Clean the algae off aluminum pontoons in as little as 20 minutes

Skipper February 9, 2016 Ask The Skipper

Clean the algae off aluminum pontoons in as little as 20 minutes? Is it Possible? We accepted the challenge. An older pontoon boat that was short on maintenance was selected for us to see if we could get the bottom growth off and how long it would take. At first we tried using a pressure washer and turned it up. After 1 hour, we had less than 24 inches cleaned and we still didnt get everything off. This was not working.

Next we tried Algex. It promised to loosen up the algae and mineral deposits to make them easier to remove. It was easy to use, just spray it on and wait for a couple of minutes. Now the pressure washer really worked. It just blew the mess right off the pontoons. Algex seemed to penetrate right through the mess and lifted it off the aluminum. Then everything came right off. We didnt even need the pressure washer, a garden hose would have done the job, but it would have taken a little longer. Besides, using a pressure washer is more fun. What can I say, it’s a guy thing.

Boat bottom cleaning is never fun, but this was. The answer is YES! You can get the pontoons clean in less than 20 minutes, if you use Algex and a pressure washer.