Consideration for others...or lack of it!

[Cobra]

There are times when I a glad that I only have a 22 footer...this weekend was one of them!

The previous weekend I had spent a happy couple of hours wet and drying the wooden bits and pressure washing all the winters gunk off the decks and coach roof ready for varnishing the woodwork this weekend. Imagine my absolute delight to find that my decks and topsides were coated in a nice layer of fine blue dust...the nice gentleman who owns the Hallberg Rassey 37 close to where my little H22 sits has decided to dry sand his antifouling with a power sander thus covering all boats sitting close to leeward.

The only consolation that I have is that apparently he was observed carrying out this act with minmal protection and by all accounts looked like a cross between a Smurf and a character from Avatar.

As I said I feel pretty miffed about this clowns antisocial behaviour...but probably not quite as miffed as the owner of the 30' Motor Cruiser alongside me who had last week cut back his topsides ready for polishing this week...he had a much bigger job on his hands than I did. Strangely he was slightly less impressed with the HR37 owner than I was!

The yard owner will apparently be speaking with the offender!

 

[DanTribe]

Boat maintenance is often messy and it can be very difficult to avoid inconvenience to everybody.
Last year I wet sanded the antifouling and hung polytarps over my immediate neighbouring boats both sides. I always end up covered from armhole to breakfast time, in blue sludge.
During the week I got a letter from the yard saying that I had damaged a boat in the yard and could I contact them to sort it.
On inspection a boat a right angles to my stern had some splashes of blue tinted washing water, wiped off quicker than I can type it.
The yard said they had received an official complaint, so had to react. So three letters, half a day of my time and gallons of petrol expended when an "Oi you, you've splashed my boat" would have done.

 

[Cobra]

Yes...I agree with you wholeheartedly. A working yard will ALWAYS be a messy place, and everyone expects a bit of muck, BUT a patina of dark blue antifouling dust over the entire boat is really a bit much!

 

[DanTribe]

Yes...I agree with you wholeheartedly. A working yard will ALWAYS be a messy place, and everyone expects a bit of muck, BUT a patina of dark blue antifouling dust over the entire boat is really a bit much!

Thoughtless and annoying I agree, but at least it sounds as if it's only dust and can be rinsed off.
I've had my boat covered in dust from someone grinding an iron keel, several days later the rusty spots appear and we could never identify the culprit!
Are you sure the gunk fall-out from your pressure washing didn't spread very far?

 

[davidwf]

Last time that happened to me the guy created a huge cloud of dust and I had to stop working. I made it clear I expected him to wash my boat down when he had finished and in fairness he did. The scary bit was that his mask was of the really cheap throw away type toptally inadequate for use with toxic dust, but hey thats his problem.

As far as wet sanding is concerned I cannot really see how anyone can complain of a little splashing after all it should just rinse off.

However I really think dry sanding is unacceptable unless you attach a vacum cleaner to the sander to minimise the dust. Some marinas such as MDL ban dry sanding but still some people do it.

I now keep my boat afloat all winter and bring it out for a week in May that way a) I can work in warm weather b)avoid all the numpties dry sanding various bits of boat with no consideration for others and c) get some nice sailing through the winter.

 

[tillergirl]

About my only delight of fitting out on the 'beach' at Heybridge is that I am well away from everyone else and they me (obviously). I can create my own dust storms confident in the knowledge I am only really annoying the grockles. Last year in the yard though, I abandoned starting the final gloss coat for a day as another wooden boat was being sanded - which was fair enough, he was at it first. I think he would not have started if I had had the paint tin already open. But then its a small friendly yard.

 

[tidclacy]

Dry sanding antifoul is not only dangerous to those that carry this out but also to anyone to leeward. He should be warned by the yard that this is not acceptable and be told to go elsewhere if he does it again. Is this guy sane?

 

[Cobra]

Is this guy sane?

As I said, reports from another chap who saw him just after he had finished was that he looked like a smurf! Covered from head to toe in blue dust and no apparent signs of where a mask had been...is he sane? I doubt it, BUT at least his lungs should remain weed free for a while!