POLISHING AND SHARKHIDING PONTOONS

[Bryden24shp]

For those who are interested in polishing and Sharkhiding your pontoons, here is a step by step pictorial of when I did mine.
Start out getting the right tools and supplies. I called Clint at Flatwater to set me up with what I needed when I bought my Manitou in 2007. He can be contacted at 618.624.4091, look for his products at http://www.sharkhide.com/index.html
I bought 2 quarts of Sharkhide Protectant, 2 quarts of Cleaner and 1 can of polish. More than enough to do 2 boats, actually. I did both my old Manitou and my new Premier.
I used my 8" 3000 to 8000 RPM Sander/ Polisher and 5 buffing pads
1 gallon of Lacquer thinner
About 2 dozen old cotton rags and 1 roll of paper towels
600 and 1000 grit wet/dry sandpaper to sand out scratches
A brass chisel and a small dead blow hammer to knock of welding slag.
Masking tape, I used 2" wide
Plastic to cover the trailer.
My old red Manitou Hat to show off the shine and use as a guide to see the difference in my areas, done. (Waiting for my Premier hat)

Start out by removing any prior protectant by washing the pontoons off with laqcuer thinner poured into a rag. If any protectorant is on, you'll see it dissolve. Get it all off, or the Cleaner won't attack the aluminum, which is what you want it to do.
Next, when drying the pontoon off you can feel any slag which was splattered on the pontonn during the welding process. Remove this with a soft tap on a chisel with a hammer I could even just use my hand in most cases. Wetsand the rest off and any scratches you want to remove. In my case, it was the bad scratches down the center of my pontoons from the previous owners docking technique. I don't think he had one!
Next, dry again. Then tape of all areas you are not going to treat and cover the trailer with plastic sheeting. Tp protect them from the acid and polishing compound.
Get ready to clean...
Dilute the Sharkhide Cleaner to strength needed. I diluted mine 3 parts water to 1 part cleaner. In a garden sprayer or spray bottle.
Spray on the cleaner, evenly, let it foam up. After about 3 minutes of working time, I rinsed it off with water. Leaving behing a nice white finish, that will let the polishing compound do its job, easier.
Polish time! Working in about a 3 foot section, I started at the top of the pontoon and worked my way down to the the masking tape line at the trailer bunk. Moving the polisher in an "S" pattern. Clean excess compound from the pad when it builds up and bites hard. Add more compound to the pontoon when it seems like it does not bite any more. You want it to bite into the aluminum and work good. Clean the pontoon as you finish up that section with lacquer thinner.
Go to the next section and repeat all the steps until you are done with that pontoon.
After finishing the polishing. Wash the pontoon off with lacquer thinner to remove all the compound. You must remove it all. Use white rags or paper towels and do it until you get no black residue on the rags. This is clean. Otherwise the Sharkhide will not stick to the aluminum.
After you are done, its time to put on the Protectant. It does not take much! Using a clean rag. Fold it to the size of your palm. Pour alittle Protectant to the front of the rag and wipe it on in sections about 6 foot long. I found that working in a right to left, drop under the first swipe and going left to right. Re-applying and repeating that motion, worked the best for me. I did miss a few small spots, but after the first coat cures, in about 24 to 36 hours, you apply the 2nd coat, you can catch all the spots, missed. Don't try to apply to missed spots when it is still wet, it will dissolve the first application and look splotchy. After the second coat is on, you can either stop there or apply a third. I did 2 coats on the Manitou and 3 on my Premier. I still have 1 Quart of Protectant and Cleaner, and about 1/4 can of the polish left over for future touch ups or my next boat.
The stuff lasts forever, will not rub off from the trailering or fenders rubbing on the pontoons.
If any one has any questions or comment, contact me at sales@ezfender.com or Clint at sharkhide@peaknet.net
I know he will be glad to help you out.
Clint or JT, since you are doing yours, if you have anything to add, feel free to!
Hope this helps everyone out!
Bryan

[WILD MAN]

WOW!!! Soon as your done there mine need to be done too. You do the polishing and I'll buy the beer.

