"Andrew" wrote in message
news:EqU3d.482283$gE.95845@pd7tw3no...
I just bought a 60's aluminum 14' runabout with a '64 Merc 35HP and
could use a bit of advice. Everything is in pretty good shape and seems
to be worth a bit of restoration. Certainly there is no damage and the
boat/motor doesn't appear to have been "tinkered" with at all. I've
never owned a boat before although I've owned and serviced every other
form of motorized fun.

1. The aluminum is quite dull. What is the best product or method to
clean it up?

Although this may sound like trying to clean your kitchen floor using just 3
Q-tips, it's not that bad: Find a product called Nevr-Dull. It comes in a
metal can about half the height of a coffee can. Most decent hardware stores
carry it, as well as some boat stores. It's cotton wadding impregnated with
some sort of chemical, and it's terrific. The chemical doesn't seem too
awful, in terms of skin contact, but you could wear some cheap latex gloves
if you're concerned about it.



6. What is a good flooring material. I'll be installing a marine plywood
floor and want to cover it with something other than carpet. A nice hard
nonslip plastic type surface would be great. I'd like to be able to hose
the boat out. What would you recommend?

5 years ago, I was going to do that to my boat next week. I've put it off
for awhile. But, I was thinking of something I've seen on kitchen floors in
restaurants. It's a heavy plastic (rubber?) grating that's not slippery, and
water can pass under it, I guess because it seems to have a toothed bottom
touching the floor, rather than totally flat surfaces. Ask at a couple of
restaurants, and then find out where they get it. If it's heavy enough, it
should stay put in your boat without having to be attached, and you'll be
able to lift it out if you want to stand it up against a tree and hose out
the fish guts & worm lips.

For smaller projects in the boat, there's a product called StarBoard, which
looks similar to the material used for white plastic kitchen cutting boards,
but stiffer. You can work it just like wood. It's not cheap, but for things
like storage boxes, custom binocular/drink/fishing rod holders, it's just
the thing. West Marine sells it, but they might only carry it in standard
lumber sizes like 4x8. Not sure if they sell smaller pieces.