Are there many idiots dry sanding anti fouling where you are

[dankilb]

I was in a similar position to the thread-resuscitating OP at the end of last year - looking into air tool wet sanding or hiring a proper-spec (e.g Hilti type) vacuum to hook up to my 150mm sanding with mesh discs.

In the end the cost of either option was prohibitive, for me at least (I don’t own a big enough compressor - and you need big to run a sander; and hire shop prices ain’t cheap)...

So went with professional blasting and don’t regret a penny spent nor the days saved! Plus it knocked the tops off of a load of small blisters in the gelcoat and outer laminate that I could easily have missed (and/or needed to grind out) if I’d sanded them.

So unless you own a huge compressor, or can really make the economics of hiring a spec’d vacuum work - and you’ve got lots of time and energy (power sanding above the head ain’t fun) - I’d just pay to have it done properly, or slap some new a/f over the top and go sailing!

 

[penfold]

Correlation isn't causation.
1000's of us are sanding, every Easter; it would be more remarkable if nobody happened to feel ill the following week.
Not that I'm saying it's good for the lungs, nothing is; my grandad, a builder, got lung cancer though he never smoked a fag in his life.

Making some assumptions about your age he probably encountered asbestos and a host of other unpleasant stuff as occupational hazards, as well as general stoor; even ordinary dust could start it once embedded in your lung.

Well in my experience you have to be dressed appropriately, hire a suitable lady equipped sander with vacuum extraction. Cover the area underthe boat with tarpaulin or similar.

Then at the end of the process the ground covering and the bags of dust have to be passed to an authorised processor for disposal. None of this is of course free.
One yard insisted that a designated site in the yard was used.

Fortunately learned this before moving was a big influencer making us choose Copper out before an extended stay in The Netherlands and Belgium.

Sounds like something you'd get on Aliexpress.

 

[rogerthebodger]

With all of todays H & S regulations make me wonder how my parents and grandparents lived long enough for me to be born.

Don't get me talking about all the vitamins and health foods we mush have these days.

 

[ip485]

As I mentioned on another thread, I have never dried or wet sanded.

I use the same antifoul every two years, powerful pressure washer, and a good two coats.

Seems to stay on fine, which I can tell because I use a different colour each time, and I usually find only a few patches showing through the previous colour.

I dont really race, so I am not aiming for a pefect finish.

One day it may all get removed (but will be soda blasted or the like) and start over or might even be tempted by Copper Coat. Given it doesnt show the last colour over much of the hull clearly there is a little build up taking place.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Well, a lot of my Dad's compatriots died of asbestosis, many miners died due to coal dust damage to lungs, farmers with wheat / grain dust, joiners and sawmill workers with wood dust, oil workers killed because of poor health and safety management. All have resulted in parents, grandparents, sons and daughters dying before their time. Fortunately, today we have regulations which can protect people, most made on the back of the blood of the dead worker and for chemicals, mandatory information. The data provided with anti-fouling and guidance on preparation so that both workers and DIYers can protect themselves instead of relying on their 'common sense' which because of ignorance could be very dangerous, is a great boon to personal safety.

Stupid is as stupid does springs to mind.

 

[thinwater]

"common sense" will always be an expression, like "fair," that means exactly what the writer thinks it means, but has no actual meaning.

(Yes, I understand that within specific context, "fair" has been defined.)

 

[andygc]

Would that include sea horses & Sea grass by any chance?

I wasn't aware that seahorses and seagrass worked in boatyards.

Human bioaccessibilities of metals were evaluated in selected samples using a physiologically based extraction technique. Accessibilities of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in the most contaminated solids were sufficient to be cause for concern for individuals working in the boat repair industry and to the wider, local community.

 

[thinwater]

Ok thanks, I'm safe then..
It's only paying lip service to peoples' lung health anyway, because Henries etc don't have especially fine filters.

You assume too much. HEPA filters are required and are widely available here.

 

[Daydream believer]

I wasn't aware that seahorses and seagrass worked in boatyards.

