NE Sailboat wrote:
Whenever I get ready to do a project I normally follow Don Casey's advice.
Don has written so many good maintenance books.

So, I am getting ready for spring. I decided I'd start by giving the boat a
good bottom sanding. I looked in Casey's book, he recommends a high speed
disk sander. Off I go to Sears. I ask in tools where the disk, orbital
sanders are. The salesman brings me over to a counter, there are probably 8
or more. All about the same. 5" random orbital disk sanders. I figure
this must be what I am looking for, pick up some 5" disk pads, and off I go.

When I get home and try the sander out on my old fiberglass dinghy, it
doesn't seem to be what Casey is talking about. The disk doesn't spin all
that fast.

I go back to Sears. The salesman looks at the Casey book that I brought
with me. We both decide that the disk sander in the book is not a random
orbital sander. Sears doesn't have a sander that looks like the one in
Casey's book. I go to Lowes. Same story. No high speed orbital sander.

Which brings me here.

Is the random orbital sander the tool to use for sanding the bottom of the
boat. What model? What brand? How much to spend?

Any info on bottom of boat sanding?

Help?

I can't speak from boat sanding experience but if you are looking for
something that spins real fast and sands then you can get a attachment for a
drill that is a sanding disk. I have used these and they go real fast plus
are a bit flexible so they can get all of the curves of your boat. If you
have a good drill that is not cordless then you have the most expensive part
already. Home Depot and Lowes both sell these things. I can't remember what
they cost but its not a whole lot. You just put a sanding disk on the pad
and attach it to the drill chuck.

Hope this helps

Bill

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