Removing Bottom Paint?

[Douglas McMullin]

This spring I would like to strip all the bottom paint of my 1978 CD25. I dont think it has ever been done to this boat. I have worked on wood hulls, but not glass. Is it safe to go at it with an softback 8" grinder with 60 grit??? Is there any risk of taking too much glass off with one bad swipe??? Any tips or related experience would be great...

Douglas McMullin
CD25 #602 "Allia"



dmcm@pctech.net

[John Phillips]

Doug:
60 grit sandpaper should work great if you want a thru hull right there, otherwise I would stay away from the grinder and try something like "Peel Away Marine Safety Strip", it's easy, won't hurt the gelcoat, won't hurt the enviorment and best of all won't hurt you. Available through West Marine (800) 621-6885 or other discount stores.

This spring I would like to strip all the bottom paint of my 1978 CD25. I dont think it has ever been done to this boat. I have worked on wood hulls, but not glass. Is it safe to go at it with an softback 8" grinder with 60 grit??? Is there any risk of taking too much glass off with one bad swipe??? Any tips or related experience would be great...

Douglas McMullin
CD25 #602 "Allia"

sailboat@gpcom.net

[Brian Andrews]

After caeful consideration of the various paint stripping options we elected to have the bottom of our 1982 CD25 "Simpatico" sand blasted by a professional using a fine blast media. We found this to be a satisfactoy solution in that time was our primary concern. Naturally, my biggest fear was gel coat damage. After consultig my yard manager and Dan Spurr of Practical Sailor, I felt comfortable enough to proceed. Additional sanding was required after the blasting because the bottom needed to be completely free of old paint inasmuch as we planned to apply an epoxy barrier coat. The job was finished with several coats of Micron ablative botton paint. It may be my imagination, but I think we picked up about one knot in boat speed without eight years of bottom paint slowing us down. What is more, after one seasont, the bottom is pristine and ready to go in the Spring.

If you are uneasy with sand blasting, you can have the job done using other blast media such as baking soda, nut shells or other less agressive substances, but I was advised that the increased cost was not worth it. As far as going at it with a grinder, the misery and risk led me to seek other options.

[Douglas McMullin]

What would you expect the sandblasting to cost?
Thanks,

Doug

After caeful consideration of the various paint stripping options we elected to have the bottom of our 1982 CD25 "Simpatico" sand blasted by a professional using a fine blast media. We found this to be a satisfactoy solution in that time was our primary concern. Naturally, my biggest fear was gel coat damage. After consultig my yard manager and Dan Spurr of Practical Sailor, I felt comfortable enough to proceed. Additional sanding was required after the blasting because the bottom needed to be completely free of old paint inasmuch as we planned to apply an epoxy barrier coat. The job was finished with several coats of Micron ablative botton paint. It may be my imagination, but I think we picked up about one knot in boat speed without eight years of bottom paint slowing us down. What is more, after one seasont, the bottom is pristine and ready to go in the Spring.

If you are uneasy with sand blasting, you can have the job done using other blast media such as baking soda, nut shells or other less agressive substances, but I was advised that the increased cost was not worth it. As far as going at it with a grinder, the misery and risk led me to seek other options.

dmcm@pctech.net

[Lee Hodsdon]

Doug,

Mine is the promitive way, but it works very well, can be much faster than other methods depending on the condition of the old paint but it certainly is work! Last winter/spring I stripped the bottom paint from the hull of my 25D using a hand scraper with a serrated (sp?) edge. You can tell when it is time to stop as your arms fall to your sides. It is time to resume when you can again raise them! The scraper must be used judiciously, but this baby can really remove the paint. I only had three small dings less than 1/8" in depth to fill with thickened epoxy when I was done. Light wet sanding of the hull preceeded the application of InterProtect 2000E barrier coat followed by ablative bottom paint, no more scraping in my future. My horse just got loose! I'll continue this later.

Lee
This spring I would like to strip all the bottom paint of my 1978 CD25. I dont think it has ever been done to this boat. I have worked on wood hulls, but not glass. Is it safe to go at it with an softback 8" grinder with 60 grit??? Is there any risk of taking too much glass off with one bad swipe??? Any tips or related experience would be great...

