I looked at a boat this past weekend. There must have been twenty layers of
bottom paint. It was so thick, ....

I'm thinking ??? ,, how on earth does one get this bottom paint off.
Sanding will do the trick but I would think it might take a month.

What is the prefered method of bottom paint removal? What tools to use? Is
there a bottom paint removal substance?

After the bottom paint is removed, right down to the bare gelcoat ... about
August 1st .. joke there ..

After the bottom paint is removed,, what should be done? Put a thin coat
back on? Put on a coat of the sealer stuff?

Bottom paint doctors wanted ,, calling doctor Scrape, Sand, and Remove ,,
calling doctor Scrape, Sand and Remove ...

Paint stripper first (just do a search on marine bottom paint
stripper)... Then SS&R the resistant lumps...
There is also soda blasting...

denny

Mys Terry wrote:
On 28 Mar 2006 07:55:11 -0800, "Denny" wrote:

Paint stripper first (just do a search on marine bottom paint
stripper)... Then SS&R the resistant lumps...
There is also soda blasting...

denny

Word of caution: Do NOT use the liguid chemical strippers sold at Home
Improvement stores. Yes they are a lot less expensive, but... It will
soften the gelcoat along with the old paint. Use only strippers
specified for use on fiberglass!

This is a very dirty, nasty job. If you are able to afford it, it is
really worth paying someone else to do this particular job.

Most professionals use a heavy scraper if the paint is really hard and
brittle. It's a tiring job, but can be quicker than applying softener, as
the paint flakes away in large chunks.

Depending of the thickness of the bottom paint, marine chemical remover is
popular. It costs about $100.00 per gallon and depending on the size of the
boat; you will require several gallon to do the job. Marine remover is more
expensive. Regular chemical remover is much stronger, cheaper and if left
too long will soften the gel coat. You may want to experiment with it,
Wal-mart have the best price for regular non-marine paint remover.

Sanding (dry and wet) and scraping are used less and less. If you have a
skirt around your boat, you will require a breathing and vacuum systems. I
like the pneumatic double action orbital sander with 30 – 50 grit open coat
sand paper to start.

As for scraping, I use a carbide blade. Steel scrapers are good as long as
you maintain a sharp hedge. As I get closer to the gel coat, I use 100-120
grit open coat sand paper.





"Thomas Wentworth" wrote in message
news:7tcWf.1303$ZJ.181@trndny04...
I looked at a boat this past weekend. There must have been twenty layers
of bottom paint. It was so thick, ....

I'm thinking ??? ,, how on earth does one get this bottom paint off.
Sanding will do the trick but I would think it might take a month.

What is the prefered method of bottom paint removal? What tools to use?
Is there a bottom paint removal substance?

After the bottom paint is removed, right down to the bare gelcoat ...
about August 1st .. joke there ..

After the bottom paint is removed,, what should be done? Put a thin coat
back on? Put on a coat of the sealer stuff?

Bottom paint doctors wanted ,, calling doctor Scrape, Sand, and Remove ,,
calling doctor Scrape, Sand and Remove ...

By far, the best and approved method for a boat about the size I
recall Tom talking about is a piece of paper about 3" x 5" properly
printed by a bank with about $2,500 written on it

As most of you know, I'm a real do-it-yourselfer but some things just
aren't worth it.

--

Roger Long



"Thomas Wentworth" wrote in message
news:7tcWf.1303$ZJ.181@trndny04...
I looked at a boat this past weekend. There must have been twenty
layers of bottom paint. It was so thick, ....

I'm thinking ??? ,, how on earth does one get this bottom paint
off. Sanding will do the trick but I would think it might take a
month.

What is the prefered method of bottom paint removal? What tools to
use? Is there a bottom paint removal substance?

After the bottom paint is removed, right down to the bare gelcoat
... about August 1st .. joke there ..

After the bottom paint is removed,, what should be done? Put a thin
coat back on? Put on a coat of the sealer stuff?

Bottom paint doctors wanted ,, calling doctor Scrape, Sand, and
Remove ,, calling doctor Scrape, Sand and Remove ...

Roger Long wrote:
By far, the best and approved method for a boat about the size I
recall Tom talking about is a piece of paper about 3" x 5" properly
printed by a bank with about $2,500 written on it

As most of you know, I'm a real do-it-yourselfer but some things just
aren't worth it.


"Thomas Wentworth" wrote in message
news:7tcWf.1303$ZJ.181@trndny04...
I looked at a boat this past weekend. There must have been twenty
layers of bottom paint. It was so thick, ....

I'm thinking ??? ,, how on earth does one get this bottom paint
off. Sanding will do the trick but I would think it might take a
month.

What is the prefered method of bottom paint removal? What tools to
use? Is there a bottom paint removal substance?

After the bottom paint is removed, right down to the bare gelcoat
... about August 1st .. joke there ..

After the bottom paint is removed,, what should be done? Put a thin
coat back on? Put on a coat of the sealer stuff?

Bottom paint doctors wanted ,, calling doctor Scrape, Sand, and
Remove ,, calling doctor Scrape, Sand and Remove ...

