Removing bottom paint

[ready4lake]

I have decided to take on the crazy task of removing the bottom paint. I started by sanding which seemed to work very well until I get it to a thin layer and its very tuff. After sanding a while I decided to go at it with a scraper which allowed me to get to the gelcoat. Either method is taking forever, and I now see why people hate this task. Hopefully if I keep at it I can see some progress by next week. I will post some pictures throughout the progress.

 

[tommays]

Re: Removing bottom paint

I have had the best luck and lowest mess and least amount of chemicals(ZERO) with a carbide scraper

There is a learning curve BUT its really pretty fast once you have it down

It is worth the effort

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Removing bottom paint

I have decided to take on the crazy task of removing the bottom paint. I started by sanding which seemed to work very well until I get it to a thin layer and its very tuff. After sanding a while I decided to go at it with a scraper which allowed me to get to the gelcoat. Either method is taking forever, and I now see why people hate this task. Hopefully if I keep at it I can see some progress by next week. I will post some pictures throughout the progress.

Sanding anti-fouling paint is not a good idea due to the toxic stuff that it is made of, etc.

I have used "peel away" paint remover with decent results. It softens the paint, so you can get it off with minimal effort using a scraper. The problem with scraping dry/hardened paint is that you will tend to make nicks and cuts into the gelcoat.

 

[sasto]

Re: Removing bottom paint

Sanding anti-fouling paint is not a good idea due to the toxic stuff that it is made of, etc.

I have used "peel away" paint remover with decent results. It softens the paint, so you can get it off with minimal effort using a scraper. The problem with scraping dry/hardened paint is that you will tend to make nicks and cuts into the gelcoat.

This is what the "pros" in my area use.

 

[ready4lake]

Re: Removing bottom paint

Well I have been working on the bottom paint as I get the time. So far most of the transom section is removed. I do not get alot of time to work on it since I work two jobs, but I am happy with the results this far. I found that scraping works great in some areas, and the paint comes off fairly fast. In other areas it was not coming up at all with the scraper. I need to get one of those carbide scrapers as tommays suggested. In the harder areas i used chemical stripper to soften it up a bit. Then it scraped off pretty easy. I still had to sand after all that scraping to get it to bare gel coat. I think it will turn out nice once its all finished. Thanks for all the input everyone. I wish I had more time to comment on here, but like I said, I am busy.

Here are a few photos I was able to get uploaded today.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Removing bottom paint

I really hope you are wearing a Respirator! That bottom paint has some nasty chemical components and is not something you want in your lungs. Where do you boat? Is she left in the lake for extended periods of time? Why the need for bottom paint on what appears to be a trailered boat??

 

[ready4lake]

Re: Removing bottom paint

I have also been working on the swim deck since I have it off the boat. It was getting pretty faded so I sanded it to clean wood and put some spar varnish on it. It looks a million times better.

 

[ready4lake]

Re: Removing bottom paint

I really hope you are wearing a Respirator! That bottom paint has some nasty chemical components and is not something you want in your lungs. Where do you boat? Is she left in the lake for extended periods of time? Why the need for bottom paint on what appears to be a trailered boat??

The bottom paint was on the boat when it was purchased. The boat came from California and Texas. I am sure that it has spent time in salt water. I did not even know what ablative paint was until I purchased this boat and did some research. I do trailer this boat so I have no need for the bottom paint. Oh, and I did wear a respirator and suit. I read about how nasty this stuff is.

I usaully boat in the OKC area, like Lake Thunderbird, but when I can I go over to Lake Eufaula.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Removing bottom paint

So once you get her cleaned up what are your plans for the hull?? Nice work on the platform BTW!!!

 

[ready4lake]

Re: Removing bottom paint

I would like to have the hull repainted with a barrier coat. I am not going to do remove the paint from the bottom of the hull until the end of this season. I am just removing what you can see while its on the trailer and buff out the gel coat. Next winter I will purchase some stands and a place to work on it indoors to do the bottom. I am still doing research as to what is the best paint for the hull, but that will be next season.
Thanks for the comment on the platform.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Removing bottom paint

Since you're in Fresh water in OKIE-Land if the GelCoat's in good condition you don't have to do anything unless you want to. She'll be just fine. You could Spray or Roll on some additional Gelcoat if you wanted to but as long as there's not deep gouges or glass showing through she should be good to go.

 

[zool]

Re: Removing bottom paint

Yea, bottom paint removal should be an interrogation method in place of water boarding.....I tried the sanding method, but in order to make any real progress, its loop ringing the gel too much, i got about as far as you in the pic. Im switching to soda blasting it, after im done redoing my compressor lines in the shop.

plus im not too comfortable laying under a 3 ton hull sitting on cinder blocks..:faint2:

 

[ready4lake]

Re: Removing bottom paint

I am going to leave the gelcoat alone for now because I want to use my boat as soon as possible. There are some issues that I have repaired and just want the hull to be all one color.

I wish I could get a soda blasting set up. That would make life easier.