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justpaddlin
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HowardSprague: "I've seen on some of those DIY Network, GAC etc RV restoration shows where they've polished up an old Airstream trailer and made it look pretty new. Can you do that with a Grumman? If so, how?
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There are some videos on YouTube that show you how. Here's one.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kxOXSHA--U0
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A1t2o
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I would imagine it is like polishing your car, just add a clear coat, but I wouldn't do it. I have a Grumman that I love and had thoughts like that at first, but there is enough glare on the water as is. I don't want to be even more blinded around it. You would make that canoe that you are proud of into a literal eye sore.
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andym
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I've seen pictures of someone who did that. Maybe on the Facebook group "view from my canoe." It was pretty but I don't see any benefit so it wouldn't be worth the effort to me.
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tonyyarusso
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With how deep the rock gouges are on a lot of aluminum canoes, I'd be worried about "polishing" right through the hull trying to remove them...
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HowardSprague
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I've seen on some of those DIY Network, GAC etc RV restoration shows where they've polished up an old Airstream trailer and made it look pretty new. Can you do that with a Grumman? If so, how?
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mschi772
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A1t2o: "I would imagine it is like polishing your car"
As a professional detailer, I'll say that it is only like polishing a car in the simplest of terms. Polishing that much aluminum to a mirror-like finish will require different tools and materials than one would use on a car's paint and will require a tremendous amount of work.
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OldScout48
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Howard, if I were you I would just paint the whole canoe with a black primer and then pretend that its a carbon fiber kevlar canoe. Seems to work on a lot of 1990s cars here in Minnesota.
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justpaddlin
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Link
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x2jmorris
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OldScout48: "Howard, if I were you I would just paint the whole canoe with a black primer and then pretend that its a carbon fiber kevlar canoe. Seems to work on a lot of 1990s cars here in Minnesota."
Hey not a bad idea
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DriftlessRiver
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Here's a suggestion for a paint scheme, ALL ABOARD THE BLACK PEARL!  
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fadersup
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TominMpls: "Makes me think of that song: "Blinded By the Light". Sounds like a way to make enemies on portages :)"
Yep, people will think you're on the hard stuff.
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Bradv
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mschi772: "A1t2o: "I would imagine it is like polishing your car"
As a professional detailer, I'll say that it is only like polishing a car in the simplest of terms. Polishing that much aluminum to a mirror-like finish will require different tools and materials than one would use on a car's paint and will require a tremendous amount of work."
Listen to this guy he knows. If you are handy and have the tools and time go for it. Try to talk to an aircraft mechanic / restorer. They know aluminum.
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MossBack
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It should be heavily polished with coarse grit abrasive until it looses about 30 lbs.
Proud owner of a 1974 aluminum Sea Nymph with non-flush rivets. Yep, still have it for farm pond duty only.
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Grizzlyman
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I would guess it’s just like polishing any other type of metal. Polish is just abrasive. You need to make scratches then Use finer abraisives to remove those scratches, then finer, etc...
I would think a RAndom orbital sander would be your go to. Start at 100 or 220 to remove years of wear and tear and work your way up. It’ll be insanely noisy! I’m not sure how high the grit goes on ROS sheets. But once you through that it’s probably hand sanding until your ready for buffing compound... seems like a LOT of work. But could be cool!
Test it on a piece of random scrap aluminum first...
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boonie
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It could make a great mirror for shaving with your ax . . .
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TominMpls
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Makes me think of that song: "Blinded By the Light". Sounds like a way to make enemies on portages :)
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Cedarboy
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.......why?
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