Douglas McMullin
CD25 #602 "Allia"

lhodsdon@nh.ultranet.com

[Lee Hodsdon]

OK, The horse is back in the barn! As you can tell, I didn't spell check the last message before retrieving the horse, primitive not promitive. To continue, wear a respirator, I collected the paint scrapings on a sheet of polyenhylene spread under the hull prior to the start, wear eye protection as well. I really recomend the application of the barrier coat. It will protect your hull for the forseable future, and enhance the value of your boat.

As I have said before, this is not intended to be THE WAY to do this task, it is only one way which worked for me. Best of luck in what ever route you choose to take.

Lee

Doug,

Mine is the promitive way, but it works very well, can be much faster than other methods depending on the condition of the old paint but it certainly is work! Last winter/spring I stripped the bottom paint from the hull of my 25D using a hand scraper with a serrated (sp?) edge. You can tell when it is time to stop as your arms fall to your sides. It is time to resume when you can again raise them! The scraper must be used judiciously, but this baby can really remove the paint. I only had three small dings less than 1/8" in depth to fill with thickened epoxy when I was done. Light wet sanding of the hull preceeded the application of InterProtect 2000E barrier coat followed by ablative bottom paint, no more scraping in my future. My horse just got loose! I'll continue this later.

Lee
This spring I would like to strip all the bottom paint of my 1978 CD25. I dont think it has ever been done to this boat. I have worked on wood hulls, but not glass. Is it safe to go at it with an softback 8" grinder with 60 grit??? Is there any risk of taking too much glass off with one bad swipe??? Any tips or related experience would be great...

Douglas McMullin
CD25 #602 "Allia"

lhodsdon@nh.ultranet.com

[Brian Andrews]

About $250. cotracted through the boat yard.
What would you expect the sandblasting to cost?
Thanks,

Doug

After caeful consideration of the various paint stripping options we elected to have the bottom of our 1982 CD25 "Simpatico" sand blasted by a professional using a fine blast media. We found this to be a satisfactoy solution in that time was our primary concern. Naturally, my biggest fear was gel coat damage. After consultig my yard manager and Dan Spurr of Practical Sailor, I felt comfortable enough to proceed. Additional sanding was required after the blasting because the bottom needed to be completely free of old paint inasmuch as we planned to apply an epoxy barrier coat. The job was finished with several coats of Micron ablative botton paint. It may be my imagination, but I think we picked up about one knot in boat speed without eight years of bottom paint slowing us down. What is more, after one seasont, the bottom is pristine and ready to go in the Spring.

If you are uneasy with sand blasting, you can have the job done using other blast media such as baking soda, nut shells or other less agressive substances, but I was advised that the increased cost was not worth it. As far as going at it with a grinder, the misery and risk led me to seek other options.

[chuck yahrling]

This spring I would like to strip all the bottom paint of my 1978 CD25. I dont think it has ever been done to this boat. I have worked on wood hulls, but not glass. Is it safe to go at it with an softback 8" grinder with 60 grit??? Is there any risk of taking too much glass off with one bad swipe??? Any tips or related experience would be great...

Douglas McMullin
CD25 #602 "Allia"

Doug;

I'd hold off on grinder sanding if I could: it takes along time, the dust is toxic and you do risk some sanding damage. Based on our previous exchanges, I think the following paint remover method is more cost effective for a small boat:

I'm partly thru doing my CD27 bottom with Pettit 9030 Paint and Varnish Remover, (about $65/gallon) aka methylene chloride. You paint it on, wait 10 minutes, and scrape off the ooze. If you leave it on over the recommended 15 minutes it may start to soften the gel coat, so having some brush cleaner/thinner around to wash off the scraped areas is prudent. Also, just do a small 2x2 area at time.

I stretched a big plastic trash bag under the work area to catch drippings and scrapings, which pleased the marina enough that they agreed to let me do it myself. BTW, It works just fine in 30-degree weather, brother Mainer....

A CD25 would need about a gallon. I got mine (and 12-120 thinner)from Manset Marine (207-596-6464) via my marina.



yahrling@cybertours.com

[Mike Thorpe]

Doug,
Last October a bought a 1982 Cape Dory 27 that had 15 years of bottom paint on it. I wanted to strip off all of this old paint so that I could examine the bottom for any blisters (none) and then barrier coat it.

