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Soda blasting?

Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: General Forums
Forum Name: The Boat Shed
Forum Description: Discuss all things boating.
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=128724
Printed Date: 23 Jun 2026 at 10:17am


Topic: Soda blasting?
Posted By: Bossco
Subject: Soda blasting?
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2018 at 5:38am
Anyone had any experience with the above compared to more traditional methods re effectiveness/cost?

Previous owners of my launch just slapped on coat after coat of AF which needs to go.....


Replies:
Posted By: Steps
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2018 at 9:06am
Blasted a few vintage/ muscle cars over the yrs.
 Sand blast is real hard on the surface..
Soda is good, little slower
 Bead is even more gentle but tends to leave a film that has to be removed before painting.

I dont know if as applicable for boat hulls.

As the bead and soda was more labour/ material intensive, and as it is with old cars, many layers of paint. We ripped into the paint with disc sanders and stopped at the 1st sign of steel. This not only took off a lot of the paint but also broke up the paint skin so when blasted it peeled off very easy and quick.
A huge reduction in paid time and materials.

The only other way .. vehicles is acid dip..which again dont think applicable to a larger boat hull...

Posted By: maxtarakihi
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2018 at 9:42am
There is also vapourblasting,uses garnet and water vapour and is dustless.Google it and you will find most sandblasters are using it as well.Works well on AF on hulls.Youtube has some good vids.

Posted By: maxtarakihi
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2018 at 9:43am
Vapour blasting is a lot quicker than soda and the blast medium is heaps cheaper than soda

Posted By: Tagit
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2018 at 10:12am
A friend had his 43ft launch garnet blasted a few weeks back and said it went really well. A little over $2k from memory. You could use something like PeelAway and do it yourself but it will take several days and maybe $1000 or so in product (depends on total hull area). PeelAway works really well, but you will have some sanding to do afterwards. 

Posted By: Apex Predator
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2018 at 10:48am
Had exactly the same problem and had my boat vapour blasted last year and then copper coated. I really rate Coppercoat.

MEC Marine did the work for me and was not that much more expensive than traditional antifoul if you are up for a scrapeback anyway but expect a 10yr lifespan rather than 2 yearly recoats.

The blasting is the most critical part. No matter what medium they use a poor operator can easily blast through the gelcoat and into the fiberglass so my advice is to watch them really closely.

The other consideration is the haulout/hard standing cost. I used The Landing at Orakei - saved over $1K compared to the next cheapest local marina.


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