Two of us removed the 10 years of accumulated antifouling from a
fifty-footer in January 2000. It took about 6 weeks, working at weekends
only.

I am still suffering from the muscle wrenching after-effects of the work.

Take Roger's advice and apply for a loan!


Dennis.

Dear Roger ,,, please send me the piece of paper with the $2,500 on it.
Address it T Wentworth, bottom paint job.

Make sure to sign it, and have it show the name of your bank nice a clear.

Thanks, for your help.

======================
"Roger Long" wrote in message
...
By far, the best and approved method for a boat about the size I recall
Tom talking about is a piece of paper about 3" x 5" properly printed by a
bank with about $2,500 written on it

As most of you know, I'm a real do-it-yourselfer but some things just
aren't worth it.

--

Roger Long



"Thomas Wentworth" wrote in message
news:7tcWf.1303$ZJ.181@trndny04...
I looked at a boat this past weekend. There must have been twenty layers
of bottom paint. It was so thick, ....

I'm thinking ??? ,, how on earth does one get this bottom paint off.
Sanding will do the trick but I would think it might take a month.

What is the prefered method of bottom paint removal? What tools to use?
Is there a bottom paint removal substance?

After the bottom paint is removed, right down to the bare gelcoat ...
about August 1st .. joke there ..

After the bottom paint is removed,, what should be done? Put a thin coat
back on? Put on a coat of the sealer stuff?

Bottom paint doctors wanted ,, calling doctor Scrape, Sand, and Remove ,,
calling doctor Scrape, Sand and Remove ...

On Tue, 28 Mar 2006 18:42:19 GMT, "Thomas Wentworth"
wrote:

Dear Roger ,,, please send me the piece of paper with the $2,500 on it.
Address it T Wentworth, bottom paint job.

Make sure to sign it, and have it show the name of your bank nice a clear.

Thanks, for your help.

======================

I've done the job myself several times on sailboats in the 28 to 34 ft
range, once using a professional quality auto body grinder with a 7
inch disk/60 grit paper, and once using chemical stripper. Either way
it is a tough, dirty and hazardous job. Older, wiser and quite
possibly with damaged lungs, I'd give Roger's advice some serious
thought.

You may think I was trying to be a smart ass instead of helpful but,
trust me, whatever other method you used doing it yourself, you would
quickly conclude that I was being immensely helpful.

This might be more helpful. It the stuff isn't flaking off, just slap
another coat on and figure it out next year. Think of it as ballast.
Smaller boats have gone around the world with sheets of copper tacked
over the bottom with felt underneath. I little extra hull thickness
isn't going to hurt anything for cruising and nobody's going to see
it.

If it is flaking off, just knock of the loose stuff with a scraper and
have at it with the paint rollers.

--

Roger Long



"Thomas Wentworth" wrote in message
news:fsfWf.1925$Q9.861@trndny07...
Dear Roger ,,, please send me the piece of paper with the $2,500 on
it. Address it T Wentworth, bottom paint job.

Make sure to sign it, and have it show the name of your bank nice a
clear.

Thanks, for your help.

======================
"Roger Long" wrote in message
...
By far, the best and approved method for a boat about the size I
recall Tom talking about is a piece of paper about 3" x 5" properly
printed by a bank with about $2,500 written on it

As most of you know, I'm a real do-it-yourselfer but some things
just aren't worth it.

--

Roger Long



"Thomas Wentworth" wrote in message
news:7tcWf.1303$ZJ.181@trndny04...
I looked at a boat this past weekend. There must have been twenty
layers of bottom paint. It was so thick, ....

I'm thinking ??? ,, how on earth does one get this bottom paint
off. Sanding will do the trick but I would think it might take a
month.

What is the prefered method of bottom paint removal? What tools
to use? Is there a bottom paint removal substance?

After the bottom paint is removed, right down to the bare gelcoat
... about August 1st .. joke there ..

After the bottom paint is removed,, what should be done? Put a
thin coat back on? Put on a coat of the sealer stuff?

Bottom paint doctors wanted ,, calling doctor Scrape, Sand, and
Remove ,, calling doctor Scrape, Sand and Remove ...

In article ,
says...


You may think I was trying to be a smart ass instead of helpful but,
trust me, whatever other method you used doing it yourself, you would
quickly conclude that I was being immensely helpful.

This might be more helpful. It the stuff isn't flaking off, just slap
another coat on and figure it out next year. Think of it as ballast.
Smaller boats have gone around the world with sheets of copper tacked
over the bottom with felt underneath. I little extra hull thickness
isn't going to hurt anything for cruising and nobody's going to see
it.

If it is flaking off, just knock of the loose stuff with a scraper and
have at it with the paint rollers.

Super excellent advice. I took a 26 footer down to the gelcoat once and
followed up with a barrier coat and abalative bottom paint. Never, ever
again. I was contemplating doing the same to our 37-footer, but, upon
examining the bottom on haulout, decided as you have suggested. Knock
off what's about to fall off and roll on a new coat. I am so pleased to
have my decision validated by so many knowledgable people.