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Keeping the Toons Looking Great

Where do you guys get your Sharkhide?
 
I bought it directly from Sharkhide last year but I believe Amazon also sells it.
 
Slyguy,

1 Quart of Sharkhide will handle the boat with two good coats. In regards to buffing supplies, 1 wheel of each grade for each side. 1 bar of rouge in each grade will be plenty. The DeWalt 849 is a great machine to use.
 
Here's a little "Before and After" of last Sundays polish project on the new Q25



 
I am also impressed BigBlock but I would imagine that to keep them like that requires more time and dedication then I am willing to give.  If any of you visit me please wear extra dark sunglasses
 
Once the Sharkhide is applied, the only time I spend keeping them looking nice is a quick rinse and wipe-down with lake water. Once the metal is polish and protected, it will remain that way. Oxidation is the killer to a polish job and therein lies the reason for Sharkhide.
 
BigBlock said:
Once the Sharkhide is applied, the only time I spend keeping them looking nice is a quick rinse and wipe-down with lake water. Once the metal is polish and protected, it will remain that way. Oxidation is the killer to a polish job and therein lies the reason for Sharkhide.
Click to expand...
So as long as you keep up with them ,reapply sharkhide every other year or so .You should only have to polish them once ?
 
That is correct.
 
I'm definitely going to give the rouge a try this spring.  Rouge is pronounced "roosh" right?  Or is it "roge"?

It's supposed to be 51 degrees here Monday.  The trend would be for that to change suddenly and we get a foot of snow, so we'll see.

Big thanks on the rouge and buffer tips BigBlock!
 
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I to am 100% for sure that I'm going to try this as well this year.  I'm just so leery of using the  Sharkhide cleaner first because of how white it gets it.  My toons might not look as good as Bigblocks are but they do have a decent shine.  I would be seriously bummed if, after that and doing the polishing steps afterwards, that I don't get them back to at least what they are now.  I do understand though that the cleaner is to remove the oxidation off so that your polishing efforts will be even better.
 
Keith,

If your tubes look anywhere as good as in the picture of you pontoon, I would suggest the following process;

First, unless you have very serious oxidation (I doubt) or scum build up, I would NOT acid wash the tubes just to get ready for polish. You have already smoothed the metal in the past so it should polish back up with very little effort.

Instead of the full polishing process, you should be able to start with a secondary buff instead of primary. For that you will need the Hall Green Airway buff wheel #AWG 58-8 HA and the Green Chrome Rouge #JRGRN, you can order these from Zephyr.

Start by buffing a small section (6" x 6") at the tail of the pontoon well below the waterline. Basically, your just testing the results instead of committing yourself to a full-on buff job. If you like what you see... continue, if not you have only wasted about $24.00 on a wheel and rouge.
 
Hey thanks for that because I was actually wondering if needed to go through the whole process  since I just polished them with Gord's last year. Before I polished, I applied Snowbowl toilet cleaner to the tubes to prep them.  After the Gord's I applied Sharkhide protectant.  Before doing this there was ZERO shine to my toons....completely flat dull.  Now at least there is some decent shine but it's very uneven and no where close to what your look like.

Again, thanks for the tips....very much appreciated.  I am really looking forward to this not being nearly as messy as the Gord's was.
 
Funny thing, basically all that Gord's is, is a ground up bar of rouge in a mineral spirits solution. Basically the same, but wheel and rouge is much more efficient and clean.
 
BigBlock, you said you've never had issues with Sharkhide cleaner messing with your trailer, yet in the pics, you have it entirely covered.   Just curious why?
 
Yeah I was curious about that as well.  My trailer is galvanized, not painted.  When I used that Snowbowl toilet cleaner last year I messed up some areas of the trailer....looks like crap now.  If I ever did use the Sharkhide Cleaner (which you're saying I don't but...) would that have the same (negative) effect on my trailer?
 
If it's an acid based cleaner, it would mess the trailer. I think that's why BigBlock covers his trailer. Also to keep the polish and drippings off as well.
 
BigBlock,

One other question, how did you get the boat off the trailer to cover it up then back on or did you cover where you could?  

Also the tubes are now polished, why are you still hiding that beautiful boat?  When are we going to be able to see it?  We want to see it.  
 
Slyguy,


I cover the trailer just to keep it clean and prevent any scuffing from the buffing wheel. I did not use any Sharkhide cleaner or acid cleaners.


In regards to your question about how I covered the trailer, in the picture the boat is held up on jacks and the trailer is lowered. I then removed the bunks to afford more working area.


Keith,


Any acidic cleaner will "milk" up a bare/unprotected metal surface.
 
I have been following this topic closely, and I think I will eventually polish mine as well. I have never owned a polisher, so I am assuming there is a major difference between them and a 7"  angle grinder.  Does a polisher have much greater rpm's?  My 05 bennington has a continous skirt the full length of the toon, can this be removed?  I am not sure how it is attached at the moment, (my boat stays in my brothers pole barn).  Would it likely be better to tape off the skirt and leave it as is?
 
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