Take 1:
Aluminum Canoe
This isn't a click 'n brag as she's a real old gal (the boat too) and the goal is more just to get her back in the water again...
This is perhaps one of the very early 17' Grumman canoes as I estimate it's age at nearly 50 years old. It was an inheritance from my wife's grandfathers estate. She paddled around in it when she was a girl back in the late 50's. I first took ownership in 1972 when my girlfriends father called me and said lets go get your canoe. It was floating in the boathouse, abandoned for many years... The bottom was an algae mess and I cleaned it as best I could. We took it out a few times, but it spent the better part of it's remaining life in one garage or another. I recently decided it was past due time for this boat to see water again, so out it came. (oh yea, I married her some 35 years ago - wasn't that much of a dowery - lol)
Befores:
During:
The first step was a power wash, then a scrub with Cameo Aluminum and Stainless Steel cleaner. I used a B&D Scrubmaster for much of this work.
Then began the polishing with a PC/wool pad. I used Cameo, Noxon, Mr. Polish and DG Metal Polish along the way. Polishing aluminum is really messy and not a lot of fun.
This work would likely have been easier with a rotary. It may have been a good excuse to take that plunge, but I was trying to keep costs down. With a center seat purchase, canoe car top carrier, straps, PFD vests ... I saw some moths leaving my wallet as it was! So it was me, the PC and a fair amount of elbow grease.
Almost done:
Starting to see some reflection.
More to follow:
I tried using KAIO, but the cleaner just made more black crud that embedded in small scratches so I quickly changed and just applied a coating of Collinite Fleet wax 885.
(Installed a middle seat for Abbey and hope to have her (uhm, the boat) in the water today (fathers day!)
Like I said, she'll need more work - but it's a good start.
I need to redo the interior 'floor', probably start with Rustoleum Alum. Primer, then I'm debating whether to use acrylic enamel, (truck) bed liner coating or indoor/outdoor carpet. I was looking to see if anyone was marketing liners but I don't see too much.
Did come across some pretty cool clamp on sailing kits!
Linear Mode
