damaging / rusting other yachts with 'steel grinding overspray'?

[SteelCruiser]

New owner of a steel yacht.
In pretty good condition - (Previous) Owner builder completed a couple years ago- paint job is thus also nearly new: sand blasted & two pack epoxy.
Some rust spots coming through on deck - damage from falling objects , winch handles etc)
Currently on anchor. Am heading into a Marina for a week, there will be shore-power. Am thinking of using a 'round wire brush' on a grinder to take off the rust.
see https://www.bosch-do-it.de/media/med...69_231_226.png
I been reading Fratcher's "Metal Boat repair and Maintenance".
Read about how 'grinding' can lead to rust spots developing on vessels down wind.
Worried that by using the wire brush on angle grinder I might spread tiny metal flakes down wind and cause such damage.

Any experience , suggestions , questions comments?

[StuM]

Originally Posted by SteelCruiser

New owner of a steel yacht.
In pretty good condition - (Previous) Owner builder completed a couple years ago- paint job is thus also nearly new: sand blasted & two pack epoxy.
Some rust spots coming through on deck - damage from falling objects , winch handles etc)
Currently on anchor. Am heading into a Marina for a week, there will be shore-power. Am thinking of using a 'round wire brush' on a grinder to take off the rust.
see https://www.bosch-do-it.de/media/med...69_231_226.png
I been reading Fratcher's "Metal Boat repair and Maintenance".
Read about how 'grinding' can lead to rust spots developing on vessels down wind.
Worried that by using the wire brush on angle grinder I might spread tiny metal flakes down wind and cause such damage.

Any experience , suggestions , questions comments?

You'll need to check with the marina. Many (most?) won't allow you to do that sort of work anywhere other than at a designated work berth well away from other berths.

[Reefmagnet]

Those things are horrible for small jobs. If it were me, I'd use a synthetic flap disc designed for rust removal instead, followed by the usual treatment. Use shade cloth or tarps to prevent wind blown detritus and protect or wash down your own adjacent deck immediately afterwards to prevent rust speckles.

Sent from my SGP521 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Sailormantx]

Be very aware of where the discharge from your grinder is going. Hose off not only your deck but the dock and your neighbors boats as well. It is far better to do this work at anchor away from other yacht type boats. Doing spot touch ups does not use much power, you should be able to do it running on inverter power if you are set up that way. Free advice:-): wash all the saltwater/dried salt off your deck before you start, otherwise you will be giving your whole boat an ospho bath the next day. Don't ask me how I know this:-)

Sent from my K013 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[boden36]

This is a real problem. When we were building our yacht, I trashed the paint on our car by being careless with with the 'exhaust' of an angle grinder. The sparks are very hot and burn into the surface that they land on.

Regards,
Richard

[Terra Nova]

Originally Posted by Sailormantx

...Hose off not only your deck but the dock and your neighbors boats as well...

No. Just don't dirty your neighbor's boat in the first place.

[CaptWil]

Steelcruiser
I don't know how big a surface you intend to grind off, but in my case, using that method recommended in Fratcher's Steel book worked well;suited for small rust problems
I did it in a marina with permission and did not upset any1; the wire brush is definitely not as harsh as a grinding disk; smooth application a few times will clean the steel quite well
Rgds
Will

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

No. Just don't dirty your neighbor's boat in the first place.

+1 Don't do it close to other boats.

[GILow]

Our club has a maintenance pontoon for this sort of work. A great idea... except the pontoon has been jamb packed with other boats at various states of repair for the last three years. I found it really stressful doing a similarly messy job a year or so back, had to choose my weather window very carefully and figure out where the power tools would throw their detritus before I started. Then at least I was able to setup some wet towels and sheets to absorb the mess.


In the end I just went and anchored out in the Gulf St Vincent and used the onboard inverter. I was less stressful (except for the batteries who found it hard going.)


Matt

[ausnp84]

When new to steel boats, we managed to coat four surrounding boats in grinder sparks. A week of cleaning later (and four VERY grumpy other boat owners), we managed to get the issue cleared up.

