What is the best stuff to remove the summer sludge from the pontoon when you take it out of water the pond has a high iron content and looks like rust on the pontoons there made of aluminum?

Powerwashing it takes it all off

Done that takes a good part off but not all thanks for info

Alum Brite its an acid.Best thing Ive seen to clean aluminum.

I would have to agree with the alumi brite, that stuff is amazing!!!!!!!! Maybe using a small 4" buffer with the alumi brite would have it sparkling like new, can be found in most napa stores and some other auto parts stores. Take Care God Bless LOL Dave Who Can't wait for 4/1/10 LOL

Thanks for information ? what does big john use on the barge?

Big John leaves nothing to chance each fall I have it power washed, engine and lower unit oil changed, etc. what ever the manual calls for by hours on the motor and have it stored.. I used to have new plugs and new battery put in when they put it back in the water in the Spring, I don’t want any starting problems at 4:00 in the morning. I wait for my Social Security check and get er done, lol. Never had any problems doing it this way, maybe some of it is a waste of money, but I have peace of mind.

But now I like to have the boat here in my yard so in the spring I can do whatever I want to do with it before the season starts. So now, in the Fall I just get the cleaning done, oils changed, have conditioner added and whatever else they do with they do with the fuel system and carb, new plugs and take it home for the winter.

I have two battery system with a switch, so I don’t bother with new batteries anymore unless one fails. I also drain the water separator filter and change it in the spring. I use whatever fuel is at the pump, any pump and honestly have never had any fuel issues, but I hear folks do have some issues with Ethanol ????????????????/

The Pontoons come out clean, but they always show a slight water mark.

Big John

Hi Guys, I bought a pontoon this year and will be winterizing for the first time. I remember reading on this site last year something about putting a few gallons of antifreeze directly into each pontoon to prevent leaking come spring time. Do you still do this? Who has a reasonable price for shrinkwrapping in the area? Thanks in advance.

Though I don't own a pontoon boat, I'd try to drain any water or condensation that may have gotten into the pontoons, then put a half gallon of marine antifreeze in each pontoon just to make sure. Easing drained out in the spring and adds a little piece of mind especially if the boat is going to be stored outside. Those pontoons will get cold, and we all know what happens to water when it freezes. Just my .02 though. Take Care God Bless LOL Dave

Oops, I left out one of the most important things. I've had pontoon ctacks 2 years out of the last three. Seems condensation gets trapped in the nose section, freezes and cracks the weld.

Fix is like Dave said, lower the nose, put 1 gallon recreation antifreeze in the pontoon, thenm when you store it, put the nose down so that the antifreeze settles where the condensation is. Supposed to work, this will be the first winter I'll be storing it this way.

I was told to leave the anti-freeze in all year, dont drain it. If you pull the plug to check for any water in the Pontoon, be sure to add more antifreeze. Mine seemed OK this fall once we got her on dry land, so we didn't pull the drain plugs to check. We used to pull the olugs and look for moisture, but never found any, had problems anyhow ??? On mine it gets trapped in the nose somehow. Poor design.

Big John

Thanks for all the information,I talked with a member of the Lowell Boat Club on the Merrimac River they claim to use Cameo Aluminum Pot Cleaner which can be bought in Market Basket for around $2 suppose to make them look like new with little effort Ill let you know after I use it boat still in water , thanks again SeaSlayer

Used the Cameo Aluminum Pot Cleaner today along with pressure cleaner and my two 20yr old sons pontoons look like new cameo cost a 1.09 a container similar to a ajax
washed with pressure washer first then sprinkled cameo on a long handle brush scrubbed a little then a p.wash again pontoons looked new boats a 1996 with oversize pontoons well worth the trouble a cheap way out.