Logs clean as a whistle

[AuthorizedUser]

You’d never guess my boat was in a slip from mid-April to mid-October with the logs looking this great! How you may ask? Sharkhide from the factory, then wipe downs with a soft-bristled brush and microfiber towel twice per week at the sandbar while sipping a beer and listening to tunes. A pressure wash once it was pulled, a wipe down with 50:50 vinegar and water, then two re-coats of Sharkhide. Boom. Beautiful. Did I mention the boat was in the water for six months? Hopefully, I’ll never have to brighten the logs with an acid wash and turn them white; I like the original silver look of aluminum logs.

 

[DiamondDave952]

Looks great! How did you apply it? Is it as easy as a damp rag of Shark Hide and wipe on? Just curious because I want to keep my logs factory shine as long as possible.

 

[AuthorizedUser]

Looks great! How did you apply it? Is it as easy as a damp rag of Shark Hide and wipe on? Just curious because I want to keep my logs factory shine as long as possible.

IMO, the keys to the great looking logs on a slipped boat are WOT rides every time I was out (about 4-5x/week) and the continuous wipe downs while it’s in the water. While algae did grow over the season, I never gave it time to get a good bite. I even bought a mask and snorkel so I could pay up-close attention to the more stubborn areas. To answer your question, I applied the Sharkhide to my cleaned logs using a cloth diaper in overlapping strokes from top to bottom. I do not recommend a rag. Soak the diaper with Sharkhide and you’ll have enough to do a six-foot section. Wear latex gloves! A quart was able to cover my two logs and motor pod twice with a little bit left over.

 

[DiamondDave952]

IMO, the keys to the great looking logs on a slipped boat are WOT rides every time I was out (about 4-5x/week) and the continuous wipe downs while it’s in the water. While algae did grow over the season, I never gave it time to get a good bite. I even bought a mask and snorkel so I could pay up-close attention to the more stubborn areas. To answer your question, I applied the Sharkhide to my cleaned logs using a cloth diaper in overlapping strokes from top to bottom. I do not recommend a rag. Soak the diaper with Sharkhide and you’ll have enough to do a six-foot section. Wear latex gloves! A quart was able to cover my two logs and motor pod twice with a little bit left over.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[ILLINOIS AVE]

Looks Nice ! Good job.

 

[sunedog]

Looks great. How did you get the boat from the trailer to the blocks? Scissor trailer?

 

[tinkertoy]

Inquiring minds want to know…..
TTh

 

[BigKahuna]

Kept our boat in the water for 6 seasons when we first moved here. Loved the convenience but it was a bit of work keeping the toons clean. But every time we went out we would anchor in a No wake zone cove have lunch then whip out the dish towels/rags/old socks etc. and start wiping. We just made it part of our day. We would float on our saddles or throw pillows and go for it! Now that our boat is on a lift we are spoiled.......

 

[BigD]

Looks really good OP. More power to you if you have the time, energy, and dedication to do all that cleaning. Makes me hurt all over thinking about it. Lol. Not everyone is going to do what you have done. Just sayin.

 

[Potomacbassin’]

Looks really good OP. More power to you if you have the time, energy, and dedication to do all that cleaning. Makes me hurt all over thinking about it. Lol. Not everyone is going to do what you have done. Just sayin.

Agreed - I spent three hours scrubbing the undercarriage on my boat a few weeks ago and I was sore for days. If it didn't impact speed and fuel efficiency so much I'd probably never clean it. I also boat in a dirty, effluent-filled river, so there's the gross factor too.

Same with the sports car in the driveway - first couple months that thing was washed and waxed every two weeks. Poor girl now has 6 months of bird crap on it because I don't have the time or energy. It's a miracle that I even am able to cut the grass each week!

 

[AuthorizedUser]

Looks great. How did you get the boat from the trailer to the blocks? Scissor trailer?

Yes, my marina brings me the boat on a scissor trailer, blocks it for two weeks while I perform winterization, then retrieves it for shrink wrapping and storage offsite.

 

[AuthorizedUser]

Kept our boat in the water for 6 seasons when we first moved here. Loved the convenience but it was a bit of work keeping the toons clean. But every time we went out we would anchor in a No wake zone cove have lunch then whip out the dish towels/rags/old socks etc. and start wiping. We just made it part of our day. We would float on our saddles or throw pillows and go for it! Now that our boat is on a lift we are spoiled.......

Agreed... I would get bored floating for hours... had to so something! So jealous of the lift.

 

[AuthorizedUser]

Looks really good OP. More power to you if you have the time, energy, and dedication to do all that cleaning. Makes me hurt all over thinking about it. Lol. Not everyone is going to do what you have done. Just sayin.

Honestly, it’s not that bad. Wiping it down while floating is fun and rewarding. I would get super bored while on the boat anchored at the sand bar; jumping in to wipe her down was part of my time out on the water. We boat in a crystal clear lake with a sandy bottom so we’re in the water a lot. The pressure wash once pulled is fun also seeing the way it cleaned the logs. The wipe down with 50:50 water vinegar took 15 minutes. And the Sharkhide reapplication, while kind of a pain, only took about 30 minutes each time.

 

[Mooneshine]

I envy your logs. But More I envy that clear lake. VERY nice on BOTH.