Choosing a sandblasting abrasive for boats and marine use

Removing marine growth or corrosion from the hull of a boat should be handled with care as it’s important to not damage the boat’s underlying protective gel coating. The hull of the boat is subject to a lot of weather exposure and requires more attention than other parts to ensure the boat itself is in shape. 

Something to consider when choosing an abrasive is the thickness of the marine growth,  antifouling paint or corrosion you intend to remove. When removing a thick coat of marine growth, for example, rougher abrasives like aluminum oxide should perform the job effectively. When removing antifouling, a more gentle abrasive like glass beads is likely the better option. However, superoxalloy abrasives (discussed further below) offer advantages over both of these options. 

Note that the closer you get to the gel coating, the more gentle you should be. The gel coating provides a solid barrier between the external elements and the boat’s structure itself and is arguably the most important layer of coating on the hull. 

When using superoxalloy abrasives from 10X Engineered Materials, however, you don’t have to worry about it as much. 

The KinetiX and EpiX abrasives are stronger and more durable than the alternatives and will effectively remove marine growth or antifouling paint from the hull, without leaving any embedded particles in the surface. 

These abrasives are made up of polymorphous particles that resist breakage and can perform more than one task in a blasting job and get the job done in one step. 

They’re ultra safe with no beryllium, no free silica, no crystalline structures, and no heavy metals. They are virtually dust-free, resulting in a cleaner workspace and are better for the environment. 

Currently, KinetiX and EpiX are available from abrasive distributors around the US. If you don’t see a distributor near you, contact 10X and we will work with you to get you what you need. EpiX abrasive, which is best for precision applications such as powder coating and medical applications, is also available to purchase directly from the 10X Engineered Materials website.