Marine31

[bcgreen]

Ahah, I saw a posting of yours on Marine31. Small world getting smaller, Mike. What do you know about aluminum boats. I have a new baby in the family - I've grown since the black Infiniti g35, and was wondering if you can offer suggestions on cleaning the boat. It was only used one season off of Whitby Is., so the alum. is in good shape. It has some smearing from rubbing against a rubber bump at a nearby dock on Whitby. I know if I try my knowledge from cars to alum. boats its going to look ugly and a can of worms to be opened. I don't want a shiny strip or spot, so what do you suggest?
I want to wash it down and its not so bad as a need for a acid bath, and was thinking soap and water, maybe ONR, what do you think?

It has snaps for a cover and the snaps and alum. don't mix so there's some electrolysis going on, so what can I use there?

Would post a pic. but this site hasn't developed to the point where we can take pics. off our computer.

[Mike Phillips]

Ahah, I saw a posting of yours on Marine31. Small world getting smaller, Mike.



I represent Marine 31 on Ship Shape TV and teach boat detailing classes using Marine 31 products.

Here's the forum,

Marine31Online.com

Here's the only time the process for sanding and buffing new gel-coat has ever been captured on video.


Pictures: 1960 Glastron - Wetsand, Cut & Buff at Marine31Online.com (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/pictures-autogeek-s-car-week/84567-pictures-1960-glastron-wetsand-cut-buff-marine31online-com.html)



Featured on Ship Shape TV




How to wetsand gel-coat..." target="_blank">How to wetsand gel-coat...












What do you know about aluminum boats.

I have a new baby in the family - I've grown since the black Infiniti g35, and was wondering if you can offer suggestions on cleaning the boat. It was only used one season off of Whitby Is., so the alum. is in good shape. It has some smearing from rubbing against a rubber bump at a nearby dock on Whitby. I know if I try my knowledge from cars to alum. boats its going to look ugly and a can of worms to be opened. I don't want a shiny strip or spot, so what do you suggest?
I want to wash it down and its not so bad as a need for a acid bath, and was thinking soap and water, maybe ONR, what do you think?



First I've been to Whitby Island, I've taught a few small detailing classes there and also demonstrated at their big car show they have in the spring or summer. It's been over 20 years but been there done that.

As for doing an acid bath to the boat I'll say I wouldn't do it as bare aluminum doesn't like acid as it tends to turn the aluminum dull gray and this is a staining that penetrates INTO the aluminum, not just on the surface.


Do you know if it's bare aluminum? Or coated with something? Anodized? Anything?

If you rub a simple aluminum polish on the hull does it shine the aluminum up like chrome and turn your buffing cloth black?





It has snaps for a cover and the snaps and alum. don't mix so there's some electrolysis going on, so what can I use there?



That sounds like a really good question to ask the manufacturer. Start at the root cause of the problem. See what they recommend and ask them why it's a problem in the first place.





Would post a pic. but this site hasn't developed to the point where we can take pics. off our computer.



:dunno:

I post thousands of pictures each year to this forum without a hitch. My guess is the problem is either,

The file name of the picture. The "Internet" doesn't like blank spaces in a file name for a picture or it doesn't end with the extension .jpg

Or

The picture is MASSIVE in size because you're not resizing them to a sane size.



Our forum and our gallery work perfect. I prove it almost every day.


Each of the below pictures was resized to 800 pixels wide using Easy Thumbnails, software I've been using for over 10 years thats free and I've been recommending it on forums for the same amount of time and with a little Googling with the name of the software and my name you can find my how-to article.

Also there are no blank spaces in the file names and they all end with the extension .jpg



First, here's some pictures that show the excessive orange peel or surface texture in the gel-coat after it was sprayed as a part of restoring this classic Glastron.

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/527/1960_Glastron_Wet_Sand_030.jpg


Not there is zero gloss or shine in the gel-coat finish...

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/527/1960_Glastron_Wet_Sand_031.jpg


http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/527/1960_Glastron_Wet_Sand_037.jpg


Frame-up shot
I'm take a far show of the corner so you can see what I'm photgraphing...

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/527/1960_Glastron_Wet_Sand_038.jpg


Close-up of the above shot...

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/527/1960_Glastron_Wet_Sand_039.jpg


Extreme close-up of the above shot --> Notice the rough texture? This will all have to be sanded FLAT.

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/527/1960_Glastron_Wet_Sand_040.jpg



These are the overhead florescent lights....

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/527/1960_Glastron_Wet_Sand_035.jpg




Notice how hard it is to SEE the florescent lights reflecting off the bow of the boat?

This is due to the rough, pebbled texture of the freshly sprayed gel-coat. This is NORMAL and this is why fresh gel-coat MUST be sanded and buffed to create a beautiful looking finish on the boat. There's basically ZERO reflection of the lights overhead.

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/527/1960_Glastron_Wet_Sand_036.jpg



Here's the hull before we started....

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/527/1960_Glastron_Wet_Sand_044.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/527/1960_Glastron_Wet_Sand_045.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/527/1960_Glastron_Wet_Sand_046.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/527/1960_Glastron_Wet_Sand_047.jpg




This too will have to be sanded till the surface is flat....

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/527/1960_Glastron_Wet_Sand_048.jpg




Here's the finished results....
I took these shots the next morning, both the top cap and the hull had been sanded, compounded, polished and waxed....


http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/527/800_How_To_Wet_Sand_Cut_and_Buff_Fresh_Gel-Coat_046.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/527/800_How_To_Wet_Sand_Cut_and_Buff_Fresh_Gel-Coat_048.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/527/800_How_To_Wet_Sand_Cut_and_Buff_Fresh_Gel-Coat_049.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/527/800_How_To_Wet_Sand_Cut_and_Buff_Fresh_Gel-Coat_050.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/527/800_How_To_Wet_Sand_Cut_and_Buff_Fresh_Gel-Coat_051.jpg


http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/527/800_How_To_Wet_Sand_Cut_and_Buff_Fresh_Gel-Coat_052.jpg

[bcgreen]

I've noticed on sites you can post directly from your computer. On this site as well as most, you have to upload it to places like photobucket and then link it from there using the url.