anyone ever use that tape like stuff the is suppose to peel away old bottom paint? Does it work?

Meh, it'd be messy I assume, 10" random orbit sander and an old shop vac would do it in an hour or two.

Jim
If you are talking about the Peel Away, don't waste the time or money.
I "was" going to strip off the paint on my boat... started with peel away, and tried two other stronger products.
They all soften the gelcoat to varying degrees, which began to concern me, so I stopped at the test patch.
Seems the sand and vac route is the best advice.
Once the paint, (properly applied) is on there it's there... bottom paint is a very rugged product to remove with chemical, then add to the equation off of fiberglas. :wall:

ugh, I was afraid of that. I was hoping for a neat invention that made this chore a non-chore. I hate doing bottoms...I will get a quote from the yard.
My problem is that the guy who painted it first never got all the mold release wax off and the paint has never held right. It looks like hell. I need to get to down to bare glass wiped it down with a wax remover and prep it for fresh paint. Actually it should not be that hard to get off but I know some spots will be a pita.

On ship shape tv a week or so ago they had a guy with a tool that went around grinding bottom paint/gel coat off, right down to glass. They main reason was for curing osmotic blisters. It was a really cool tool, i don't remember what it was called. but it just ripped right down to bare glass and had all sorts of depth controls so you got a nice even finish. maybe if you set the tivo to record all episodes of shipshape tv you will find it, because they do a lot of repeats.

elbow grease!!
and if your not gunna babysit the yard,,,, do it yourself.
this is a busy time of year so if you want it done right do it yourself. you think the guy with 40 boats lined up behind yours really cares what yours looks like in three months? nope.

wetsand it,:humpty: get one of those wobbly head sheetrock sanding-pole attachments at home depot, with the sanding screens, and go to town on it. while your buddy holds the hose to it.
absolutely NO dust...
forget those chemicals all your left with is a mess and a pile of haz-waste plus neutralizing that stuff to paint over is tough.

elbow grease..:musc:

Please remember to use proper protection. You do not want that stuff in your body.

I saw that ship shape show, they were actually removing gel coat with that machine. That was a big job. I only want to remove the paint. That was quite a machine, like a hand planer that took the gelcoat off. My paint thickness varies from 0 to 3 or 4 coats and is very blotchy so I doubt I could use a constant setting like that.

I saw an ad (I think it was sent to me from the C-Map people) about a guy in RI/MA who removes bottom paint without glass damage using a portable soda baster machine he tows behind a truck. The result photos were impessive. It looks great but I can only imagine what the cost would be to get him out here to do my little boat...clearly not worth it. So far that method looks to be the most effective but I have no idea what the cost would be.


I sware that my dad got lung cancer and died from sanding that copper bronze bottom paint. Even if you use a resperator it is a nasty job. The hose idea seems like a good one. I will try a test patch. If it is too hard I will pay someone to do it.

in your original post you said you wanted to go to bare glass.
If you don't want to remove gel, than you're right, thats not an option.

i have heard good things about soda blasting, also heard of blasting with walnut shell. maybe there is a blaster out there already?

I spoke to someone last year about soda blasting my 19 footer. I was quoted $500. It sounds like a very reasonable price.
These are the folks I spoke to:
http://www.masssodablast.com/

Tuna Helper,

Yeah, those are the guys.
I just sent them an email to see what the cost and logistics would be.


Did you end up using them?

thanks

Home Depot, sells a stuff called Bix there are two kinds, get the
"BIX" strength sprayable stripper

Helped a friend do his, it worked great!! Spray it on and wait the required time. Scrape off, or perssure wash off.

There alot of guys on THT that have done the same thing with the same stuff!

I have to do mine also, just need to find the time?

Good Luck

Didn't end up getting it done. I was unemployed at the time and $500 may as well have been $5 million.
I may do it this Spring.

I just e-mailed MA sodabasting for a price, I'll let you know what I find out.

Keep me in the loop on the soda blasting....Saucy needs some new paint

I just got a reply from Mass soda blast:
$45.00/ft + $200.00 (materials)
27ft x 45 = 1215 + 200 = $1415.00, it may be fair for the work being done (?) but too rich for my blood. Now where did I put that sand paper ??

:humpty:
I was afraid of that.

anyone use the ablative paint instead of hard epoxy ? pros? cons?

IMHO ablative is the way to go. You can see when it wears off an know that its time to repint, plus it doesn't build up like regular bottom paints do.

I'd love to use ablative. But, I heard you can't use it on a "fast" boat. I have a 19 footer that tops out at 40+ mph.

