advice for newbie on sanding bondwood yacht

[Ezra2]

Hello, I'm new to your site and am hoping to get some advice on sanding the interior of the cabin on my Jarcat 5 metre. It has mould or fungus on the surface. Some-one told me to sand it back until all sign of the fungus has been removed and then treat it with a anti-fungal product. Is there an electrical tool I could use to sand the surfaces satisfactorily, including nooks and crannies etc, or does it have to be done by hand?
Also, can any member recommend a retailer of marine coatings and products that could give me the right advice on treatments etc in Western Australa (metro area)? Finally, the hulls have been filled with foam which I'd like to remove. Can any-one advise me of how best to remove the foam, and highlight any tips/tricks or anything relevant to getting the foam out?
Any advice will be appreciated!
Ezra2

[bitingmidge]

Ezra,

There are quite a few others who will give better advice than I on this, so please just take my thoughts as "ideas" for now!

Do you know if the boat was epoxy coated, and can you tell if the mould is in the ply or just on the surface?

Despite what you hear from people who denigrate epoxy coating, varnish is quite porous, epoxy is not, and I have often seen interiors that have been damp, with a layer of mildew between the varnish and the epoxy, it sort of seems to take root!

Firstly treat the fungus FIRST. You never know, it may save you a lot of work. Just get a strong household bleach (black and gold in a big bottle is cheap!) and clean the mildew affected areas with one of those green scourers. The bleach will kill the spores (for stubborn areas you could use one of those bathroom grout cleaners. If that cleans it up, you've probably saved yourself a lot of work!

After you've finished, use a proprietry anti-fungal coating though.

Otherwise it's all hard work,a 5" random orbital will get to within half an inch of the crannys, a "mouse" will get closer... I'd also use a cabinet scraper for a lot of it, specially the corners and fiddly bits, if you don't know what that is, say so!

As for the foam.. ugh! Petrol will probably dissolve it, but you'll end up with a highly flammable goo in the bottom of your boat. I think you just use the biggest chisel or gouge you can find, or maybe try plunging a jigsaw into it!

Sounds like you've got hours of fun ahead of you... I don't envy you, but the Jarcat is a pretty handy little boat when it's all done, and you'll love it!

[Ezra2]

Midge,
Thanks for taking the time. Your "ideas" give me a starting point. Re the coating, the outside hull, deck, cab etc has been painted with a two pack epoxy. I have spec sheets I got with the paperwork from previous owner for Wattyl "Epinamel High Build Primer" and "Poly-U 400" acrylic finish.
So I'd guess thats is whats on the outside.
The inside of the cab has been coated with a clear finish, probably varnish, but the timber looks discoloured, so it's probably been some time since it was last done.
I think the fungus has developed during last winter when the boat was stored in the open. My fault. I've learned a lesson there!
I did a bit of research on random orbitals last night. Can you recommend one that would be good enough for a project like this? Also, are there any attachments you can use such as wire disks or sanding pads used with a drill or small angle grinder to strip away paint with out damaging the ply?
I think I know what the cabinet scrapers look like. I think they're a small triangle shaped blade with a handle and short shaft. I'll check them out at Bunnings today.
As far as the foam is concerned, I think I'll just have to carefully try and cut the bulk of it out with a handsaw, and then use the scraper to remove the rest. I'll try your suggestion of using bleach on the inside cab and see how it turns out.
Thanks again Midge,
Ezra2

[bitingmidge]

Cabinet Scraper:

No! The scraper I am referring to is simply a piece of sheet metal, it can be "sharpened" quite easily with a small burr on the cutting edge, and is dragged across the work.

I find they are really handy for lots of things.

I'll see if I can hunt up some web references later in the day.

Cheers,

P