What 2 Inches of Algae on a Lake Norman Pontoon Looks Like — And What It Takes to Fix It
We pulled a pontoon out at Crown Harbor in Cornelius earlier this week. The owner had it sitting in the slip all winter. When the marina forklift lifted it up and we got our first real look at the tubes, the algae was two inches thick. Not a ring. Not a film. Two full inches of green-black buildup covering the entire underside of both pontoon tubes from end to end.
That's what Lake Norman does to a boat that sits in the water from October through May. And this year, with the lake running two to three feet lower than normal thanks to Duke Energy's Stage 1 drought advisory, the exposed waterline on most boats is wider than usual — which means the oxidation band above the algae line was wider too.
This is what our Boat Detailing and Pontoon Tube Cleaning process actually looked like on that job.
Step 1: The Pressure Wash — Getting the First Layer Off
You can't go straight to aluminum brightener on two inches of algae. The chemical needs contact with the aluminum surface to work, and there's too much biological material in the way. So the first step is a full pressure wash of both tubes to knock off the bulk of the buildup. This gets the algae down from two inches to a thin, stubborn layer that's bonded directly to the aluminum.
At this stage the tubes still look rough. There's discoloration, dark staining, and patches of remaining growth that won't come off with water pressure alone. That's normal. This is just clearing the field for the real work.
Step 2: Aluminum Brightener — Not Something You Use Without Protection
Aluminum brightener is an acid-based chemical that reacts with aluminum oxide to dissolve the staining and restore the bare metal underneath. It works fast and it works well, but it is not something you apply in shorts and a t-shirt. Our crew goes full hazmat — gloves, eye protection, chemical-resistant suit — before this product comes out of the container.
We apply it to both tubes, let it dwell, and then work it in section by section. The reaction is immediate. You can watch the discoloration lift off the aluminum as the brightener does its job. What comes off is years of oxidation, mineral deposits, algae staining, and lake grime. What's left underneath is clean, bright aluminum that looks like it just came off the factory floor.
This is why Pontoon Tube Cleaning is a separate service from a standard Boat Detail. It requires different chemistry, different safety equipment, and a different technique than anything you'd use on the gel coat or fiberglass above the waterline. Using aluminum brightener on fiberglass will damage it — these processes don't cross over.
Step 3: Full Boat Detailing — Interior, Exterior, Everything
Once the tubes are back in the water and the boat is back in the slip, we start the full Boat Detail. On this particular job in Cornelius that meant:
Full exterior wash and decontamination of the gel coat and fiberglass
Oxidation Removal on the hull surface — the low water line this year left a wider oxidation band than normal just above where the waterline normally sits
Interior Detail — carpet, vinyl, upholstery, all compartments cleaned and treated
Canvas and bimini top cleaning and UV treatment
Stainless steel polishing on rails and hardware
After the detail was done, we applied a Ceramic Coating to the exterior side panels, motor, and helm. The Hyperholl ceramic goes on after the surface is fully clean and properly prepped — it bonds to the gel coat and creates a hydrophobic layer that makes algae, pollen, and lake grime slide off instead of sticking. The owner won't be starting next spring with two inches of buildup. The ceramic makes that biology significantly harder to establish.
The Whole Job Took About 4 to 5 Hours Just for the Tubes
That's not the full job. That's just the Pontoon Tube Cleaning portion before we even started the Boat Detail on the hull and interior. Two inches of algae on both tubes, correctly treated with the right chemistry and the right process, is a half-day of work on its own.
We've done this long enough — over 1,200 boats ceramic coated on Lake Norman — to know that there's no shortcut on a job like this. A pressure wash alone leaves the oxidation and staining. Skipping the brightener leaves a boat that looks clean from the dock but still has compromised aluminum. Rushing the dwell time on the chemical means you're coming back next month to do it again.
It was one of the more satisfying jobs of the week. Boat went in looking like it had been abandoned. Came out looking brand new.
Crown Harbor, Morning Star, All Seasons, Safe Harbor — We Work Every Marina on the Lake
We're at Crown Harbor in Cornelius, Safe Harbor and River City Marina in Mooresville, Morning Star Marina, All Seasons Marina, Holiday Harbor in Denver, and private docks all the way around the lake. If your pontoon has been sitting in the water since last fall, it has algae on the tubes. How much depends on the slip, the water depth, and the winter — but it's there.
We can haul it at the marina with their forklift and do the full Pontoon Tube Cleaning and Boat Detail while it's out. Or if you're not ready to pull it, call or text us at (704) 594-3948 and we'll assess what's reachable from the dock. Either way, we bring everything we need to your slip in Cornelius, Mooresville, Denver, or Davidson — and we get it done before the summer crowds hit the water.
