End of Season - Cleaning of Toons

[CheaperThanKids]

We are going to pull the boat out this weekend for the winter and our new marina doesn't have someone who can winterize and clean the toons and bottom of the boat. A buddy and myself are going to scrub the gunk off, any suggestions on what works best?? Its been in the river since May so we have a good buildup.

Also going to winterize the outboard, but then we keep it in indoor storage, so we should be set.

Thanks

[lakerunner]

Power washer and stiff bristled brush. Then if you desire Coil Cleaner to really strip the logs

[dockholiday]

Have used the SOS/Brillo pad on the logs. Also the starbrite pads are good. Dealer uses acid (muratic I think) on the logs.
Meguiars paint cleaner is good on the fence, followed by some wax.
doc

[GXPWeasel]

Check out a product called "Toon Brite". This stuff is supposed to work pretty good. There are 2 steps, and you don't even have to perform the 2nd. if you don't want to. First is a cleaner specifically made for Aluminum toons. Second step is a polish ( which is what I'm going to do in the spring). You can go as far as polishing the toons to look like Polished Aluminum wheels on your car if you want. I saw the kit for both in Bass Pro shop for $47 IIRC. You can also find it on www.autogeek.net under the marine products.

Good Luck.

[schmir]

Here is what I do. Power wash first. Then I use "The Works" toilet bowl cleaner(about a $1 a bottle) to eat the crud off. I spray it on, let sit a few minutes and then scrub. It will take a few times. Others say to use ac coil cleaner. For some reason, it doesn't take the crud off for me but I use it after I use The Works. It makes the alumnium on my boat all an almost white uniform color. It soon turns back to looking like alumnium and then I sharkhide it so it doesn't turn black. Good luck!

[Alohatoon1]

Check out a product called "Toon Brite". This stuff is supposed to work pretty good. There are 2 steps, and you don't even have to perform the 2nd. if you don't want to. First is a cleaner specifically made for Aluminum toons. Second step is a polish ( which is what I'm going to do in the spring). You can go as far as polishing the toons to look like Polished Aluminum wheels on your car if you want. I saw the kit for both in Bass Pro shop for $47 IIRC. You can also find it on http://www.autogeek.net under the marine products.

Good Luck.

I ALWAYS recommend against using Toonbrite or any type of acid cleaner. It works well, turns your toons a sort of whitish-silver, but it does that by etching your aluminum.

Etching increased the surface area of the aluminum that is exposed to the air and will oxidize. Result it that after Toonbrite, your logs will oxidize much faster and get much darker, unless you seal them after etching with SharkHyde or similar.

My neighbor acid-washed his toons and I watched as they turned dark gray in less than one season of use.

[tkrein]

heres what my buddy does. when out on a nice day and swimming just keep up in the toons by takeing those green and yellow sponges and cleaning the bottom of the toons this keeps them looking clean and the crude off of them till winter the water gets cooler so not as much growth. at the end of the season just pressure wash them off. remember all that growth on them slows down the toon when you want to get up and go.

[badmoonrising]

Yeah that's what I do every few weeks as long as the water is warm. Surface temp is down to 65, so no more of that

[GXPWeasel]

Check out a product called "Toon Brite". This stuff is supposed to work pretty good. There are 2 steps, and you don't even have to perform the 2nd. if you don't want to. First is a cleaner specifically made for Aluminum toons. Second step is a polish ( which is what I'm going to do in the spring). You can go as far as polishing the toons to look like Polished Aluminum wheels on your car if you want. I saw the kit for both in Bass Pro shop for $47 IIRC. You can also find it on http://www.autogeek.net under the marine products.

Good Luck.

I ALWAYS recommend against using Toonbrite or any type of acid cleaner. It works well, turns your toons a sort of whitish-silver, but it does that by etching your aluminum.

Etching increased the surface area of the aluminum that is exposed to the air and will oxidize. Result it that after Toonbrite, your logs will oxidize much faster and get much darker, unless you seal them after etching with SharkHyde or similar.

My neighbor acid-washed his toons and I watched as they turned dark gray in less than one season of use.

That makes sense. Guess I won't be trying that product. But I will be doing something to brighten those puppies up next spring.