When I need to do rust jobs on deck these days, I either:

1.) Give the rust a light scuff with h/d sandpaper then coat with an epoxy primer with an anti-corrosive additive (Jotun 87) OR

2.) Tarp everything, tape the tarp down, have a vacuum cleaner running, and sweep the deck down hard afterward. Iron filings will get everywhere - on your clothes, on other parts of the boat, etc and cause surface rust... once you've done the job, cleaned the deck, changed your clothes, cleaned the deck again, get yourself a small pot of Y-10. Any surface rust that appears you put a dab of this on top, wait 10 mins, wipe it off, rust gone

n

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Reefmagnet

Those things are horrible for small jobs. If it were me, I'd use a synthetic flap disc designed for rust removal instead, followed by the usual treatment. Use shade cloth or tarps to prevent wind blown detritus and protect or wash down your own adjacent deck immediately afterwards to prevent rust speckles.

Sent from my SGP521 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

Yep good advice. Don't use a wire brush wheel unless your using the more expensive stainless steel wheel. But, the flapper disc's are plenty good enough, much better than a wire wheel. Any rust that you can't get to or little spots brush them with phosphoric acid, let it sit over night and then wash off with water the next day, then clean with acetone and prime immediately.

[Sailing55]

Originally Posted by SteelCruiser

New owner of a steel yacht.
In pretty good condition - (Previous) Owner builder completed a couple years ago- paint job is thus also nearly new: sand blasted & two pack epoxy.
Some rust spots coming through on deck - damage from falling objects , winch handles etc)
Currently on anchor. Am heading into a Marina for a week, there will be shore-power. Am thinking of using a 'round wire brush' on a grinder to take off the rust.
see https://www.bosch-do-it.de/media/med...69_231_226.png
I been reading Fratcher's "Metal Boat repair and Maintenance".
Read about how 'grinding' can lead to rust spots developing on vessels down wind.
Worried that by using the wire brush on angle grinder I might spread tiny metal flakes down wind and cause such damage.

Any experience , suggestions , questions comments?

No offense, but if you are aware of the potential for damage to other boats [and steel grinding/brushing residue WILL cause damage to neighboring boats] what, exactly, is the question?

I do have one suggestion: Don't do it anywhere near other boats...

[jheldatksuedu]

The tarp tent, taped closed and vacuum sucking air out, so any leaks in the tent are inward should be fine anywhere. I can't see how it would make a difference with a wire wheel that is plain steel or stainless. Your not leaving any of the wheel and your working on plain steel. I've always used plain ones. Phosphoric acid all the exposed steel when you done.

[ausnp84]

Originally Posted by morven55

No offense, but if you are aware of the potential for damage to other boats [and steel grinding/brushing residue WILL cause damage to neighboring boats] what, exactly, is the question?

I do have one suggestion: Don't do it anywhere near other boats...

"Any experience , suggestions , questions comments?"

That's a pretty obvious question, if you ask me. The OP has read that work that needs to be done may cause damage to other boats, and is asking people on the forum for ways to do the work without damaging other boats.... A key benefit of CF is to reach out to others who may have experience or suggestions in order to avoid the pain others have gone through.

n

[Sailing55]

Originally Posted by ausnp84

"Any experience , suggestions , questions comments?"

That's a pretty obvious question, if you ask me. The OP has read that work that needs to be done may cause damage to other boats, and is asking people on the forum for ways to do the work without damaging other boats.... A key benefit of CF is to reach out to others who may have experience or suggestions in order to avoid the pain others have gone through.

n

And, once again, the answer is to NOT do it near other boats BECAUSE there is a very high likelihood of causing damage.
A key benefit of CF is passing along knowledge, experience and safeguards to people new to the lifestyle.
NEVER grind steel in the proximity of other boats in a marina. NEVER. That is what haulouts are for.

And speaking of pain, rust specks on a beautiful paint job is right up there...

I am sharing my long experience with this sort of situation in order to help the OP avoid the embarrassment of damaging other peoples boats.

You have my permission to take it any way you choose...