My average speed (considering that a good deal of Boston's Inner Harbor is a no-wake zone) is probably 20-25 mph.

Anyone know if I can use ablative?

Ablative is the way to go...I never heard that fast boat theory before.

You should never have to sand...if you do apply it right the first time:rolleyes:

It works well from what I have seen. Hard paint is there forever, long after the antifoulant agent has leached out. This is how you get a big buildup of worthless bottom paint. Ablative wears off over time and can last for several seasons.

There was a great test of antifoulant bottom paints that ran a 9 month test both in FLA and in CT. (Powerboat review) The results were basically that some of the $80/gal paints with 40% CU worked better then some of the $130/gal paints with 70% CU. The bottom line was West Marines ablative (about 80 bucks) was one of the top pics. Also they determined that NONE of the slime agents work that well and added a lot of cost to the gallon of paint. They looked at hard and ablative. Most worked pretty well (some better then others)in fact one reviewer said that he would put any of the paints on his boat because most were very effective. I think there is another test planned too.

Thanks for the info
I think I will give the ablative a try. If it works as well / better than hard paint and I do not have to remove multiple coats of bottom paint every few years it's an easy decision.

you can do what they call a carolina coat. i used to do it on my little boat.
do the running surface with vc offshore{sailboat race paint} and the sides whear the sun hits with regular antifouling paint. held up great for me and i'd like to think the slick bottom saved a little bit of fuel/added a little speed.
i have no way to prove it did,, but in theory it did.

I just got a reply from Mass soda blast:
$45.00/ft + $200.00 (materials)
27ft x 45 = 1215 + 200 = $1415.00, it may be fair for the work being done (?) but too rich for my blood. Now where did I put that sand paper ??

Jeeze I'll do it for $200 and a case of Brooklyn Weisse. :laugha:

Yea I just got the same quote $1550 to do a 30 footer.

Can you use the albative over the hard? The bottom of my boat is a disaster... The origional marina which I don't use any more due to the various damage they did to my boat. (Didn't use any sealant on the transome mounted transducer when screwing it in, put bottom paint on a new boat without even cleaning the bottom, I can chip parts off with a paint scraper, charging me for a spring service, towing the boat to the mooring and leaving it there when they never even checked the steering fluid...)

The bottom has over 10 coats in spots and none in others. I think it must be slowing the boat down. My problem is that I have to do the job under a trailer and it can be pretty miserable. Anyone have any suggestions to make this job easier?

Yes you can use ablative over hard (but not the other way around because the ablative sluffs off over time).

However it sounds like you are in the same boat I am, you really need to get down to gel coat and begin anew if you want it to look decent. I feel your pain!:uhoh: I may go with that new Pettit bio bottom paint remover. It got a good review and try that. It is cheaper then 1500 bucks for a soda blast but probably more deadly:devil:

Ablative all the way..
a quick power wash in the fall and then repaint in the spring....

BTW West marine was having a sale last week, maybe still are, paint was cheap, especially with the old Port Supply Card....

SS; It's a pain in the ass isnt it (on the trailer) get some jack-stands, if you are gonna do it every year buy some boat stands from west, put some blocks under the keel... makes it a lot easier than a trailer....

$1100 for my 20 footer :shocked:

I think I am going to go one more season and then try to get it back to the gel coat?

There is a ton on there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I keep mine on a trailer so when I am done it depends what it looks like (stained) if I will repaint? But if I do, I will paint with a hard paint (enamel) or something

Jeeze I'll do it for $200 and a case of Brooklyn Weisse. :laugha:


I will keep you in mind for next year. I'll have you do my 21 footer!!

for $200 I will have you do it right now!!:laughs:

Cmon guys suck it up and get the respirator coveralls and DA out, I did my 24' last spring, I got it all done in a jiffy and had a nice clean bottom.

Jeeze I'll do it for $200 and a case of Brooklyn Weisse. :laugha:

When do you want to start? :)

I'll give you $200 and a keg of Brooklyn Weisse:gu: :gu: :gu:

I will keep you in mind for next year. I'll have you do my 21 footer!!

Got my full face 3M mask, porter cable random orbit, and an old shop vac in the basement. :hihi:

But half the reason they want an arm and a leg is the disposal of the bottom paint post sanding.
THAT is expensive.

I have a 2001 18 cc and the guy that I bought it from kept the boat in the water at a slip so the bottom is painted.... I on the other hand will trailor it and it will not be kept in the water what is recomended to do? The bottom is in good shape... the only troublesome spots are where the rollers are... some flaking but for the most part its in really good shape.

