August 16th, 2010 by bbergman

Damage to the hull is one the worst things to happen to a boat and depending on the degree of repair necessary, it can be one of the most time-consuming and expensive ordeals.

Boat hull damage is caused by coming in contact with objects in the sea or the result of rot. But you can make a fiberglass boat hull look new again. Here are a few pointers:

If your boat has significant damage, haul it out of the water and do a thorough inspection of the entire surface; for boats with minor to moderate damage above the water line, the hull can be repaired while the boat is docked.

If you want to know if your boat hull might be damaged and in need of repair, you can tap the area in question with a screwdriver. You are generally looking to hear a solid noise, which means the damage is not extensive. If the noise is hollow, you could be looking at larger, more expensive problem.

One of the best solutions is sodablasting your fiberglass hull. “Sodablast Systems makes, in my opinion, probably the best and simplest blast unit I have ever seen,” said Terry (with Blaster Master in Canada). “It is extremely simpole to use and fill; training on it takes about 10 minutes.”

For more information about boat repair, visit www.sodablastboats.com

November 11th, 2008 by jacobg

BlueSkyNews is a boating newsletter based in San Diego, California. They have a monthly column with good ways for boaters to go green. This month they featured a story about a family owned business called Advanced Restoration, who uses a SodaBlast Systems blaster. “This creative company strips the bottom paint from boats using a non-toxic environmentally safe food grade product - ordinary baking soda. The baking soda they use is USDA/FDA/OSHA Approved.”

The company uses our Soda Blaster Mobile 200 system, which reportedly is much more efficient than traditional methods. “They can remove paint in 1/10 of the time that it takes for traditional chemical or sanding solutions without damaging the thin gelcoat, which in return saves the consumer time and money in dry dock.” The writer of the article has seen the work in person and also says “It reduces a hard labor intensive dirty job to a quick and clean one.” To see the full article on BlueSkyNews click here.

Get more information on boat hull maintenance at SodaBlastBoats.com

July 22nd, 2008 by SB Editor

Repainting a boat can be a very time consuming labor for the do-it-yourselfer, or hard on the wallet to get it done professionally. We’re talking thousands of dollars for a small boat. But to protect your investment, you can’t really afford not to do the proper hull maintenance.

Thanks to advancing technology it is possible to strip and prepare your boat hull for painting more efficiently than ever before. SodaBlast Systems has come up with a more economically friendly way to prepare boats for bottom painting. The SodaBlast Systems method is not unlike sandblasting, the main difference being that sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) is used as the blasting media rather than sand.

Baking soda is environmentally friendly, rinses away easily and dissolves in water. Not only does the SodaBlast method remove paint, but it also safely strips away marine growth. It does not harm non-blistered gelcoat, but can be used to open blisters in gelcoat and prepare them for repair. SodaBlastSystems has specialized contractors all over the world, which can be located at one of their websites.

On the other hand SodaBlast Systems also has great opportunities for those who want to start a business. For more information go to SodaBlastBoats.com