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Paint removal

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cmckitrick
Navigator

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USA
119 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/05/2008 : 07:52:55

I am sure this has been discussed. Is there a product to slap on which allows you to then scrape off old bottom paint. I have heard about sand blasting but can't imagine doing that because of paint flying everywhere.

Charlie McKitrick
Norwell, MA
Valiant Lady... for now
'81 C 25 SR/FK

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5909 Posts

Response Posted - 05/05/2008 : 08:14:21

Charlie, the following link will take you to the most recent discussion we had on the subject. As I recall, we discussed most of the options.

There's no easy way to do it, unless you write a check and pay the yard to do it for you, but it's well worth doing. If the bottom is fouled with many layers of old paint, you won't believe how well the boat will perform when you get rid of them.

http://catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=17311& SearchTerms=Klean

Edited by - Steve Milby on 05/05/2008 08:18:03

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5445 Posts

Response Posted - 05/05/2008 : 17:17:44

I used a long handled paint scraper with a curved blade. Check this link:

http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/DummiesArticle/id-369.html

The pictured paint scraper worked great! I used it without paint remover and it took care of most of the material, then with the paint remover, I got most of the rest of it. I did not use a heat gun because as Don Casey says "if it feels hot it is too hot".

In my yard, they don't allow sandblasting because the dust cannot be contained, and it will RUIN YOUR GELCOAT!

They recommended using a sanding disk with a vacuum attachment to collect the dust. No longer do they just look the other way.

No matter what you decide to do, this dust is very toxic. That means that breathing the dust is BAD for you, so cover up, including your head and hands, use a respirator and protect your eyes.

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 05/05/2008 : 20:48:21

Toxic dust is the best reason to do as much with a chemical stripper as possible. Strip onto a throw away tarp and dispose as hazardous waste. Sand what little is left.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 05/05/2008 : 21:16:41

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dave5041
 Toxic dust is the best reason to do as much with a chemical stripper as possible. Strip onto a throw away tarp and dispose as hazardous waste. Sand what little is left.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">I second that. The sander w/ vacuum is a dubious solution--first, the vacuum only gets part of the dust, and then the filter in the vacuum only retains part of that. When somebody starts their sanding vacuum up near where I'm working in the boatyard, I leave.

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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 05/05/2008 : 22:39:53

I think that the guy who did my boat's bottom wet-sanded the whole thing down to the gelcoat. The yacht club where I bought the boat owns the property, so I guess he had permission. It was worth every penny to have him do it. However, during the project I just finished today, pulling weeds and grass and spreading a half dumptruck load of mulch (about 5 cubic yards, I just might have traded places with him.

Edited by - dmpilc on 05/05/2008 22:43:11

Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1091 Posts

Response Posted - 05/06/2008 : 01:24:34

After trying many methods to remove my old ablative paint and about 75% done (took me 4-5 weeks to get there) I finally found a fiberglass stipper that takes only 15-30 minutes to lift off the paint. You then scrap off the goo to a very thin film and easily sand the rest. I did the rest of the 25% in about 4 hours! I went to the expense of purchasing a $75 bucket of marine stripper that did practicaly nothing, and bought a $400 power washer to slowly strip away. This RecoChem stipper is only $10 a can, and I used only 2.

The stripper I used is available here in Canada from Canadian Tire and manufactured by RecoChem. Surely it would be available in the USA somewhere. [url="http://www.recochem.com/english/products/household_solvents/methylene_cloride_free_remover.html"]RecoChem web site[/url].

Edited by - Steve Blackburn on 05/06/2008 01:28:02

Deric
Captain

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USA
408 Posts

Response Posted - 05/06/2008 : 19:31:03

I am in the middle of stripping the bottom paint off my boat using the 299 chemical stripper.

The chemical jelly holds the toxic paint as I scrape the bottom with a pull type scraper. I noticed that the the warmer the temperature the better the stripping. A recommendation I read was to cover the chemical stripper with plastic wrap ( kind to store food ) because it keeps the jelly from drying too quickly.

When I strip with the stripper I a wear the dual cartridge mask, paint suit, eye protection glassed - - the kind that doesn't allow chemical entry. Rubber gloves.

I tested sanding a few areas, I used 120 paper applying lite pressure, while a vacuum is pulling the dust away from me. Again I wear the paint suit with the hood, eye-ware, mask, gloves.

Maybe I am too cautious, but I make sure I am standing up wind when I sand as well.
Lastly, I always shower after working on the boat, immediately.

Edited by - on

Bruce Baker
Captain

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USA
402 Posts

Response Posted - 05/08/2008 : 13:58:55

I used a chemical stripper I bought from West Marine to strip off 25 years of bottom paint. It worked well, and would have worked even better if I had not made a few errors. Here are some things I learned:

1. Use a small, sharp scraper (1 1/2 inches across). It worked much better than the big (6 inch) scraper.
2. They give you paper to put on top of the goo. Leave the paper on as you scrape off your paint/goo mix. It does a good job of containing the mess.
3. The instructions say to leave the goo on for about 12 hours. I left it on over-night for the second half of the job, and it was much more difficult to work with than the stuff that had been left on for 4 hours. Longer is not better. The stuff dries out.

Good luck,

Edited by - on

Happy D
Admiral

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921 Posts

Response Posted - 05/08/2008 : 19:07:01

I'm planning on sailing the boat until all the paint wears itself off.

Edited by - on

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