Bottom paint remove?

B

baylake

Seaman
Joined
Aug 18, 2011
Messages
55
Hello,

I am looking at a 2008 BR that has a bottom painted black (bottom 1/5 of the hull). I really want to remove it. Will that be advised? Will the bottom be shinning again? Or once painted, then the fiberglass and gelcoat are damaged?

Thanks.
 
Fireman431

Fireman431

Rear Admiral
Joined
Sep 17, 2007
Messages
4,292
Re: Bottom paint remove?

It will never be the same as original. You need to scrape/sand/pressure wash to get it off. Chemical strippers also work. To get it back to showroom, you'll have to re-gel coat. A better option would be to strip the paint off, then repaint with an off-white marine paint such as awl-grip or something similar. You will get a rock hard, beautiful shiny finish.
 
R

rockyrude

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Sep 10, 2007
Messages
1,120
Re: Bottom paint remove?

you didn't say if this a trailer boat. i found citri-strip works great and doesn't hurt the fiberglass, the stripper claims to be biodegradable, too bad the bottom paint is toxic. if you plan on slipping this boat you will need to reapply anti-fouling paint.
 
Ciera2450

Ciera2450

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Apr 8, 2011
Messages
1,049
Re: Bottom paint remove?

I used Oven Cleaner. It worked.
As Fireman said, the finish won't be like new without gelcoat or painting. The hull is usually sanded(fairly coarse grit) before bottom paint is applied. The sanding swirls remain when you remove the BP. I wetsanded... then compound and wax. I'm satisfied with the results.... But!! the sanding swirls are there if you look closely.
 
chriscraft254

chriscraft254

Commander
Joined
Jun 4, 2011
Messages
2,445
Re: Bottom paint remove?

I disagree, the boat is only a 2008. Depending on how the bottom paint was installed will determine wether or not the hull will look new once stripped. If it was primered first it will be alot of work to get it back to its original gel coat. But it can and has been done plenty of times. The bottom paint can be soda blasted off without harming the gelcoat. The gelcoat may need to be wetsanded and then compounded to make it look new again. At the very least it will need a coat of wax. But more than likely it will need to be compounded and then waxed.

This is not a fun job but worth it in the end. I would not paint over perfectly good gel coatind, but thats just me. Good luck with your project.
 
M

Mi duckdown

Commander
Joined
Apr 14, 2007
Messages
2,575
Re: Bottom paint remove?

Why do you want to remove the paint? Cause it looks bad on the trailer?
I Woud not waste my time or money.
 
chriscraft254

chriscraft254

Commander
Joined
Jun 4, 2011
Messages
2,445
Re: Bottom paint remove?

I'm just guessing, but it usually looks alot better and you also get better performance from a hull that is not painted with antifoul paint.No need to have paint on a trailered boat.
Mi duckdown said:
Why do you want to remove the paint? Cause it looks bad on the trailer?
I Woud not waste my time or money.
Click to expand...
 
S

shrew

Lieutenant
Joined
Dec 29, 2006
Messages
1,309
Re: Bottom paint remove?

I have to disagree with a majority of the posts, with the exception of Fireman. Regardless of how old the boat is or long it has been painted or whether a barrier coat was applied, the aplication process hammered the gelcoat. If it was done properly, then most bottom paints recommend an throrough sanding with 80-100 grit sandpaper. No matter how you take the paint off, the process is going to further beat up the gelcoat. I have seen hundreds of boats remove old bottom paint and have NEVER seen one that looks anything other than beat up. Once the paint is removed, it will look horrible. As for blasting. I've also seen many. I had my boat done a few years ago. Blasting will also beat up the gelcoat in the process.

As fireman said, a white awlgrip type paint or a whit bottom paint will be your best bet.
 
B

baylake

Seaman
Joined
Aug 18, 2011
Messages
55
Re: Bottom paint remove?

Fireman431 said:
It will never be the same as original. You need to scrape/sand/pressure wash to get it off. Chemical strippers also work. To get it back to showroom, you'll have to re-gel coat. A better option would be to strip the paint off, then repaint with an off-white marine paint such as awl-grip or something similar. You will get a rock hard, beautiful shiny finish.
Click to expand...
I think the best option is replaced the black paint with the an off-white paint. Thank you all others for your feedbacks. It's always nice to hear different opinions.
 
chriscraft254

chriscraft254

Commander
Joined
Jun 4, 2011
Messages
2,445
Re: Bottom paint remove?

It will really depend on how it comes off, my previous statement was based on that it is a 2008 boat, almost 4 years old. Chances of there being multiple coats are slim. Paint that has been on for a long time or has multiple coats can be much harder to get off.

Remember if you do paint the bottom, you will or the next owner will be repainting eventually. Paint on the bottom is not as durable as gel coat. Gel coat if it is in good shape can last forever if taken care of.

I have done plenty of boats that had no choice but to paint the bottom because of age, blisters ect. But I have also seen plenty of boats be able to strip off the paint and salvage the gel coat. Just remember, do no sand blast the bottom, it will pit the gel coat and then you willnot have the option. The soda blasting works well, but it needs to be done carefully also. Good luck
baylake said:
I think the best option is replaced the black paint with the an off-white paint. Thank you all others for your feedbacks. It's always nice to hear different opinions.
Click to expand...
 
H

Home Cookin'

Fleet Admiral
Joined
May 26, 2009
Messages
9,715
Re: Bottom paint remove?

Some say waxing the bottom slows the boat down--wax drags.

Some say a perfectly smooth bottom is slower than a rough one--the rough bottom breaks the surface tension.

I feel confident paint slows a boat down (versus an unpainted bottom). But painting over paint to change the color can't solve that problem.

I say it's the bottom of the boat. Paint it when you hear the fish complain, not before. Who else cares?
 
Beefer

Beefer

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Aug 4, 2008
Messages
1,737
Re: Bottom paint remove?

If you're a patient man, and it's ablative paint, most of it will eventually come off on it's own. Of course, it'll look horrible while you wait for that to happen. :)
 
B

baylake

Seaman
Joined
Aug 18, 2011
Messages
55
Re: Bottom paint remove?

Update: I looked at the boat closely and decide to pass. It has 3 layers of paint and it will look terrible once on trailer since it is a white boat. Thank you all.
 
H

Home Cookin'

Fleet Admiral
Joined
May 26, 2009
Messages
9,715
Re: Bottom paint remove?

did you pass on trying to take it off, or pass on buying the boat? If the latter, I hope the paint wasn't the only reason!
 
B

baylake

Seaman
Joined
Aug 18, 2011
Messages
55
Re: Bottom paint remove?

HomeCookin' - I passed on buying the boat. For 2008, it is in bad shape. The boat was in salt water slip, no lift for the past 2.5 yrs, sun faded/baked interior, lot of deep dings, the bottom paint will need to remove and new coat also as the out drive. Since I am not looking for a project at this time and the Admiral said no, we passed on buying it. I will buy if it's a good deal, but it isn't. I've seen few earlier model year boat but in much better shape. The buying season just start, so no hurry. :)
 
H

Home Cookin'

Fleet Admiral
Joined
May 26, 2009
Messages
9,715
Re: Bottom paint remove?

got it.
Consider this take-away point from that experience: if the boat (a 2008) can't handle 2.5 years outdoors, you don't want that type of boat. Way too fragile; requires too much care--a project in small segments!
 
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