Thanks for any input.

sol...

sol, double up the coats where the rollers are.

What grit paper do you guys use to sand the old paint off? And does it tend to load up quick requiring alot of paper changing?

Slapshot,

I use like to use 60 grit on may random orbit. If I can't find it 80 at the finest.

Yes it may tend to load up and then stops working depending on type of paint sometimes requires frequent changes.

Last year I did Fishingfreaks wet sand method with the drywall pads and hose. I was impressed and may do it again. It is messy but no dust messy which is allot cleaner.

With a random orbit and vaccum attachment you'll still rip through pads pretty quickly.

But the paint comes off like BUTTAH. :hihi:

Hey guys....maybe the soda blasting folks will give us all a volume discount if we can get enough boats together......thoughts.?

Are you guys removing all of the bottom paint, down to gel coat, or just touching up to re-apply?

I want to remove it entirely as I am now on the trailer.

I want all mine gone!!
And after I am done depending how stained the bottom is I will make any repairs to gel coat and then paint with awlgrip to make a nice smooth bottom!! Might even go faster??

I never take it all off. Some spots do but if the adhesion is on the hull it stays. I just like to get the loose stuff off and then maybe a bit more than that to reduce long term build up. Personally I would have the patience to take it all off and IMO is not necessary.

Since your on a trailer now......if I were in your shoes I'd still just give it a good sanding and paint it again, but that is me.

I found a guy in Naragansett that will soda blast for $40 a foot. His name is John Armstrong phone 401-378-7881. If you call it couldn't hurt if you tell him you know me. He'll be doing my boat sometime before the end of the month. I'll let you know how it goes.

MM;
I may have seen his truck while I was filling up at PTJ Marina Monday... wanted to ask him about it but was in a rush...
good luck...

and beamie... spot on; get the loose %$%$%$%$ off and then paint it with ablative... good till next year!

Lately I have been using an ablative product. But I must say I would never trust it for another year, and I always sand or scuff things up to get some off. I can never believe when products say things like no sanding and good for 3 years etc. I like to put on a thin coat and go.

Hey Guys, new here but not new to boats:btu:

If you really want to get it all off and not hurt the gelcoat, you can use somthing called Nutec, iis specifically designed for this task. I have used it for years ans you just brush it on,leave it sit, and come back with a putty knife and slide it right off. This is all we use now as it works so good. If yanyone needs any more info just let me know.

Scott

I just stripped a 21' Regulator. 10-12 hours of Scraping and sanding... The best tool was a 1" Chisel got 100% off. This is the 5 or 6th bottom I did and have used the peel away and Paint Strippers in the past with poor results. When I was doing a bottom inspection on a 29' Blackfin I picked up in Brooklyn NY last month I saw the yard using this method and the foreman said it's the fastest method other than the soda blasting.

Remove it off the trailer to make it easier to work on! The Regulator would have been faster but there was about 25% of the hull that was painted correctly and a PIA to remove..

MTC, can you explain how you are using the 1" chisel to remove the bottom paint? I am guessing you are not hitting it with a hammer or mallet. And what kind of chisel do you mean? There is the woodworking chisel with a flat back, and then there is the chisel used in stone work, etc....

ScottC were do you get this stuff you speak of?? And how long is the wait time before you start removing the paint??

Thanks

Good info all.

I just power washed the bottom to get the flaky stuff off and now I will go back and sand with 60/80 and do a touchup like beamie suggested.

good to go.

sol...

Used a 1" and a 1 1/2" and just pushed it along the hull... it came off like butter. Keep the chisel sharp and use 2 hands so you don't gouge the gel coat.

ScottC were do you get this stuff you speak of?? And how long is the wait time before you start removing the paint??

Thanks

If your in the RI , southern mass area you can get it from Composites One or from just about any serious refit marina,. like Hinclkey yachts, where I worked for 5 years. You can strip in about a half hour and I have done a 25 foot bottom in about 2 hours not busting my but. Scraping is a nightmare, so one who has to make money doesn't scrape dry bottoms. This stuff turns any bottom paint to soft mush and preserves the gelcoat, it is specifically designed for this purpose.

For those who think that strippers don't work your right, none of them do, but this one. And you cannot get it at west marine.

