White spots on your aluminum boat

[Tacklebuster]

Just wanted to throw this subject out once more to see if someone can shed some new light on it. What the hell are those spots and how to you prevent them :shrug:

My last boat had the white spots on the bottom and along the chines. I treated it with sharkhide but it made really no difference. I always figured it was salt related until now. Long before my Seahawk saw salt water, those white spots appeared on the bottom and along the chines on the side. I have paint all the way down the sides so the sides are clear. I do not think they are salt related now and they are a pain in the buttocks to try and polish off.

What are your thoughts and comments? I do not think I have ever seen an aluminum boat without these spots on them somewhere. Do these spots lead to pin hole leaks, corrosion, the end of the worl as we know it :shrug:

[bobber_boy]

I heard it was electrolisis(sp?) related. Our NR has those spots on the bow where the towing bra covers.

[Green Machine]

Ah yes, the joy of owning an aluminum boat. The white spots are electrolysis. This can happen in not only from salt water, but even just sitting out in the air. My guess, as your boat is basically brand new, is from fishing down in the estuary. The problem with salt water is the damage happens when you are in the water. You can come home and scrub and scrub, but still may get spots. Sharkhide works, but it does not cure what is already done. I have fought this same problem before and finally came to this conclusion. Polish the boat once a year, apply sharkhide once a year, go fishing, wash after every trip, and that's it. If I have to do more than this, it is not worth owning an aluminum boat and is not fun. Does my boat have a few white spots? Sure. Is it strictly cosmetic? Yes. Does it hurt resale? I doubt it as basically every boat has one or two spots. It's a fishing/family boat. Keep enjoying it!!!

Green Machine

[Tacklebuster]

This Seahawk that I have now has never even seen the estuary and before the Halibut opener, never saw any type of salt water. The spots appeared after after a half dozen trips in the fresh stuff. Shark hide will be pretty hard to apply to the bottom due to it sitting on the trailer. The sides are painted all the way down to just right above the chines. May be from the roads in the winter or something :shrug:

[Green Machine]

Sorry, my bad, I thought you had this boat for last years gator season. Anyway, you can still get electrolysis from fresh water. (Don't you love aluminum!!) This is why some people use both zinc and magnesium. Magnesium will help in fresh water, while zinc has you covered in the salt. A perfect example of this is an aluminum truck box. My lid has never been in salt water, but has small white spots on it. Just nature running its course!! I know what you are saying. It bugs the heck out of me too. You probably could apply sharkhide to the chine and that would help. The bottom would be a pain. I know a few guys who used a sprayer to apply it.....that may help. The problem with sharkhide is if you scrap it, it's gone. Ok, good luck and tight lines.

Green Machine

[Tacklebuster]

I did have a Seahawk last year in the estuary but due to some bad aluminum the transom was made out of, I ended up getting another one. I hear ya on the spots, just little eye sores as far as I'm concerned.

[SR1 5]

I know the spots on my boat are the result of the road de-icer used in the winter and not washing the boat soon after being exposed to it.

[dickdocduck]

White spots have a name: Corrosion. Electrolysis is a nickname.

[USCGBoating]

I was using a product called Salt Away. It is cheep and easy to apply. It creates an invisable barrier on the metal surface that blocks the salt. They use it down south to flush motor blocks to reduce internal corrosion. Worked good for me. Boater's World carries it or you can get it on line from the company.

[Bait O' Eggs]

I think those little white spots are the least of your boat worries :laugh: :laugh:

Just kidding you TB, :wink:

I got them on my boat already and though they are ugly, I guess when you start ugly, you dont notice them as much. :bigshock: :bigshock:

Wishing now I would have sharkhided the inside of the cabin :hoboy: :hoboy:

[No Luck]

I have two boats my little boat is a 1999 18 foot North River it was a couple of years old when I bought it and it had some small white spot or corrosion on the bottom of it and up the sides in a few spots. I figured these spots came from not washing the boat when the guy I bought it from got through using it because my boat that I bought new don’t have these spots and I wash it with soap and water as soon as I’m done with it

Now to get rid of this corrosion I used a product called EQ solutions Kwik Brite Blue 1 and Red 2 picked it up in Albany the stuff is a two part acid and neutralizer this worked great removed all of the corrosion and water stains than I waxed the boat and it’s as good as new I just keep it washed with dish soap when I’m done with it so far no spots and that was three years ago.


:yay: :applause:

[Chrome Bumper]

I would use cleaner wax. Don't remove all the oxidation as it is a protective coating. Just remove the loose stuff and even out the grayness. Removing the loose stuff and wax keeps the water away, which prevents corrosion, and allows oxygen near the metal, which forms a protective oxide. Fuzzy white spots are a corrosion product, plain and simple. If you don't want any corrosion shrink wrap your boat and leave it in the garage with a dehumidifier running inside.

[backlash442]

I think alkaline water will do it too. Mine has never been in salt and has the little white bumps. Since it's below the paint line I could care a less.