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Scraping hull so I can paint it

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DaveC25
Navigator

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USA
152 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/26/2005 : 07:02:54

Well, I decided to paint the bottom myself so I began the tedious task of scraping the old paint off (it is flaking off in alot of places).

After working for about 2 hours and getting only about 1/10th done, I can see why they charge so much. But I have more time than money so I'll keep going. One thing I did notice, and which might make it better to have it done, is that I can see all the little holes that have been patched over the years that the bottom paint has hidden. Pretty Penny seems to have had a rough life. Once I get her pretty much scraped off, I will repair all the little nicks and then sand her down and repaint her. She seems to have had her bottom painted MANY times in her life, with alot of different colors...from red to blue to brown to tan to green, etc...

Well, give me some words of motivation guys!! I'm counting on you!! :)

-DaveC25

1979 Catalina 25 "Pretty Penny" #1166
Palm Bay, Florida

Edited by - on

Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 07/26/2005 : 08:18:03

If the old paint is vc 17 - you can thin it down with a lacquer thinner bath.

If you didn't buy an orbital sander, nows the tame.

Motivation -

Was it over when the German's bombed Pearl Harbor... (Germans?;--forget it, he's on a roll)

Think of it this way, I helped put on a Baltoplate paint job on a 32 foot boat with a wider beam and a bigger draft. And that requires wet sanding once the paint is on.... Keep going, it will be well worth it.

Edited by - Champipple on 07/26/2005 08:18:23

Scooter
Navigator

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USA
228 Posts

Response Posted - 07/26/2005 : 09:22:20

Some people suggest using a different color for the first coat. This would let you know when the layers have worn down that far and it's time (or past time) to re-do. You don't have to wait until you see gelcoat to know you waited too long.

I put an ugly red as my first two coats then finished with the final blue color. If I ever see red then it's time.

That many colors could mean it's been a while???

Cover up and let a power sander do the work. Good luck. When you're done you can look back and take pride. You can also hope it will be a while before you have to do it again so do it right.

Edited by - on

existentialsailor
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1180 Posts

Response Posted - 07/26/2005 : 09:48:33

Invest in a good quality mask, the stuff you are taking off of the boat is toxic. When I sanded mine down, I also had the sander hooked to a shop vac with a HEPA filter. I wanted as little dust as possible getting into the surrounding area. The multiple colors are common, I did the same thing as scooter when I repainted mine.

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 07/26/2005 : 09:53:28

Since you are stripping the bottom completely, you might as well put on an epoxy barrier coat while you're at it.

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 07/26/2005 : 09:59:35

There are newer (safer) paint stripping compounds on the market specifically designed to remove bottom paint... reputedly the old bottom paint literally comes off in sheets.

It's that or the orbital sander.

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DaveC25
Navigator

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USA
152 Posts

Response Posted - 07/26/2005 : 11:01:30

Thanks guys.

I'm using a respirator. I do have an orbital sander but it was making way too much dust so I'm going to use it to get off the remaining stuff when I am done scraping.

I might think about an epoxy barrier coat. Is that like a clear coat, or something different?

Also, good ideas about using different colors for the first few layers to indicate wear! I'm going to do that for sure.

-Dave

Edited by - on

existentialsailor
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1180 Posts

Response Posted - 07/26/2005 : 12:38:24

The interlux CD you ordered will have info on barrier coats. I put Interprotect 2000 on mine. 8 coats if I remember correctly, but I had a serious blister problem.

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SJ
Navigator

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USA
198 Posts

Response Posted - 07/26/2005 : 13:35:25

Try "Peel-Away" it is a huge time saver. I spent 100+ hours a few years back taking the bottom back down to the gell coat. Without using the stripper, I'd still be there!

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DaveC25
Navigator

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USA
152 Posts

Response Posted - 07/26/2005 : 14:11:04

I just bought some bottom coat stripper from West Marine. You leave it on fro 4 to 8 hours and then either pull it off with attached paper or putty-knife it off.

Has anyone ever used this kind of stuff before? If so, how does it work? (SJ: Perhaps it's the West Marine copy of Peel-Away?)

