To all the guys that run tin boats, does anyone know why the bottom that sits in the water below the water line turns grayish color. The boat has never been in salt water so what can cause this.
Mine is a 2001 Tracker if it makes a difference
To all the guys that run tin boats, does anyone know why the bottom that sits in the water below the water line turns grayish color. The boat has never been in salt water so what can cause this.
Mine is a 2001 Tracker if it makes a difference
Its the mineral content of the water. you can launch a very clean,
to almost shiny aluminum boat into Barkley Lake in Ky and in just
a few hours it will be a very dark gray. LDS
Larry D. Scott Retired KY Water patrol/F&W
www.greatscottshooters.com
2008 TRACKER TV 18 w/150 Mercury 4S
MK Ultrex 80lb, 102 Garmin Live scope
and a UHD93SV Garmin on the bow.
UHD 93SV at the console.
I stayed a week at a lake in Oklahoma years ago. This discolored the portion of my motor that was in the water. Never came off. I assume that the water was slightly acidic and etched the metal. Or heavy minerals in the water. What is amazing is that it took only one week for this.
It happens over time in just about any water. I use this stuff to scrub it back to a shine: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FZN7NMH...ing=UTF8&psc=1
2016 Ranger RT188, Yamaha 115 sho, dual console, 80# Ultrex, hotfoot, networked HB Solix 10 & Helix 9, Mega 360. Powertech NRS3 18p, Atlas 4" jack plate.
I pressure wash my non painted bottom once a year. If I wanted to worry about scratching up the bottom I’d stayed with glass. If you want it nice and pretty grab some aluminum cleaner like you would use on a pontoon boat.
Well just as long as I know it's not melting away, LOL. I was thinking some kind of electrolysis that might have a cure. My buddy has one with a painted gray bottom so I guess they will look alike sooner or later.
I can fish all summer long in the clear mountain lakes and the aluminum will turn slightly---I can fish once or twice in the lakes is central or eastern NC and it turns very dark. In the upper end of Shearon Harris, where it is quite shallow and dark water it will turn very dark quickly. It is definitely the mineral content.
There is a product call Alumatron from Aurora Marine that works quite well to keep the discoloration off your boat. It's a lot of work to apply because you first have to clean your hull nice and shiny before applying the product, easiest to use on a new boat, but it last for approximately 5 years. I put it on my hull when it was brand new and I am now going into season 8 and I am now needing to go through the process again.
https://www.auroramarine.com/store/alumetron.html