How to remove "glued-on" trim tab mounting plates?

[Finnerty]

I need to remove my old trim tabs but they are stuck on my fiberglass hull with who-knows-what, maybe 5200 or epoxy.
Before I resort to grinding them off with an angle grinder or attacking them with a chisel I was wondering if I could heat them up with a torch or with a heat gun to help loosen them up? How sensitive is fiberglass to being heated like this? The hull is 3/16 to 1/4" solid laminate in this area.

 

[bigdirty]

Re: How to remove "glued-on" trim tab mounting plates?

Got a pic of them/the boat? Do you see a tell tale bubble of something ozzed out from around the edges of the current tabs? Maybe a hack saw blade, heated up a bit? I would hesitate to take a torch to any part of the hull tho.. heat gun perhaps. Ever seen the remains of a boat after a fire? The glass weave doesn't all burn away, but enough heat melts all the gel coat and resins, basically kills the glass.. and the transom of your boat is likely not a place you would want to weaken I think..

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: How to remove "glued-on" trim tab mounting plates?

if it is soft and pliable, it may be 5200. if so, use the Anti-Bond debonder available at West Marine or other fine stores. takes 20 minutes to soften the bond.

heat will damage your gel.