# Raw Aluminum Poling Platform



## tw1nny03 (Aug 13, 2012)

Is it a good idea to have a poling platform made of Mill Aluminum? Boat will be used in saltwater only. 

I was thinking of using Sharkhide protectant or Sparymax 2K Urethane clear coat. 

Anyone with experience with Raw Aluminum and using a clear coat protectant?


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## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

I would assume it will look just like an aluminum trailer. Instead of spending money on bottled elixirs and lots of up keep. Just powder coat it and get 20 years use out of it before refinishing. Maybe more.


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## RJTaylor (Oct 4, 2017)

I had one on a tunnel boat, and other than spotty oxidation, it held up very well. It just wasn't the prettiest thing.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

My aluminum platform is from “97. Yea some pitting but it should last another 20


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

It will be fine just use some RejeX wax on it once every few trips.


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## Israel luis (Nov 25, 2015)

You’ll be fine just like @Capnredfish Said just powder coat it. I have a welder that has done my casting platform and poling platform out of mill aluminum. It’s the best for powder coat because it’s basically already prepped for it (raw aluminum). My casting platform I painted it with the truck bed liner from Home Depot and it does the job but when the sun is blazing on it, and you scratch it, it will show.


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## redchaser (Aug 24, 2015)

I have a bare aluminum platform on my boat, it’s been there 18 years, has about a bazillion hours in the salt, rarely rinsed and my buddy who weighs 325 is still just fine up on it. Oh and it once served as a roll cage for my outboard when I flipped my boat on the road and came out none the worse for wear


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## Israel luis (Nov 25, 2015)

redchaser said:


> I have a bare aluminum platform on my boat, it’s been there 18 years, has about a bazillion hours in the salt, rarely rinsed and my buddy who weighs 325 is still just fine up on it. Oh and it once served as a roll cage for my outboard when I flipped my boat on the road and came out none the worse for wear


Roll cage I see.... lmfao


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## Flatbroke426 (May 5, 2018)

Capnredfish gave sound advice. Powder coat and it will look as good as it strong. If you ever sell the boat it will add to its resale value


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## bryson (Jun 22, 2015)

My understanding is that most of the tubing used on factory "raw" aluminum platforms is actually anodized (just not colored anodization). The weld burns away the anodized layer so you are more likely to get corrosion there, but the tubes themselves _I believe_ are protected. This might not be true though -- hopefully someone like @Tigweld that specializes in marine rigging/construction can either verify or correct this for me.

If that's true, then if you use raw aluminum, you will see corrosion earlier than many of the production platforms. The good news is that if it starts to bother you, then you can just pull it back off and coat it at that point.


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