I bought a 17' Bass Tracker and the previous owner let the outside get stained from a muddy lake. It is not very bad. Only has a water line on it. I want to go over the entire outside and clean it. What can I use? Can I use a SOS pad? What does everyone recommend to clean the aluminum?

Thanks

Tony

Funny I seen this because that is what I just finished doing. ;D I use soap and water on the decal part and a scrub brush on the aluminum. They make a product called Aluminex and it is sold @ BPS. I have not used it but they claim it is good stuff for hard stains. I am a little more picky with my boat than most. I shine the aluminum with Mother's metal polish once a year and it looks like a mirror. It gets all the small scratches and swirl marks out. I must warn you though, I take my time doing this (all winter) because it is real hard to get off. I only do a small section at a time. For the decal part that gets marks from the rubber dock fenders, I use a Magic eraser. Whoever invented this, they need a pat on the back.

I just got done doing that to.... I used this aluminum acid based cleaner I got from a local Napa auto part dealer... It done an awesome  job.... All you do is mix it with water spray it on and wash it off with a water hose.. After that I waxed it with Mothers brand aluminum wax and then buffed it with a buffer and polish pad... Man it looks almost brand new

Citric acid scrub bath, Buff and seal with "shark skin" sealer.

After 17 years of neglect by the previous owner, my Tracker was badly stained.  I used an electric buffer and Turtle Wax White Polishing Compound.  The hull now has an almost mirror finish and the work went quickly.

Thanks for everyones help!

Tony

Did you all polish the boat afterwards?  I've heard that the acid based cleaners work well and easy but etch the aluminum so it's even more suseptible to stains and oxidation unless it's well sealed.  I'd like to do my Tracker but it is a lot of work with the cream type polishes.  I started with Mothers once but realized by the time I finished it would be time to start over again!

I did... After I used the acid based cleaners it turned the boat to a almost white color.... I used the mothers aluminum polish put on my hand and then used a buffer along with a polishing bonnet to finish it off...It was a lot of work but well worth it...

i'm assuming you guys are talking about unpainted aluminum right? My question is that i have a bass tracker grizzly with green paint, and i want to know the best way to clean that. is there just a solution of some kind that i can buy?

My dad uses a product called Purple to polish his aluminum boat.  It is about $13 for a 12 oz. bottle but he claims that it is easier to use than the Mothers which I have always used on motorcycles and trucks.  I will try and attach a picture of his boat.  If it doesn't work and someone wants to see a pic it looks like a mirror.  Just PM me with your email and I will send you a pic. I have a pretty good water line on my Tracker so I will try some of your guys tips to get it off for next tournament season.

i'm assuming you guys are talking about unpainted aluminum right? My question is that i have a bass tracker grizzly with green paint, and i want to know the best way to clean that. is there just a solution of some kind that i can buy?

Soap and water

The paint on those is more like a primer than a paint.  It WILL come off if you use strong chemicals.  For my buddies, we just use soap/water and a power washer.  It will be painted by next year

2000GMC- That thing looks awesome!!  Great pic,...the turtle and the hare,lol.

I had the Tracker Service Center at the Hampton BPS "detail" my Tracker Pro-185 this spring and the boat looked like it just came off the showroom floor.

All of the carpet stains were gone and the boat looked like new.

I asked the Tracker techs what they used on the carpet and they told me it is Commodore Sales carpet Stain Remover in the spray can.

Commodore Sales

P.O. Box 35688

Richmond, VA 23235

804.794.1992

As for the hull, Jerry Cooper of Cooper's Marine told me to use Marykate Aluminex Pontoon & Aluminum Hull Cleaner #3132 on the hull.

The hull looks just like when I bought the boat four years ago after you clean it with the Marykate product.

Marikate Ship Shape, Inc.

P.O. Box 150

Bohemia, NY 11716-0150

Read the directions before using the Marykate product as it is some strong stuff.

But your aluminum hull will sparkle and your carpets will look like new.

...it looks like a mirror. ...

Holy smokes! It took me a while to realize that your dad's boat wasn't camo! The reflection of the grass was so clear!  

...it looks like a mirror. ...

Holy smokes! It took me a while to realize that your dad's boat wasn't camo! The reflection of the grass was so clear!

wow.  I thought it was camo also.

Wagn on the painted boats i just use a clearcoat car polish(duragloss for me)matter of fact

when i bought my new xpress and brought it home the first thing i did was wash it off and polished

it to a ultraslick finish! 8-)