[Bryden24shp]

WOW!!! Soon as your done there mine need to be done too. You do the polishing and I'll buy the beer.

Gonna take alot of beer! During, and after!!!
...Bryan

[Woody]

Nice job ! I kinda wish you hadn't posted this though. I had just about talked myself out of polishing my JC. Looks like I need to get the buffer back out....
I did our last boat, and it looked great till the day I sold it.

[cwag911]

Looks real nice Bryan!

[pelicantooner]

Jealous!!

I am too lazy to take on that project.

[robster]

Looks Grrrreat!!

[captainjack]

Looks awesome! What was ur total investment to get that? An how many man hours? An why didn't u do the nose just curious?

[lakerunner]

Nice work

[Bryden24shp]

I have about $300.00 in all the Sharkhide products & other supplies and probably about 30 hours into it. I haven't had the time to do the nosecones or the caps, yet. I want to do it when I have the time to do both sides at once, so if I get the urge to take it out, its not 1/2 done on one side and not the other. Its gonna be at least a week before I can take it out, now. I just sent my ECM in to be upgraded to 300 horsepower. So, I should have a chance to finish it, soon.
Thanks for the comments, guys! I appreciate it.
If you try it, make sure you have a stool to sit on while running the buffer, it kills your legs to kneel to do it. Cooler of beer helps, too. Wildman!!!

[LocoCoco]

"Rednecks like shiny things." - Jeff Foxworthy


I love it! Great job.




LC.

[dockholiday]

Nice job Bryan, and good tip about the stool. I was almost finished when, I started using the stool. Wished I had thought of it earlier.

doc

[Bryden24shp]

The outside pontoons are done, took about 4 hours to do the outside and top of each nosecone. Both of them have 2 coats of Sharkhide. I will start the insides of the outer and center nosecone tomorrow and then try to get the transom and rear caps done on Weds. Then afterwards, everything gets the final 3rd coat of Sharkhide.
Also got my Registration Letters, all done in custom chrome to match the Premier lettering. Will get pics of that to ya as well!
Need to change the date on the camera, too. Wish it was 2011 again.

[woolznaz]

I am still planning on tackling this job. I have a couple of questions that may help others as well.

1) I have experimented on polishing a few areas of my toons and they shine up pretty easily. Until reading your thread, I thought I would just polish them and then apply Sharkhide. I had no intention of using any kind of cleaner at the start. After reading your thread, I am starting to change my mind about that. Do you feel the cleaner step is necessary, even though I get a pretty decent shine with just polishing? I assume it is still a worthwhile step and would aid in the polishing step, but would love your thoughts.

2) I noticed you clean the toons again after getting them polished up. You used lacquer thinner again at that stage. Does the lacquer thinner not "dull" the shine you have already achieved? After working so hard to get that great shine, I would be hesitant to put anything on them except the Sharkhide.... but I guess the lacquer thinner is recommended by Sharkhide. Did it not dull your shine at all?

Thanks again for those of you who have have tackled this job. Several of us appreciate your advice.

[Bryden24shp]

woolznaz, I would recommend the cleaning step, for sure. The cleaner 'etches' the aluminum, and makes the polishing compound 'bite' better. I did not use it on the tops of the nosecones, because I didn't want to take a chance on sploshing it on my plastic trim, and it took alot more buffing to get it done. So, ya it makes a difference.
The "lacquer thinner rinse" is the only way to do it. It does not dull the polish job at all. It removes all the polishing compound. You have to do it until the rag comes perfectly clean. otherwise it will leave black streaks on the surface and the Sharkhide will not adhere to the aluminum. It takes alot, I went through 2 gallons and am on my third, right now.
Its a hell of alot of work, but I have had a few people that were driving past, pull in the driveway and check it out and ask questions. I think its worth it!