Soda Blast Residue causes Gel-Coat Discoloration

[JRMarine]

Hello, I recently (2 weeks ago) had my catamaran bottom soda-blasted. The work was performed by a well-respected company and he did a great job on the bottom. A few days after the work was completed the marina, where the boat is stored, called me to notify me that there was significant gel-coat discoloration appearing on almost half the top-sides. I checked it out and it is HORRIBLE..... It makes black streaks look like child's play.... Apparently the blaster had a leak in the positive pressure tent that they made around the bottom of one hull and the residue got up in the air and settled down over most of the horizontal surfaces of the boat, and (I'm thinking) with the morning due and possibly the sunshine it reacted with something (wax? gel coat?) and stained the boat black/gray and yellow...

Has anyone experienced this before and does anyone know the best way to remove it and restore the gel coat back to a factory finish?

(Yes I know that the blaster is responsible, and I've contacted them, but I'd like to know for myself what works and what does'nt)

[motion30]

I guess they did not do a great job after all. Call them to come back and look

[lancelot9898]

I'm not on the boat right now so can't tell you the name of the cleaner that I used to remove some spots that appeared on the whole deck after another boat close to mine on the hard had some sort of blasting done to remove the bottom paint. It was not soda blasting but some sort of fluid blasting. Not even sure if they tented it. The spots on my deck were light brown in color and appeared over the entire deck. Very small in diameter and not that noticable since the deck is beigh in color. The spray I bought at a hardware store came with a little scrub pad and using the spray with the scrub pad removed the spots. However I was hoping that just using a scrub brush with the spray would work, but that did not....... so it may be a long process in scrubbing that boat come this spring. The yard that did the work on the neighboring boat never had a problem with that blasting leaving residue like that before.

[JRMarine]

Thanks, I spoke with the blaster and he is going to "make it right", he is stopping out today to see the damage for himself.. We are thinking to hire a professional to take care of it, since he is a blaster but does not do any other boat work.

[ronbo1]

At my marina a large boat was soda blasted with the shrinkwrap still covering the deck. The greatest damage came from discoloration of chromed winches, etc.
The owner never came back to that marina.

Ronbo

[Anchors Away]

I run a small boatyard, and have seen this problem before, which is why we don't do soda blasting. We figured it had something to do with the ph level of the soda, which created a kind of yellowish brown stain. Try On & Off. It is an acidic product used for removing different kinds of gel coat stains. That, a little bleach, and some scrubbing cleaned up a boat that an outside contractor did here at the yard. Best of luck. --Chris.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Anchors Away

I run a small boatyard, and have seen this problem before, which is why we don't do soda blasting. We figured it had something to do with the ph level of the soda, which created a kind of yellowish brown stain. Try On & Off. It is an acidic product used for removing different kinds of gel coat stains. That, a little bleach, and some scrubbing cleaned up a boat that an outside contractor did here at the yard. Best of luck. --Chris.

+1 on bleach. We use a mix of hot water, boat soap, and bleach. If you have porous gel coat and the staining got into the pores this is the only thing which might remove it, then it can't even be wet sanded and polished out. We also don't soda blast, it's more trouble than it's worth. Blasting is for the lazy boatyard operator. That is a really severe case. Is the canvas stained? How about the nonskid? I could see this becoming a big deal.



Hey Anchor's, just curious, is your name reflective of some sort of anchor phobia? Pretty sure the song is "Anchor's Aweigh", as in we just hauled the anchor and are leaving. That's the meaning of that old nautical jargon anyway.

[Celestialsailor]

So I guess the key here is to clean the dust off immediately before the dew of the evening turns the bicarbonate into the liquid. I was planning to do this to my bottom next fall.

[JRMarine]

Thanks guys! The canvas is fine, but its my winter (old canvas) anyway, I pull the good stuff off for the winter. Yes, quite a bit of the anti-skid is gray now... I had just spent 2 weeks cleaning and waxing the boat before I cover it up. So 90% of the topsides (including the anti-skid) have a fresh coat of wax. My gel-coat was slightly faded before I buffed it, but not porous, so I'm hoping a good On/Off and buff/was will bring it back (crossing my fingers)...

[Cotemar]

jbugbee,

That is just horrible. And you did such a good job waxing. I was wondering what the hell happened.
The boat looked new just a few weeks ago.
Does not look like anything got on Catatude behind you, which is good.

We use this Perfect Solution from Lowes on our decks and it has worked well.

http://www.perfectsolutioncleaner.com/

[JRMarine]

Thanks Cotemar, I was worried about your boat, and the others around when the yard called me.

I've got to give Chester Point Marina props, they were not involved in the blasting in anyway, but as soon as they saw the damage, they contact me, and the contacted the blaster to get him involved, even before I had a chance to get my voice mail... I'm glad there are places like this around that watch out for everyone...