Aluminum Ski Pylon

[Arctic Slalom]

I just bought an older Malibu and would like to clean/polish/restore the aluminum ski pylon.

It has several spots where there is a corrosive looking 'gunk build-up' which i would like to remove and restore.

The boat has been in storage for 3 years, so I think it is just some kind of aluminum corrosion.

Any thoughts on a process/products would be great....

Edited April 17, 2007 by Arctic Slalom

[Texasguy]

You can take this as far as you want to and or stop any where along the way. Start with crud cutter solvent like Laquer (sp?) thinner, wd-40 etc ... and a green Scotch Brite pad, 400 grit wet sand, 600 grit wet sand, polishing wheel with various polishing compounds to make it shine like Chrome. I'd stop at 600 however to reduce the glare from the sun.

[electricjohn]

Noxon metal polish worked great on my aluminum canoe. Two applications took 30+ years worth the grime off and left it looking like new. I would be hesitant to take any sandpaper to my pylon. It would take that nice machined turned finish off

it. If sandpaper became nessessary I would buff the pole in one direction to keep that machined look.

edit; it's called Noxon #7 metal polish.

Edited April 18, 2007 by electricjohn

[Woodski]

Mothers aluminum polish has worked well, there are some stronger products, check on cleaners for aluminum wheels.