Well in the same vein I was not aware that "School of Earth, Ocean and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, " had anything to do with maintaining my boat & quite honestly one would respectfully request those thus qualified to keep their nose out of my boat-- unless asked of course. In which case I might welcome their input.
Too many" interfering busy bodies" comes to mind

 

[grumpy_o_g]

With all of todays H & S regulations make me wonder how my parents and grandparents lived long enough for me to be born.

Don't get me talking about all the vitamins and health foods we mush have these days.

I think that's the point - they lived long enough for you to be born and then died of asbestosis after a lifetime of rickets or whatever. Personally I'd rather take vitamin D supplements, avoid toxic substances and get the extra 20 odd years. I don't mind taking risks - it's the ones that have no benefits, only downsides, that I object to.

 

[penberth3]

Well in the same vein I was not aware that "School of Earth, Ocean and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, " had anything to do with maintaining my boat & quite honestly one would respectfully request those thus qualified to keep their nose out of my boat-- unless asked of course. In which case I might welcome their input.
Too many" interfering busy bodies" comes to mind

Do you have some special right to spread toxic pollution?

 

[grumpy_o_g]

Well in the same vein I was not aware that "School of Earth, Ocean and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, " had anything to do with maintaining my boat & quite honestly one would respectfully request those thus qualified to keep their nose out of my boat-- unless asked of course. In which case I might welcome their input.
Too many" interfering busy bodies" comes to mind

So you don't think the fact that you paint the bottom of your boat with something designed to kill flora and fauna or the fact that you remove it and then reapply on a regular basis has anything to do with Earth, Ocean and Environmental Sciences? The only thing that annoys me is the redundancy in the title - the Ocean is part of the Earth and they both are part of our environment. It's the Environmental Science Dept. so call it that.

 

[Daydream believer]

So you don't think the fact that you paint the bottom of your boat with something designed to kill flora and fauna or the fact that you remove it and then reapply on a regular basis has anything to do with Earth, Ocean and Environmental Sciences? The only thing that annoys me is the redundancy in the title - the Ocean is part of the Earth and they both are part of our environment. It's the Environmental Science Dept. so call it that.

I have coppercoat

 

[grumpy_o_g]

I have coppercoat

And your point is? Copper is a toxic substance. Coppercoat is better as it is non-leeching and only needs replacing every ten years or so hopefully but it still needs care with handling.

 

[Bilgediver]

Do you mean against yard rules?

Illegal is a sweeping statement without any proof.

It certainly is so with regard to allow the material to wash of a slipway etc into the sea and suspect there is a case for it breaking a few rules if deposited elsewhere.

 

[Blueboatman]

One day someone will invent a system of oozing freshwater from the gelcoat.
In my dreams ..

Definitely toxic to barnacles ?

 

[Gary Fox]

It certainly is so with regard to allow the material to wash of a slipway etc into the sea and suspect there is a case for it breaking a few rules if deposited elsewhere.

This is the odd thing to me; the antifoul is meant to go 'into the sea' and kill things, until it has worn away and all of it is in the sea. Then you paint more on your hull, to start killing things again. But it's illegal to put it 'in the sea'.

 

[thinwater]

This is the odd thing to me; the antifoul is meant to go 'into the sea' and kill things, until it has worn away and all of it is in the sea. Then you paint more on your hull, to start killing things again. But it's illegal to put it 'in the sea'.

It is legal to drive a truck. In many jurisdictions it is illegal to let it idle for more than 15 minutes. Avoidable emissions.

It is legal to apply pesticides according to the label. It is illegal to dump the leftovers. Avoidable emissions.

If you can't play within the rules, you shouldn't drive a truck or use pesticides. If you can't refinish the bottom and contain the residue, you should have someone do it properly. There is no conflict in the logic.

 

[Samosun]

My boat was out in a yard in Portsmouth this winter and a month ago there was an old boy happily electric dry sanding his hull, hair and face blue, no mask, no goggles…i’d been chatting to another guy in the yard on and off over the winter, mentioned it to him and pointed out the boat. It turns out the guy was the commodore of a local yacht club! You think he’d know better….or be 6’ under by now! Crazy.