Bootstripe - stripping & painting

[D. Stump, Hanalei]

Someone painted the bootstripe on Hanalei with a toothbrush on a windy day, and now it is pealing and looking poorly. Time to fix it! Questions: 1. How should I strip off the old paint, what paint striper and technique? 2. If I strip off the old paint, how do I know where the stripe goes after the paint is removed , ie. maintain the same location and measurements? 3. Was the original bootstripe painted on or was it incorporated into the fiberglas mould? 4. I'm planing on using Petitt 3510, Brightwork Brown to repaint - is this the correct color as Interlux Dado brown is no longer available?

Any suggestions or comments would surely be appreciated.

Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei CD-30

[zeida]

Dave: I just had my bootstripe on Bandolera II redone, and it is just gorgeous. Step 1- I paid someone at the marina during haul-out to sand down by hand as much as possible of the old paint, which was peeling and in bad shape. You could see two different color layers, both peeling. The goal is to get it as smooth as possible. Step 2- put green line 1-inch tape both on top and bottom of the stripe, all around the hull. That way you have marked the exact width of the stripe, and the tape will help give the new paint a perfect edge.
Step 3- I had four coats of Aristo Blue awlgrip painted on. To apply each new coat you must wait 20 minutes in between to let the previous one dry. Someone has to really know how to paint with awlgrip - it is an art! You can also use regular bootstripe paint, and the process should be the same. Good luck.
Zeida



zcecil@ibm.net

[Dana]

Dave,

Yes, the Pettit paint color you mentioned is the right one. I used it for my boot top. I used a plastic tape (which has a very smooth edge) to carefully "butt" up the the existing paint edge on both the top and bottom of the boot top. Then you can use a 150 grit sand paper and gently sand the existing boot top smooth. Just be careful around the tape edges. Carefully remove the residue with a small quanity of acetone. Keep it away from the plastic tape.

Although spraying the boot top does produce the best shine, one can apply the boot top with a good quality foam brush. Using light, quick strokes I find the Pettit produces a quality shine and smooth surface.
Do not retrace any work. Once the paint starts to dry at all, it will only develop brush stroke marks if you go back before it drys. Three coats does it.

Have fun.

Dana



darenius@aol.com

[D. Stump, Hanalei]

Dana,
Thank you for your informative reply. I just got off the phone with the yard foreman, they have quoted $695 to prep/sand off the old paint, tape the lines, de-wax the area and apply 2 coats of the Pettit. They also quoted $1574 to Cacoon (sp) the boat, after moving it into a shed, sand to gellcoat, prep and spray paint a primer and 1-2 coats of Imron. They both sound like a lot of money to me. The foreman said that the 1st. option would last for about 2 years, and the 2nd. for about 10 years. So, you pay them now, or pay them later.

I would do option 1 myself, but I am concerned with removing the old paint and still maintaining the proper boot top location and measurements. Should I mask it and use a chemical stripper? If so, what making tape, what stripper? Also, what do you use for a de-waxer? Will the stripper also remove the masking tape? Or, should I mask it, sand as close as I can to the line, finish prep and paint it? I am really uneasy about loosing the original line/location of the stripe. Any advice or suggestions you can give sure would be appreciated.

Oh, also, the foreman said that they have sprayed a few boot tops with a bottom paint. That gives a flat finish that doesn't show imperfections as much as the bright finish of the Pettit. I think I would like to maintain the bright finish. What think you?

Dave Stump

[Dana]

Yea, the price has always encourged me to do the work myself. You will not lose the boot top lines if you "butt" edge a fine edge tape carefully up to the top and bottom edge of the existing boot top. I would not use a stripper because of the tape. I have always sanded the area carefully and removed the residue after. I have used a good quality electrical tape for the job with success. Standard masking tape does not have a fine edge and will leave a small jagged line. This work is not hard at all, just requires going at it with some care. It will take about an hour to "butt edge" mask the boot top carefully. Then sand, paint, and then remove the tape. You will be surprised. Generally this is a straight forward job with big $ savings for the person who handles it themselves.

Orginally, I had even raised the bottom paint and repositioned the boot top up. THAT work is more demanding and leaves you with no existing references lines.

[D. Stump, Hanalei]

Dana,

Ok, I feel better about tackling the job. I'm going to follow your advice, mask it with electrical tape, sand it, wipe it with acetone, and repaint it with at least two coats of the Pettit. If it lasts two years, fine. I'll spend the savings on finishing the hot water heater installation on Hanalei this year, and if I find that the boot stripe needs redoing in 2 or so years I can re-visit the whole thing then. At least I will have learned about the task, and if we can learn a little as we sail through life, I think we are ahead of the game. Thanks again for your help...the yard foreman is going to hate to hear about this...maybe I'll just avoid him until Hanalei's back in the water!!!

Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei (CD-30)

[Neil Gordon]

If I strip off the old paint, how do I know where the stripe goes after the paint is removed ...<<

Mark the top of the existing bootstripe with masking tape. Then mark the top of the masking tape with another row of tape. If you use 2" tape, you now have a line 2" above the old stripe. Use chemical stripper or sand or whatever, then remask with 2" tape from the bottom of the reference line.


Regards, Neil
s/v LIQUIDITY
Cape Dory 28 #167



neil@nrgordon.com

[D. Stump, Hanalei]

Neil,
Thank you, that sounds like a plan! I will use it, especially since I think I can use a chemical stripper to take it all off. Dana also had some good suggestions, that I will also follow. Thanks to both of you.

Dave Stump
Hanalei

[Ed Roberts]

Sometimes boottops vary in width in order to create an illusion of constant width as the curve of the hull changes. Check this before you lose the old one.
Ed