Back to the main site

Keeping the Toons Looking Great

JoeR

JoeR

Well-Known Member
Messages
120
Reaction score
24
Location
Colleyville, Tx
OK, my fellow shipmates, Who has the best way to keep the outer toons looking great? Now lets not get fancy with high tech polish out, spending hours to make them shine only to have them look streaky and stainy in short order. Who has the magic spray, that one could apply to the toons after a great day on the water, then just wipe off the extra. Lets think "Ezz of Maintenance Here" Thus no spots and ending up with a nice factory luster. Am I crazy? Just wondering thanks.
 
Yup, I think u r crazy .... LOL !!!

Unless you Sharkhide from the get go, I don't think there's an easy away around some elbow grease .....
 
Nope, no easy way for aluminum unless you Sharkhide from the get go.
 
I use Sharkhide on Tracker aluminum bass boat, and I have two quarts on order for my new pontoon. I last treated my bass boat 1 1/2 years ago, it still has not oxidized. Before I started using Sharkhide I was acid washing the boat twice a year, and did it oxidize bad--and quick. I know the oxidation is protection for the aluminum, but I prefer the "new boat" look. Sharkhide is the easiest and best way IMHO.
 
if you didn't shark hide from the factory like many of us here, then you, or someone you hire, will have no choice but to clean the toons to your liking, and then apply shark hide. that's the only way I see it happening. oh yes, after applying the shark hide treatment cures a couple days, then just rinse or maybe use a little mild soap and spray off. the easiest I've ever seen 
 
It takes a couple days to cure? That's good to know. I probably would have used my boat the next day.
 
Sharkhide is a great product but................it only lasted about 3 seasons on my toon. There are areas that rubbed off and it's looking kinda shabby. This spring I am going to try something different. I will have them acid washed and that's it. No Sharkhide. I take our toon out after we use it and put it back on the trailer and into the marina storage yard. We wipe down the entire boat. We'll see how the tubes hold up..............
 
kaydano said:
It takes a couple days to cure? That's good to know. I probably would have used my boat the next day.
Click to expand...
No, this is straight from their site:

Q: What is "Cure Time"?

A: Although SHARKHIDE dries to the touch in just a few seconds, there's still solvents evaporating out of the finish. This can take as little as 2 or 3 hours,

or as long as 24 or more hours depending on temperature and humidity.
 
Sharkhide ,from the factory ,besides not have a location to do it myself .

I would hope they would get spots on the tubes that I could not reach .
 
After reading all the posts on the forum over the past several years about keeping a nice finish on Toons, I'll finally weigh-in on the subject.


First, Sharkhide is a must on any aluminum exposed to the elements. Obviously having it applied when the boat is new and prior to being dropped in the water is best for maintaining the factory "mill" finish. If the toons have already experienced oxidation and staining the only remedy is for an acid wash. An acid wash will actually dull the bright finish but the toons will be clean and of a uniform look. Only after the toons are cleaned can Sharkhide be effective.


It always amazes me that someone can invest 30k, 40k, on up to 90k on a boat and not take some preventative measures to keep it in nice condition. So often I see new (current model year) boats on the lake that after just a few months look trashed and old. Then again, I'll see older pontoons on the lake that have been kept up and it's hard to tell them from the new models.


Personally, I prefer the polished approach to keeping the toons looking good. I have to agree that the first polish can be labor intensive, but with a product like Sharkide and minimal maintenance thereafter, the toons can keep the brilliant shine for years. Once the aluminum has been polished and the Sharkhide has been "properly" applied, it will easily last for two years of use. After that it is simply a matter of very light (touch-up)polishing and a reapplication of Sharkhide. After completing polishing jobs on three different pontoons over the years, I have found that with proper equipment and processes, the initial polish of the toons is not that difficult or time consuming.


Now to be fair, I live up in Minnesota, and our boating season is only about five months long. That leaves seven months that the boat just sits on the trailer. With our cold, dark and snowy winters, working on the boat is a fun break from the monotony of the season so it feels less like work and more like a worthwhile activity. If we had a boating season that was year round, I would certainly feel different about this. During our boating season, I choose to minimize any time spent on upkeep of the boats.


As I look at all the Benningtons that have been built, I have to say that Derricks boat is magnificent. Imagine how it would look sitting on polished toons.... Spectacular.
 
I posted some pictures in the gallery of my first polish/Sharkhide project done several years ago when I owned an R22.

 



 
Very nice!   :rolleyes:
 
yes indeed, very very nice !
 
That looks outstanding. Thanks for sharing, you just convinced me to do Sharkhide before my new boat touches the water. :)
 
I think the polished toons look great. That with some side led lights, bingo!
 
I wish there was so one local that did the toon polishing. I've looked to no avail.
 
Rockie69 said:
I wish there was so one local that did the toon polishing. I've looked to no avail.
Click to expand...
You might ask at a truck stop or service place. They do the gas tanks all the time.
 
OMG. I have the worlds largest truck stop just 50 miles from me. I'll have to check in out! Thanks for the idea!
 
A guy on another forum had his done at a truck stop for around $300.00 I htink. He was very happy with the work.
 
also I think the 2 day cure is for the recommended second coat, so it will blend to the first coat and to correct any missed spots.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top