Soda Blasting a Boat Hull - Anyone Ever?
 

Hey I am thinking about selling my X-Star and picking up a 2011 X-Star at the MN boat show. Well actually I am not thinking about doing this I am going to do this. Look out for the new whip on Bald Eagle in MN next summer. Anyway, I was cleaning up the old 2001 X-star and a good buddy of mine suggested that I get the hull soda blasted (mainly because his brother does it for a living). Has anyone ever had anything soda blasted? I looked into and it seems popular to do on fiberglass and boat hull but I have never talked to anyone who has done it.

Any Help would be great!

never heard of it. is it the hull really oxidized? a good orbital, the right pads, the right products, and most can be brought back to first year color. oh and alot of time and beer.

I've seen it used like sand blasting for stripping cars and removing graffiti, and I know the selling point is that it's supposed to be gentler but... I don't known if it's gentle enough for gelcoat.

Sorry for gettin of the topic... but whats inspiring you to upgrade your Xstar now?

Its Time, she's been good but she's 10 years old. That and Greed. I am finally in a position where I can buy the boat I have wanted since the pickel fork came out.

Soda blasting is useful to remove built up anti-fouling paint from wet stored boats. Soda is used because silica sand can become embedded in the gel or CSM layers and cause issues later. Is your hull bottom painted? I am guessing no.
Even after stripping the paint you will then have to finish sand, wet sand then polish to regain any luster. Quite allot of work really.

Methinks this process is not for you.

^^^^^X-100^^^^
in have no idea what the bottom of your x star looks like but Im pretty sure you would Never want to soda blast a fiberglass hull.

I'm with grant.

Get out some sandpaper and be in control of how how gelcoat you remove....

Andy - don't even think about that man.. A strong hull cleaner and a high speed orbital will do the same with less damage and less work..

I'll come out and surf the next X-Star in the spring.

Thanks for all the advice guys I am just going to orbital the whole boat. Really I was being lazy and was hoping this would be an easy alternative to having to break out the orbital.

DO NOT go with the soda. If its really gooped up, or just stained, I would suggest muriatic acid. Reduced with water, in a spray bottle. Follow that up with a good compound buff and polish. Then wax her up.

Use a heavy duty hull cleaner first or if you get cheap - use toilet bowl cleaner..

Then orbital

Lime away and then PTFE cleaner- it will eat everything off of it.