Soda Blasting Makes Short Work of Cleaning Antifoul
Have you got a sailing vessel? How about a fishing trawler or pleasure yacht? If you own or are responsible for any of these ocean going vessels, chances are the boat has a cruddy layer of algae or other organisms collected on the hull. Cleaning the hull of a fishing boat isn’t a chore one looks forward to, but the good news is that soda blasting makes short work of cleaning the hull saving you time, mess and a backache.
The hulls of sailing vessels at sea or docked in the water are subjected to all kinds of fouling from slime growth fed by algae, animals and even waste products left behind from engines, fishing boats, and even human stuff dumped from lavatories. Without some form of protection, yacht hulls can become badly fouled within a matter of just a few weeks. This is when using an antifoul product helps to protect the ship’s exterior.
If you want to protect your boat from the harmful effects of fouling and increase efficiency, then using antifouling is vitally important. Antifouling paint is a specialised coating applied to the hull of a ship or boat that slows the growth of all the crud that clings to the bottom of your boat. When you are dragging a layer of crud on the hull, it affects the vessel’s performance, but it can also lead to costly repairs. Wood-boring animal that collects on the hull bore holes into anything that is made of wood.
In the 1800’s, antifouling was accomplished by applying a sheet of copper or Muntz metal to the hull to prevent the growth of barnacles. Today, there are antifouling paints which impede the growth of marine organisms. It’s no small task applying these paints as the ship must be dry-docked taking it out of commission.
The challenge then becomes how to clean the hull without destroying this protective coating. Soda blasting is highly effective at removing unwanted products from the exterior of your boat without destroying the antifoul. Soda blasting is used to remove bilge oil film from the hull without destroying this paint. If you are restoring a boat and need to clean the hull, soda blasting will also remove varnishes and expose soft points in the fibreglass or timber.
Not sure if soda blasting will work for your situation? Give us a call and let’s discuss your project. The best question is always the one you ask! Give us a call at 0407 070 464 today.