-Dave

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frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1349 Posts

Response Posted - 07/26/2005 : 23:23:14

Dave, I know that boat very well and if you have any questions you can EM me by clicking on the Frog0911 in the left column. I had her for 15 years and can give you a lot of insite on what was and was not done to the boat. One thing I can tell you for sure she was fast and very stable, but did not point as well as other boats with swings or fin keels. Welcome to the forum and spend the $20.00 to join the National Association you will not regret it.

Edited by - on

DaveC25
Navigator

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USA
152 Posts

Response Posted - 07/27/2005 : 06:34:36

It's nice to meet you frog0911. You can rest assured that she will be well kept.

When and why did you decide to part with her?

As far as bottom painting, I spent another 2 hours scraping last night. I'm at about mid-keel (from the stern) now on one side. It looks like about 4 or 5 more days of stripping (~2-3 hours per day during the week). The stripper stuff I got was called "Safety Strip", which seems to be worse than useless. Not only did it not remove the thick bottom paint, it made the top layers soft so my scraper cannot get under the stuff as easily, causing much more work to remove the thick bottom coating. I suppose if you didn't have as much build up as Pretty Penny has then it may work better.

-Dave

Edited by - DaveC25 on 07/27/2005 06:51:18

frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1349 Posts

Response Posted - 07/27/2005 : 08:38:33

The reason for trading her was as you might say a joint decision base on going to a boat show in 2002 and the better half boarding the 250 and you probably know the rest. It wasn't that easy to let her go, but the General liked the openness and wanted to do more cruising. I still race, but not as much as before and mainly Beer Can races which have the added advantage of increasing boat handling skills as opposed to all out pushing the envelope required for races such as the just held Calalina 25/250 Nationals.

Edited by - frog0911 on 07/27/2005 08:52:06

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5902 Posts

Response Posted - 07/28/2005 : 09:26:00

If you want to strip it to the bare fiberglass, ordinary paint stripper that is designed for fiberglass is good. I get it from places that sell paint supplies for cars. It's often used on Corvettes and other fiberglass bodies, so you know it's reasonably harmless to gelcoat. I used it to strip my C25, and it's easier than sanding and not as destructive.

If you don't want to strip it all the way, but just want to take off some of the old paint, a pro suggested wet sanding with a green sanding disk that he gets from marine supply stores. It's about a nine inch diameter disk, folded in half to fit your hand, and it's very coarse. I used one disk to do the complete hull of a 35 footer, and it amazed me how much it took off, and how quickly it took it off. I'm sure it was much more efficient and less work than machine sanding. I wouldn't use that method to prep a boat to race, but for a general purpose annual bottom job, it's definitely the way to go.

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Bruce Baker
Captain

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USA
402 Posts

Response Posted - 07/28/2005 : 16:19:09

I did a quick and dirty painting of my boat last summer. A power wash took off almost all of the ablative paint and two hours of sanding with an orbital sander and 60 grit sandpaper took her very close to fiberglass. I finished up with some 100 grit sandpaper and rolled on two coats of cheap bottom paint. It looked really great. Now I wish I had invested in some more expensive paint! The slime in the Potomac is killing me!

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SJ
Navigator

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USA
198 Posts

Response Posted - 07/29/2005 : 12:31:58

Dave, I'm pretty sure that it is the same stuff. Plain newsprint works just as good as the "Special" paper that the kit comes with. You may need to put the goop on a few times, but it sure as heck beats scrapping. I took it all the way down to the gell coat. Put on a new barrier coat and then two light coats of bottom paint. I used an ablative paint so each year I just apply one coat. Stays nice and smooth. Good luck and have as much as you can... :)

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cathluk
Admiral

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USA
513 Posts

Response Posted - 07/29/2005 : 14:07:11

We had good luck with Peel Away. Make sure its warm enough out for it to work. Our biggest problem is that we put it on in March when it wasn't that warm & it just wasn't warm enough to get the reaction going. Worked well the second time when it was warmer. I would use it again if needed (though hopefully not soon).

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