How to Grind Fiberglass Boats

Use a hand sander to minimize the time it takes to grind your fiberglass boat.

Fiberglass is a material used in the construction of boat hulls due to its versatility and durability. When repainting a fiberglass boat, you must sand down the surface of the boat in order for the new paint to stick. To do this, many people use a sander --- or grinder --- to help with this task. Grinding away the old paint ensures that you have a smooth finish when the job is complete.

Things You'll Need

• Solvent wash
• Cloth
• Handheld sander
• Sanding pad
• Circuit breaker
• Sandpaper

Instructions

1. Apply a solvent wash to a clean cloth and remove all the wax from the surface of the fiberglass boat. If you neglect to clean off the wax before sanding, your grinder will only push the wax into the scratches you make when you sand, which will result in a paint coat that doesn't stick as well.

2. Attach the sanding pad to your grinder. Most handheld sanders have a hook and loop fastener side to which the sanding pad attaches. Fit the bag to the end of the sander to catch the dust as you work.

3. Plug your grinder into a circuit breaker to protect the tool from power surges and turn on the device.

4. Grind the entire surface of the fiberglass boat, where you want to repaint. Go up and down, starting at one side and working your way towards the other. You need to grind the entire surface to ensure the paint with adhere.

5. Grind any small sections that you can't reach with the sander using a small piece of sandpaper. There will be small crevices and other hard to reach areas in which you can't reach so a small piece of sandpaper will come in handy to reach these areas.

Tips & Warnings

• Always wear closed-toe shoes and eye protection when working with an electric handheld sander.

References

• Diseno-Art.com: What is Fiberglass?
• Boat Can Do: Paint
• Technology Student; Palm Sanders; V. Ryan; 2006