Polishing aluminum boat?

Question

can you polish the boat with wet and dry paper with brasso and the use the buffer on the anglegrinder. will it harm the boat?

Answer 1

When i was sailing down island Caribbean there was a sail boat made out of polished alum and it streaked all over after a while in salt water> Can't see much you can do even if anodized>It will still pit & corroided>I have tried polshing alum with not much luck but give it a try>>

Answer 2

brasso is best with the buffer forget the paper

Answer 3

I am on a pontoon forum and a few members have polished their pontoon logs. They use a combination of polishing compounds to get the mirror shine. When finished they coat it with a product called "SHARKHIDE" It is a coating made for aluminum to keep it from oxidizing. Check out PontoonDeckboat.com. Go to forums section  and ask your question and you will get plenty of help form the experts. Some of the boats are so shinny you can shave with them.

Answer 4

Depends on what kind of a finish you want.  

You can use a fine wet/dry sandpaper to get the surface corision off and then go to an Aircraft Supply and get an Aluminum polish for aircraft.   You use a wax polisher (or by hand), put the paste on (it will look like a wax paste), you buff until it is "black", then take a rag and put common household kitchen baking flower on it and rub it off with little effort.  It will leave a mirror finish.  Then if you want, a good wax will keep it looking that way for some time.