How to keep pontoons their silver color in salt water

Skipper April 5, 2016 Ask The Skipper

Paul Boxler asked:

I have a new, never I the water, aluminum pontoon boat that I will be keeping in salt water throughout the boating season (May – October) I would like to keep the pontoons their silver color. What products do you offer that would allow me to do this as well as prevent the typical aquatic growth from adhering to the pontoons?

Answer:

For your convenience, I’ve highlighted the hyperlinks. Click on the hyperlink to get more information about the selected product.

You can use Alumetron to protect the Aluminum. It’s clear and bonds chemically to the aluminum It can last up to 10 years and comes with a 5 year warranty. Pre clean the pontoons first by scrubbing them well with Boat Clean Plus, rinsing and drying.

With tens of thousands of species of marine organisms, there is no such thing as typical aquatic growth. Two sides of the same bay can have different growth. The antifouling that you chose depends on how you plan to use and maintain your boat. The more you use your boat, the less fouling you will attract.

We sell a clear fouling release coating called VS721. It works well, providing that you wipe the slime off as it forms. This can be weekly or every 2 months, depending on which body of water you’re in and how prolific the growth is. Many pontoon boat owners, especially in salt water also coat the tops of their pontoons. Salt can’t stick to the VS721 and it’s easy to rinse them clean instead of trying to scrub the salt off after each outing.

Another alternative for anti-fouling is to apply a coat of water based, toxic, anti-fouling paint, in your choice of color, over the Alumetron. We do not sell toxic paints but there are many on the market. Make sure that it is water based. This will give you better protection against barnacles, especially if your boat remains at dock for longer periods of time. You may still have to scrub the marine growth off from time to time but be careful when working with or maintaining this type of coating. It can penetrate your skin and attack your nervous system.

Thanks for your question,

Captain Aurora
Richard Kittar