Acid Washing A Tinnie

[madman1]

It bewilders me.

My 5.2 Quinnie (unpainted) which was new in november 2007 is fading.

I have noticed that everything in Mackay rusts away in an instant no matter what you do but my "new " tinnie is no longer "new".

Could someone please explain to me the process of "acid washing" an aluminium boat and how to preserve the "new" look?

thanks in advance.

Cheers


Mark

[Chimo]

Hi Mark

You could be better servered by leaving the build up of oxidation on the surface of the tinny as the rate of deterioration is slowed by this "protective layer"

If you want it "pretty" maybe just before you sell it could be a better time although if I were buying it I'd be happier with a dull oxidised surface finish.

just MHO

Cheers
Chimo

PS there was a thread on here a year or so ago about polishing a tinny with pig fat but I seem to recall mention in the thread that the Police Fisheries etc kept being attracted to it as it was so shiny.

[Roughasguts]

I think an acid wash will just help clean it for sure, and put little pin holes in it as well.
Don't think your tinnie is fading it's just oxidising, there suposed to unless you polish them up and maintain it reguarly.

[Roughasguts]

Actually isn't there a product shark hide or similar. After treatment it looks kinda white chrome, nothing gets it of except spilled fuel, then it looks like crap again.

[DR]

you can get a product at 'Supacheap' that is an aluminium cleaner, it's an acid that is mixed with water, is about $12 for a litre which should do a boat & is easy to use.

[ifishcq1]

Listen to Chimo don't touch it you can't get better protection than a layer of oxidization... cleaning the layer off only lets the oxidization get deeper in and repeat the process

Scott

[Simmo2]

Agree with Scott above mate!
I spent hours with acids and the like, then polishes....my boat looked like a mirror...for about a month.... you will soon get over it!
I then read some stuff on the net, and as also said above, that layer of 'rust' is good for the boat. So now, mine just looks like a tinny!

[MyEscape]

Wasn't there that guy on this site with the name of "shiny tinny" a while ago that had a tinny that shone like a mirror. I think he said he used some kind of animal oil or fat to polish it. And I think he said it lasted for ages.

Steve

[Gilli]

Mate if you are really keen, then go out to a hardware store, get yourself a 9" grinder with a few decent buffing pads and then call around butchers or meatworks and such to see if you can get a 5kg block of pig fat. All you have to do is buff the pig fat into the boats surface, stops oxidisation and your boat will be more reflective than the mirror in your bathroom. Then if you want the gunnell's shiny, get a scourer(wire scrubbing thing you use for the doin the dishes n stuff) and get a cake of soap, sit the cake of soap in a container of warm water for 10 minutes, then once the soap goes really soft you get the scourer and wipe the soft soap onto it and then just go back and forth on the gunnel, it makes it super shiny. Thats how they detail boats and make them so shiny, mate who works at local marine shop was telling me thats how they do it and it will last for a good 6-8 months atleast.

Regards,

[FNQCairns]

What I am doing is using nufinish as the final protective layer, goes straight over the oxidization and as long as it is applied every 3 months or so slows the old aulm look down to just a walk.

Some of the other polishes will shine better but none last as long or is as easy to apply but none will protect as well.

cheers fnq

PS, if you do use an alum cleaner wear gloves and be a little careful of the stuff so in 30 years a doctor may have less justification in putting the cause of your death on your cert as "smoking related".

cheers fnq

[madman1]

Thanks for the heads up. Looks like i will probably give it a miss and spend more time fishing.

Thanks again

Mark

[Peter-B]

The acid used for cleaning aluminium is hydroflouric acid it is nasty, it attacks the calcium in your bones.
Your finger nails turn black and fall out, it must be used diluted,but it does work.
Do as the others have suggested leave it or get it painted and store it out the sun.

Peter-B

[Snowman]

Hi madman and others

Heres the website for Sharkhide Australia.

www.sharkhidesalesaustralia.com.au

Go there to find info on cleaners , protectants, polish and procedures to either protect your new alloy boat right from time of purchase or refurbish it after some use . There are also some more pictures of the sharkhide effect here.

http://www.sunshinepontoons.com.au/sharkhide.htm

I have been using this for 4 years now and have found many applications for both the cleaner and the protectant. Application is easy although in the Queensland summer ( read heat) we have had to develop some different ideas than those users in the States for getting the Sharkide on so that it drys nicely.
Got any questions after reading either of the 2 links above dont hesitate to give me a bell on 0409 910 808 or on the contact pages at either of the sites.

All you fishermen that dont have a trim and tilt on your outboard, or need a jacking plate for your bass boat might like to see my other site also at
www.cmcsales.com.au

These products have also been used by us for the last 4 years, have given us no problems ( I carry all the warranty locally) and are now starting to find their way all around Australia.

Thanks for reading this, I will try and keep an eye on these forums so that if anybody is looking for these products I can catch up with them.

Hey, this stuff is nowhere as messy as pig fat either.

[Chimo]

Hi Snowman

Are you a new site sponsor / advertiser?

Cheers
Chimo

[revs57]

G'day MM,

When the alloy on th eharley needs a brighten up, i give it a good hit with CT18 truck wash, pulls the oxide off the alloy and does the job very easily

Not too expensive, and you could incorporate it into the clean up pretty easily and come up with a pretty reasonable result

Hope this helps

Cheers

Rhys