: I need to have the deck of my boat wet sanded due to the years and years of
: UV damage. The estimates I have received range from 5 to 8 hundred
: dollars. I beleive the intense labour of it alone is why it would cost so
: much. So, I have decided to go ahead and do my own wet sanding. I have no
: idea where to begin and cannot find a web-site anywhere on the tips or
: topics of wet sanding. If anyone knows of such a site please let me know.
: Please feel free to also give me any personal hints or tips you may like
: to share.-----------Thanks.

I was shown a nifty way of wet sanding a few years back by my painter. Take a wood paint stir stick or piece of wooden yardstick 8.5" long. Wrap your wet/dry paper around the stick, dip it in a bucket of water and start sanding. You have two sanding surfaces on the stick, when you have worn them down, tear off the two worn surfaces exposing two new surfaces. When you have torn off half the sheet, rewrap from the other end of the sand paper sheet, this allows you to use the entire sheet. I used this method to sand 3 31' trimarans, a 25 footer and the main hulls for a 45' catamaran!!! I used a "guide coat" consisting of a contrasting color spray can lacquer to reveal the surface imperfections/scratches as I sanded. These can then be filled with glazing putty etc if you can't sand them out.

The advantage of the stir stick method is that you completely eliminate the chance of sanding low spots in your hull, a common problem with any powered sander. Wear some cheap gloves while sanding as you'll soon sand off the first couple layers of skin!!

If you have a glass boat I'd recommend starting with 220 grit and then go to 360. I see no reason to go any further than 360. This will give you a smooth finish and still give enough "tooth" for the paint/varnish to stick to.

good luck,

Lance Alldrin Ark Works Chico, CA