Blast Stripping Boats
Maintenance and regular care on a boat is critical to long term use and value. Blast stripping boats is an effective way to strip the paint off of the hull in order to prepare the body for refinishing.
Blasting Stripping Boats vs. Chemical Stripping, Hand Scraping or Other Boat Stripping Methods
More traditional and time-consuming methods for stripping boats include toxic chemicals, harmful acids and hand scraping. This can be environmentally damaging and contaminating to local water areas, require long hours of hard work and be a personal health hazzard.
Using a portable pressure blasting system will alleviate these problems and leave the boat’s surfaces cleaner and prepared for refinishing and repair. Blast-stripping boats dramatically reduces the time needed for refinishing, resulting in quicker maintenance turn-around time and lower costs.
How to Blast the Hull of Your Boat
You should have the following items on hand prior to starting your boat blasting project:
- Portable Pressure Blaster
- Blasting media
- Gloves, goggles, mask and protective clothing
- The boat dry docked or on shore
You will need a good quality pressure blaster, preferably with a 45-60 minute blasting time. The PPB Model KF150DM is ideal for saving time and labor as well as easily removing scale, dirt, debris and old paint.
The blasting media to be used will depend upon a few factors:
- The composition of the boat’s hull
- The amount of build-up on the hull
- Whether the boat is used in fresh or salt water
If the boat hull is wood, you should use walnut shell grit to protect the wood surface from etching or damage. On a fiberglass hull, you can use Plastic Abrasives or Walnut Shell Grit. Both media types come in an array of particle sizes designed for various stripping requirements. Choose the media carefully to achieve the desired surface finish and preparation.
Use broad, smooth strokes while blast stripping the boat. Do not leave the nozzle on any single spot, otherwise damage to the hull can result and create a repair problem. Always start from the top of the boat hull and work down, blasting back and forth across, from bow to stern.
Once the blasting of the hull is completed, you should have a smooth, clean surface for refinishing. Boat blasting will not only save time, expense and labor; it will add years to the life span of the vessel.
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