I used about (4) gals. of 5F5 paint remover plus. It cost $20/gal at the local hardware store.

The process that I used was to start at the boot top, cover a 4'wide x 2' deep area with the paint remover, wait 10 minutes and then scrap the old paint off with an old wood chisel ( of all the tools I tried the wood chisel worked the best).

Catch the old paint in a coffee can as you scrape it off. This sure beats sitting in it later when you do the keel. Wear rubber gloves, a hat and keep a water hose handy.

When I finished stripping the paint I sanded the bottom with an oscillating sander using 80 grit paper( keep it moving). When I finished the bottom was snow white and ready for paint.

In the spring I will apply (5) coats of the Interlux barrier coat paint and an ablative bottom paint.

Good luck, its a lot of work but you only have to do it once.

Mike
CapeDory 27 Lady Jane






mthorpe@capecod.net

[Dave and Jane Olson]

Practical Sailor says that Peal Away is thier preferred way to remove bottom paint... I would like to hear if anyone has done this... Dave and Jane Olson
s/v Sophie
Minnetonka, MN



102065.2666@compuserve.com

[Dave and Jane Olson]

This will be the first year for us as owners of a sailboat... We bought a 25D and will launch it in the spring...I am somwhat overwhelmed by the selection of bottom paints available in the West Marine catalog. I realize that different water dictates different paint... Does it really matter which paint?...Should I just use whatever was put on last and leave it at that until I strip the whole mess..some day?...I'd like your thoughts...
Dave and Jane Olson
Sophie
Minnetonka, MN



102065.2666@compuserve.com

[Jerry]

This will be the first year for us as owners of a sailboat... We bought a 25D and will launch it in the spring...I am somwhat overwhelmed by the selection of bottom paints available in the West Marine catalog. I realize that different water dictates different paint... Does it really matter which paint?...Should I just use whatever was put on last and leave it at that until I strip the whole mess..some day?...I'd like your thoughts...
Dave and Jane Olson
Sophie
Minnetonka, MN

If you want to avoid periodic stripping of built-up bottom paint, go for one of the ablative paints that wear off during the season. Ablative paints are more expensive but they save a lot of time and hard work later on. I've been using Interlux Micron CSC for 4 years now and there is no build-up at all. Micron also provides good protection from growth build-up. When I haul out the boat in the fall, all that's needed is a good wash-down and the boat is ready for a fresh coat of paint in the spring.

[zeida]

Of course, there are many different bottom paints in the market. But one of the best to use is the Trinidad, made by Petit. It will give you the most antifouling protection. I have tried others before, and so far this one is giving me the best results. I use it on my CD 33, which I sail in Biscayne Bay, Miami, FL. hope to be of some use.
Zeida.

This will be the first year for us as owners of a sailboat... We bought a 25D and will launch it in the spring...I am somwhat overwhelmed by the selection of bottom paints available in the West Marine catalog. I realize that different water dictates different paint... Does it really matter which paint?...Should I just use whatever was put on last and leave it at that until I strip the whole mess..some day?...I'd like your thoughts...
Dave and Jane Olson
Sophie
Minnetonka, MN

zcecil@ibm.net

[Matt Cawthorne]

Dave and Jane,
I have not used Peal Away for bottom paint, but have used it to remove varnish. I used cheap, thin gloves (I am not sure whether the gloves were vinyl or latex) and found out that once the stuff goes through the gloves it removes skin. The remaining skin turned hard and cracked, exposing whatever is below the skin. It took many weeks before my hands began to look normal again. I still use Peal Away for some jobs, but I exercise the greatest of care when using it. If I get any on me I stop, clean it off of myself, wash up, and put on a new set of gloves under the heavy gloves. I can vouch for the stuff working well on enamel and many layers of varnish, but have not tried it on bottom paint.

Be careful and use good quality, heavy gloves and safety glasses!

Matt

Practical Sailor says that Peal Away is thier preferred way to remove bottom paint... I would like to hear if anyone has done this... Dave and Jane Olson
s/v Sophie
Minnetonka, MN

mcawthor@bellatlantic.net