The blaster guy gave me what I think is a decent quote ($800) but the logistics for me make it too costly. ( round trip on the ferry (300+) Plus the cost of yard storage and taking it off the trailer and blocking for a day or so and putting it back on the trailer. Not to mention I would probably have to stay in a hotel over night and on and on... If I lived on the mainland I would try the soda blast.
(MM, let us kow how it works out)

I called the local boatyard and they but a guy on it to strip it to the gel coat and wipe it down with the wax removal agent, prep and re-paint. It will not be cheap but at least it will be done.

For me, dealing with antifoul bottom paint sucks. I like those florida boats that have a lift for their boats and the bottom is not painted.

Sandy,
I'll definately let everyone know how it works out.

I am coming up short in a google search for a Nutec distributor near CT. I would like to try this stuff. How is is applied? Can I brush it on?

The closest distributor I can find is the one you mentioned in Bristol, RI. A bit of a haul for me.

Is it called Nutec 2000 stripper or something like that?

I am leary of the chisel technique, as I intend to leave the boat unpainted after I strip.

I am coming up short in a google search for a Nutec distributor near CT. I would like to try this stuff. How is is applied? Can I brush it on?

The closest distributor I can find is the one you mentioned in Bristol, RI. A bit of a haul for me.

Is it called Nutec 2000 stripper or something like that?

I am leary of the chisel technique, as I intend to leave the boat unpainted after I strip.

Yeah you can brush it on, I prefer a textured roller BUT you have to get goggles and the obvious protection. The only place I have ever got it from was the marina I worked at in Portsmouth RI. I don't know if it is called nutec 2000, if you called a few local marinas I bet they will have it, Composites One distributes it to many marinas it the Mass, Conn and RI.

I have let this stuff sit for a couple hours, and scraped off 3 layers of bottom paint with a plastic scraper.

It is thick like jelly and is bright pink.

OK, I did a ton of research trying to track down Nutec. I finally got a number in California off of an MSDS sheet. THe people I spoke to said Nutec has been out of business for about five years.

They said they make a product called Take-Off that does the same thing but does not have the MEK in it. does anybody know if Take-Off is any good? The only new england distributor they have is near Boston (Northampton Paint).

OK, I did a ton of research trying to track down Nutec. I finally got a number in California off of an MSDS sheet. THe people I spoke to said Nutec has been out of business for about five years.

They said they make a product called Take-Off that does the same thing but does not have the MEK in it. does anybody know if Take-Off is any good? The only new england distributor they have is near Boston (Northampton Paint).


Wow, I wonder if I am going to get cancer from useing it? I guess it has been a while since I used it, and it was all the rave. Methel Ethel Ketone is a common cleaner we used to use too! We used it clean our fiberglassing tools with it. Funny, when you add peroxide to is you get the catalyst for fiberglass resin. Do you know if they wen tout of business because of the health risks? I used a respirator everytime but I would still want to make sure. I am goint to call my connection at my old job and ask them what they use now, I will post it up with in the hour. Sorry for pointing you in the wrong direction.

Hey no sweat. FYI I found a lawsuit against Nutec in my search and if I remember right, it had something to do with the stripper.

Any info you pass along is appreciated.

Hey no sweat. FYI I found a lawsuit against Nutec in my search and if I remember right, it had something to do with the stripper.

Any info you pass along is appreciated.

I totally believe it, it worked so damn good it there had to be somthing wrong with it. Figures .

ICI Dulox Providence 401 732 8999 Call them and ask for Nutec, they will tell you they do not sell it, but have somthing else that works as good, this is what they are useing now. He could not tell me the name off the top of his head, but it is somthing like strip -off or strip-ease or somthing to that effect.

I bought the Take-Off from a vendor in Northampton, MA last night. I got it home and put it on a 4"x4" test patch. In about 30 minutes I came back and took off the 3-4 layers of bottom paint. It came off pretty darn easy. I will be doing a much larger area on Saturday before the rain comes. I will try to take some before and after pics. Right now the hull looks pretty ugly with flaking bottom paint all over.

Sweet man, it sounds like how the nutec worked and i bet it won;t kill you as fast hahah.

Hi,
On a 28 Penn Yan and a 20 Grady I used Peel Away and thought that it was great. It took off multiple layers of bottom paint. Getting the whole job done is still a lot of work. I used 1 5 gallon jug ($90 home depot) on the grady and almost 10 gals on the Penn Yan.

john

I used about 2/3 of a gallon on 1/2 of the hull (23 foot boat). I was amazed how well it worked. I would say it took of 90% of the bottom paint. I believe that what is still on the hull is only there because I did not put the stuff on thick enough, and or let it sit long enough to work.

