After previously spending four dusty, miserable hours wrestling with a 6" random-orbit overhead, today I decided to give the scraper a try and I'm convinced: it is more efficient, easier to use, and gentler on the ears and environment than a sander. I managed to scrape virtually the entire hull in the time it took me to sand less than a quarter of the hull with the random-orbit. And guess what?! I even managed to enjoy the work more (despite the 30 degree temperature). There's something cathartic about the triad of man, tool, and solitude.
A word of caution: Ariel's hull is barrier coated which allowed me to have a more cavalier attitude with the scraper than I would have otherwise; any over-zealous scrape simply shaved the barrier coat instead of precious gel coat. Even so, I wouldn't hesitate to give the scraper a try on a non-barrier coated hull. I would just approach it a bit more deliberately.
