Paint remover

[alldodge]

Have gotten tired of bottom paint so the plan is to remove it all, then either re-gel or more then likely paint with epoxy. A local place will blast it or I can use paint remover. There are several products which are caustic and others which are environmentally friendly. Leaning toward the friendly stuff do to no fumes. In any cases it will be a messy job no matter which way I go.

Anyone use any of the products?

Oh yes, I've bought a lift

 

[Scott Danforth]

I tried a remover, big mess with so-so results. going with 60 grit in the DA and a Pettit vivid bottom. Thought of striping it down to try to rebuff, however who ever bottom painted the boat at least 10 years ago roughed up the bottom with a DA

 

[G_Hipster]

Never stripped a boat, but have done a few vettes over the years. My take on the fiberglass strippers is that they are not as caustic as regular stripper requiring much more product for multiple coats yet it's still caustic enough to burn you. Very messy, and lots of cleaning to make sure you have it neutralized. I have found that $ wise by time you get done chemically stripping your not far off from what the blaster would charge. IMHO blasting would be your best option, and be days ahead of the game time wise.

 

[alldodge]

Some good info, thanks
The folks want 100 a foot for my 27 (2700). Have sent an email to Interlux for suggestions, thinking of VC Performance

 

[gm280]

WOW AllDodge, $100 bucks a foot would make me get out the 60 grit DA or Angle Grinder and start and see how that worked first. :noidea:.

 

[alldodge]

Yep hence the reason for the paint stripper question. This also includes painting, so if I do the painting then it should be less

 

[G_Hipster]

Wow is right, I'd be temped to get a couple rolls of sandpaper and go at it. I use an 8" soft PSA backing plate and 8" 80g PSA paper on a buffer I can slow down. Go to like 90% where your just seeing original gelcoat and switch to a DA. to get that last layer off. The soft backer has less tendency to dig an edge than a grinding disc. Sometimes you have to experiment a little, if the paint heats and smears going slower will help. Not sure if it's ok or not to post a link to the pads I'm referring to.

 

[alldodge]

The main issue with a lot of sanding is all the dust. The dust is also toxic so I would be in the full suit just like when grinding glass

 

[Scott Danforth]

That is why you hire day labor....

 

[alldodge]

Ah.... no
You hire, and something happens your libel. I'm not risking my assets on anything like that

 

[tpenfield]

AllDodge I used a product called "Peel Away" on my F-242SS a while back. There were several versions of the product, based on what type of paint needed to be removed. It softens the paint so that it can be easily removed with a scraper or power washing. It takes a day or 2 to soften the paint.

My recollection was that you applied it and covered it with a special paper that held the solution up against the paint. I think I used plastic drop cloth instead of the paper stuff. If you got a heavy buildup of paint, it might take a couple of applications.

I have not seen the product in stores lately, which usually means that it worked too well , but it still comes up on the Google searches. As I recall there was a version of it sold in marine stores and a version sold in hardware stores, no need to guess which version was more $$$

Epoxy paint is probably the best route for DIY, a really good fiberglass shop could probably re-gelcoat. My understanding is that the typical gelcoat process would be to spray the gelcoat and then wet sand the orange peel w/ 2000 grit to a shine. Not sure a slight orange peel surface would matter below the water line.

If you do the gelcoat, you will still want to epoxy barrier coat to avoid blisters . . . so maybe just do the epoxy instead of re-gelcoating.

This would be an interesting thread if you want to post your progress.

 

[alldodge]

Thanks Ted, I've seen peel away and others. As you say it would probably need much more time work then the caustic stuff. What I'm finding out about even the VC Performance still says to have in it the water no more then around 4 moths at one time. The guy I was talking to also mentioned that the epoxy coating will allow water to penetrate similar to gelcoat.

Thinking I could try my had at re-gelcoating om the places above the water line and maybe a bit below. Thinking even with using paint remover I would have to sand to ruff it up prior to any application. Hope Interlux has some good info for me tomorrow.

 

[tpenfield]

Gelcoating would be a cool project to undertake, but probably a bit nerve racking, depending on how you feel about it. My neighbor re-gelcoated his older Pursuit boat a while back . . . did a great job, but I think his occupation in the furniture restoring business gave him a leg up on the task.

I have used Interlux Interprotect 2000 on all of my boats as a barrier coat. Even coated my fuel tank and outdrives with the stuff as a base coat.

 

[alldodge]

Do agree with ya. I currently have an unopened kit of 2000e in the shop fridge. Bought it to use this year but with all the other issues arising from the lack of attention to detail by the engine builder, I put it off. If anything else maybe use the 2000e and then the VC Performance. Hope to find out which is best after hearing back from Interlux

 

[alldodge]

Received word from Interlux, they say that I should use VC instead of 2000e. If I want to use 2000e it would be put on before the VC because 2000e will degrade over time

 

[Guest]

Alldodge, I had to strip 30+ years of bottom paint off my 1974 Hiliner Gypsy, Sanding that crap is brutal, so I went with regular "Kleen Strip" Paint stripper from Home Depot.
It worked pretty well, but depending on the multiple coats of paint, you may have to re-apply in the same spot more than once to get to the gelcoat.
Don't leave it on too long or it will soften the gelcoat, but after you remove it the gelcoat hardens again.

Its a messy job, but you'll be glad when its done.

The best paint I have found to use on the bottom is Top Secret Coating's Supermarine Revolution 1000, its one of the few paints that can be immersed in water with no problem and resistant ot abrasions such as beaching and trailering..

 

[G_Hipster]

Alldodge,
Don't leave it on too long or it will soften the gelcoat, but after you remove it the gelcoat hardens again.
..

The above is my issue with chemical stripper on gel coat/fiberglass. You don't know how deep or to what extent it gets softened or to what extent it hardens back up and regular stripper can attack the fiberglass layup. Once you break down the material and that chemical cure has been compromised, is it ever really the same. To put fresh materials over it is a gamble.

 

[alldodge]

Thanks for the info, but I'm leaning more now to having it blasted off, due to I need a rough surface to apply the epoxy. Found a place that does soda blasting and going to check into it. If all else fails I'll use the original guy I was talking with at another dealer

 

[G_Hipster]

Thanks for the info, but I'm leaning more now to having it blasted off, due to I need a rough surface to apply the epoxy. Found a place that does soda blasting and going to check into it. If all else fails I'll use the original guy I was talking with at another dealer

Always nice when you can focus on the paint instead of being burned out from the prep!!

 

[Woodonglass]

My neighbor (25 years in the Paint and Body Business) Says they use this on Corvettes. Works great and WON'T harm the fiberglass.

http://www.wmbarr.com/product.aspx?catid=82&prodid=113