I have found that where a very thin film of bottom paint residue is left, 800 grit wet paper takes right off.

I used about 2/3 of a gallon on 1/2 of the hull (23 foot boat). I was amazed how well it worked. I would say it took of 90% of the bottom paint. I believe that what is still on the hull is only there because I did not put the stuff on thick enough, and or let it sit long enough to work.

I have found that where a very thin film of bottom paint residue is left, 800 grit wet paper takes right off.


Sounds like you did great! Remember barrior coat when putting the new stuff on.

You notice this stuff you only used a gallon or so? the home depot stuff you have to use 5 times as much because it is not specifically designed to break the adhesion chemical used in bottom paint like this stuff is. Just like Nutec was.

I won't be putting any bottom paint back on. This one will sit on a trailer. I get two advantages. One I don't have to pay the outrageous slip fee, and two Ican fill up cheaper at the roadside gas station.

I plan on wet sanding and then using a polisher with compound and then waxing. Not sure how much of that will be done this year.

Leave it to sandman to post an itty, bitty, less than sexy question like:

"anyone ever use that tape like stuff the is suppose to peel away old bottom paint? Does it work?"

that leads to 3 pages of in-depth discussion. This will probably by 5 or 6 pages long before we've fully investigated all of the removal techniques, coating types, application techniques, environmental and health concerns, outsourcing vs. do it yourself etc. etc. etc.

I have "thread" envy!

Can't wait to watch his next post on "Dock Lines: Nylon vs. Polypropylene; strength vs cost; sink vs float; what do you use and how does it affect your productivity in the bedroom" grow to be copyrighted and published in Basic Patrick's next OTW article.

Cover's coming off this weekend boys! Gotta buy a new trailer hitch though. Couldn't get the old one off the Blazer.

Hehehe,

Got the boat back, had the yard remove the bottom paint (turns out they sodablasted it!) and then they properly preped, and primed it and put a nice fresh coat of ablative on there. It looks great. I have not gotten the bill :doh: yet but I could not have done a job like. Looks real good. I can tell the paint is really sticking by just looking at it, it is nice and smooth now.:hf1:

Tomorrow I will install the new compass (old one craked and leaked), re-install electronics and clean her up (needs a little TLC), then re-load the gear early in the week. Gotta get out there the Mac's and Tog are in gear man! I know someone who has already caught a fluke! Also, gotta get those pots in the water!

Gas prices just suck right now. Thank God I have a full tank of gas from last season! I wonder how long that will last?

Just a quick follow up. I used the chemical stripper on the port side of the hull, and I used MTC's chisel method on the starboard side.

I like the chisel method much better. The paint really comes off, but you have to be careful or you can gouge the gel coat. The chemical peeler worked, but when you go to scrape it off it smears and leaves a black streak. The chisel removes all of the bottom paint.

I bought a 2.5-3" chisel. I think the bigger chisel helps you to keep from rolling it and digging the corner of the chisel into the gel coat. The boat now has a smooth bottom, but there is still evidence of bottom paint in the areas where the hull was prepped with a DA sander prior to bottom painting. I've been using wet paper in the highly visible areas up in the bow, but may just leave it if the water warms up here quick.

Hi,
I used peel away on 2 boats to remove multiple layers of bottom paint. I think it is the easiest way other than hiring someone to do the baking soda blaster. I used it on a 20' Grady and a 28' Penn Yan.
I bought it at Home Depot for ~$90 for 5 gals. It comes with the paper, and when I ran out of the supplied paper I used wax paper which worked pretty well. The boat supply stores sell the same stuff for about $150/5 gals.

After I stripped each boat, I put on barrier coat before bottom paint.

Good luck.

Guys,
Well the soda blasting and barrier coat is done and it looks great! All it needs is paint and I'm ready to rock 'n roll. Bottom of the boat is as amooth as a baby's keister. All in all, except for en extra week and half of time, it worked out real well.

I did mine by sanding when I first got it. After that , I went about 15 years using hard vinyl bottom paint. Great stuff and really fast. Then they outlawed the tri-butyl-tin antifouling aganet that made the vinyls so good and I went to ablative for the last 8 years . With the ablative , I went to every other year for coating.

Get under there with a grinder and some 80grit won't take as long as you think I took at least six coats off in two hours right down to the epoxy barrier coat. Finish sand with some 150 and its ready to go!

IF you sand it I suggest getting an 8" Makita with a soft pad, NOT a rubber backing, just a soft pad set up for sticky back discs. You can lay waste to it in short time, but it is back breaking.