bottom paint removal -best electric vacum sander?

[pelican]

Do your sinuses and lungs a favor. If you are going to do it yourself use chemicals. You say thin? Maybe one one those "environmentally friendly" types will work. Blasting will cause gelcoat issues, and no matter which vaccuum sander you use you will be breathing the dust and changing the paper often.
Just my opinion.

false...

i've lost count of the boats i've refinished on the bottoms-all by sand blasting,and,baking soda blasting.gel coat is not damaged,it will have a "profile" on it,but not damaged.if it blows out,there were voids.pressure washing uses way more pressure than sand/soda blasting.
that $1,200 price you got,that's steep,it's usually $30-$35 per foot
i qulote the entire job,blasting,cleaning,finish sanding,and solvent washing,followed by barrier coating,and finishing in micron csc at $100 per ft

[MasterBaiter]

If there is "no damage" to the gelcoat, Why the barrier coating?

Hmmm, maybe not so false?

[pelican]

If there is "no damage" to the gelcoat, Why the barrier coating?

Hmmm, maybe not so false?

gelcoat is polyester based-it's not waterproof,barrier coat,it's epoxy based,it's waterproof...the idea of a barrier coat is just what it states "barrier coat"...ever see a boat's hull with osmotic blisters ? this is water passing through the gel coat...
after blasting,the gel coat is left with a "profile"...i've had boats,a 24 proline for example,the bottom paint was way high-after the blasting process,that area where the bottom paint was,i sanded,followed by wet sanding,and buffing with rubbing compound-the areas were brought back to a shine...

there's alot of misinformation about blasting bottom paint-one gentleman before made the claim "it disturbs the matrix of the fiberglass"...truth is,it's one of the safest,easiest ways to remove antifouling paint...
in the offseason,a few months from now,there's gonna be a few boats at my shop to be blasted and barrier coated,followed by ablative antifouling paint,you're more than welcomed to come and see them...

[pelican]

here's a few pictures of a boat that was done by me...one of many-i believe we're somewhere in the neighborhood of 40-45 boats...

http://www.sportfishermen.com/board/...ting-7722.html

[htillman]

Pelican
I agree, sandblasting done right is good, I have had several Bertrams blasted with sand and all was ok. We usually gained a couple of knots in speed with the cleaning and proper repainting. No experience with soda blasting except on metal (no good) and electrical rotors, (ok).
ET

[Islandtrader]

Take it from someone who has been there. Sand?soda is the only way to take off bottom paint.

Check my link and you can see what I did.

[WillyC]

I have used a product called aqua strip to remove topside paint and had excellent results. A good buddy used it on the bottom paint of his 30+ year old cape dory and he had good results. Some areas required two applications and the best results were achieved by spraying the stripper with water from a small spray bottle (409 cleaner type of bottle) to keep the aqua stripper wet. That being said I sanded the bottom of my 20 seacraft with a random orbital. The boat was upside down so the dust wasn't constantly falling in my face. I had great results. A tyvec suit and a good respirator is a must. No cheap white dust masks for this job.