by Lynette Alice

Created on: August 16, 2008   Last Updated: September 04, 2009

The way to polish an aluminum boat is really easy, in fact it is as easy as polishing anything aluminum. The real question is why would you want to polish an aluminum boat? Once you begin this is going to be a never ending cycle of work because the sad fact is there isn't anything that will stave off oxidation long enough to make this a one time or simple task. A highly polished boat is a bad idea if you plan to use it for fishing because it's going to scare off fish and it is also going to create one heck of glare. Still if the idea of spending more time polishing your aluminum boat than using your aluminum boat sounds like fun here are some tips to get the job done, after all you may be doing this just to enter it in shows.

The first step is going to be to thoroughly clean the boat removing dirt and anything that may have adhered to the surface. Sanding may be necessary in areas which can take some time. The best way to take on this part of the project is to wet sand it in three steps. Use 1000 grit, then 1500, and finish with 2000 grit sand paper to remove the oxidized areas which will appear. Yes it is time consuming but if you're going to do the job you may as well do it right.

The product I'd suggest using to get started on the interior is Never Dull. You will apply this generously as per manufacturers instructions and buff it in a swirl pattern until the product is removed and and a high shine appears. In some cases for large areas you may, and I stress may, be able to use a mechanized buffer but more often than not you will wind up using a chamois. To save you some headaches and time if you hand polish the surface spend the money to buy a chamois glove that slip over the hand, at least this will save you some cramping.

The best place to start is the interior. Be sensible here and know where to put in the extra effort to get a shine and where you're just wasting time. If for some reason you feel you must do the exterior of the boat realize this is going to be a never ending battle, especially if you put your boat in the water. To make this part of the job as easy as possible go to an auto shop and buy a Mothers polishing ball that you can attach to a hand drill to take on the job. Never Dull will still work fine here but Mothers aluminum wheel polish will probably give you better results and save some money as it spreads more generously. You may have to go over the area twice but that's only if you're looking for an obscenely high shine.

Polishing an aluminum boat outside of the trim here and there really isn't necessary or suggested in all honesty. Unless you plan to just display the boat in shows it makes little sense and will keep it up on blocks longer than it's in the water. It is more important to just keep it clean and minimize oxidation than to put a shine on it, but if you insist on polishing your aluminum boat the above steps and products will get the job done.

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