Does polsihing a bottom make the canoe easier to paddle?

Scratches inwards on a hull have little effect on drag unless they are fairly major. What really counts are outward protuberances, particularly large ones like the rivets usually found on aluminum hulls. Going over the bottom with steel wool should get rid of the sharp edges of the scratches and should help make the canoe paddle a bit more easy. Wax probably won't help except on those larger scratches..... and if they are that large why not get some liquid aluminum from a body supply store and do the job right.... it lasts a lot longer than the wax.

Don Haines

I have an old aluminum canoe with lots of scrapes and dings. I was going to polish the bottom with steel wool, and buff with some light polish compound. Then I was going to apply some kind of wax...maybe a ski wax.. recommendations would be helpfull. When I get done doing this , will this old tub be significantly easier to paddle?

rsvp

thanks in advance for your effort