polishing compound and start the dirty job of manually cleaning (polishing) the aluminum.

Marathon Boat Group
PO Box 549
One Grumman Way
Marathon, NY 13803
888-694-1285

Maybe I'll see if I can track down some Duro Aluminum Jelly. I tested a small spot with some stainless steel cleaner and fine steel wool and although there's a fair amount of blackish crud, it cleaned pretty well. I'm thinking the first step is serious cleaning/scrubbing perhaps even with soft scrub and a scrubbing pad, then polishing and some protectant.
(I'm thinking those green scrubbing pads just might work with the hook 'n loop on the PC.)

Is Collinite wax the best choice for a canoe or is there something else I should get?