Removing bottom paint

Holoholo · Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 7:45 pm Post subject: Removing bottom paint

Can anyone recommend a good solvent to remove bottom paint. I believe the bottom paint type I have is the non ablative finish. Rather than sanding or grinding, I am hoping there is an easier way to remove without damaging the gelcoat.

Any comments or recommedations would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Vern

Captains Cat · Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 8:04 pm Post subject:

Vern, if you have a power washer, try that. You can hold the nozzle farther away or closer to remove what you want. Let us know...

Charlie

Holoholo · Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 8:21 pm Post subject:

I will try that to get most off. Probably West Marine will know of some type of application for getting the remainder off.

Vern

Wandering Sagebrush · Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 12:10 am Post subject: Aurora Marine?

Vern,

I am always getting email from Aurora Marine touting their products. You might google them and take a peek at what they have.

Steve

Papillon · Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 1:03 am Post subject:

The fastest and easy way to remove bottom pant is:

Sandbar or Checkbook!....

Summer job for a wayward teen...or two.

Disclamer: THE ABOVE ARE NOT JOKES

Wefings · Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 8:50 am Post subject:

Sodablast
or ; the main site

Although it will require $$$ Its a good system
Might be worth getting a quote . Get references . If its a busy contractor ,they probably know what they are doing.
Marc

Byrdman · Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 9:02 am Post subject:

What is wrong with the bottom paint that is on it? May be a good thing if you travel and leave your boat in the warm waters for a spell. In our summer months, once the water temps get up high.... "stuff" can grow fast...and really slows your boat....and is a real pain in the back side to "have cleaned."

Byrdman

Matt Gurnsey · Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 11:50 am Post subject:

My first question is why do you want to remove the paint? If the goal is to have just a gel coat bottom (based on the comment about not wanting to dmaage the gel coat) it's already too late for that.

When the bottom paint is applied, part of the prep is to wither sand the bottom of the boat for better adhesion of paint, or application of a "sandless" primer. Most on this board also strongly recomend barrier coats of epoxy.

So whatever the prep that was done, it will be almost impossible, and / or reeeeeeeally expensive to get back to the gel coat finish.

Holoholo · Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 1:34 pm Post subject:

I was thinking of re-applying either a new coat of bottom paint on a cleaned hull or if the removed paint came off cleanly, I would try to buff the gelcoat to its original condition. I dont usually leave my boat in the water more than 2 or 3 days at the longest, so I really don't have a need for bottom paint. The soda blasting sounds very interesting, probably most non abrasive and clean if you have a distributor close by and the cost is not prohibitive.

Thanks for the comments.

Vern

Byrdman · Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 1:57 pm Post subject:

Good Day Vern!!

Your boat, your call Brother.... But I would slow down just a bit. Clock

I am sorry, I do not know you or how much you have seen done on boat hulls when they are "properly prepared" to be bottom painted.

Normal practice, is to buff out or scratch up if you will the factory gel coat.... Smile

as to give an epoxy primer (barrier) coat something to stick/bond to... Thumbs Up

followed by what ever type of bottom paint selected by the person paying for...or doing the job....and at least 2 to 4 coats of this...and when I have.... HAVE... my boats done, we toss on another 4 coats on the "high traffic" areas like the keel/centerline and water line at rest areas... and where I generally scratch the boat first...when putting it on the trailer in bad weather.. Embarassed

So if....IF.... the job was done properly, and either the original owner...or the owner of the hull at the time the first bottom paint job was done would know this. Track the work back to this person... and many times, it is real easy (to have) to just sand it down a bit, and apply either some of the same type bottom paint.... or one more suitable for your needs. BE CAREFULE....AND FIND OUT what is there now for sure...not all these chemicals/types work together....and you could end up with a ... bad situation.

Help me with just exactly you are attempting to gain by "starting your bottom hull finish over?"...

Byrdman

OOPS · Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 2:05 pm Post subject: Bottom paint Removal

Type in "Bottom paint removal" on the Google web site you should get your answer.

The Soda method is the best.

Holoholo · Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 5:23 pm Post subject:

I will do some research and see what was done for the original application.

Thanks for all the feedback.

Vern

Buck Williams · Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 10:21 pm Post subject:

If the bottom paint was applied at the factory it was likely prepped with 80 grit before application of the primer and anti fouling paint. Trying to restore a finish that has been sanded by such a coarse grit would be a monumental undertaking.