Anyone go with a chemical stripper to remove bottom paint? I want to research all the alternatives before I schedule anything. Hull is 1993 Grady 209 Escape, so there could be as many as 15 coats in places...
BTW, the local service said he would give me a "good" price after I asked about scheduling this work for February......

Home Depo has stuff called Bix, that I hear is very good?

I have also hear (all bad) about a tape you put on and peel off later.

Then there are those that just us a sharp scraper and scrape it off, being careful not to cut into the gelcoat.

There is no real easy way to do it!! Its eaither goining to be a time consuming job for you, or you are going to pay someone to do it.

If you don't count your time for much then its cheaper to do yourself.

I sold my boat so I would not have to do it :laugha: The new boat I bought was alreay done for me.

Eaither way get her done!!

Ross my 2 cents -
i had tried to remove bottom paint on one of my boats, tried peel away, bix and 2 other products. None got my satisfaction. Also was showing to be a very time consuming and messy job. Gave up and stayed with the bottom paint.
Also found that the paint removers were softening the gel coat.
I would look at other methods.

I also tried the chemicals last year, bix and peel away. It took a long time to get it done and I still wound up sanding a lot of it. The chemicals make a mess and I also had places where they were softening the gelcoat. If I ever have to do this again I will spend the money and have a yard do it or have it soda-blasted.

I have used the Peel-A-Way and got some on my wrist... caused some very bad burns that eventually healed... be careful...

This is what you want:
http://www.starbronze.com/730.html
In RI its legal to sell but illegal to use.And yet available at any hardware store.

As far as Peel-Away goes don't forget there are several differant grades and it is VERY EXPENSIVE!!!
http://www.dumondchemicals.com/html/products.htm

Btw any and all chemical strippers will soften and remove the gelcoat.

If you really want to remove everything use a plate burner but this is truly the most illegal way of stripping paint!

I heard enough negatives to know that I will not be using Peel Away

Might look into this soy based remover though....

http://www.franmar.com/index.php?cPath=44

I doubt peel away can attack 15 coats of paint. If I were I would have it blasted

Would zip strip remove the gel coat ?

I plan on getting a Soda Blasting machine by the end of the year for my shop... I think there is a market for this service on the South Shore... I plan on keeping the boat size under 25' and working in my building so I will not have to get involved in portable generators, tents and vacuum systems...

Just wondering if a STRONG power wash would remove bottom paint ?
Shoot, if you can etch concrete with it, can`t it work, (set properly) on paint ?

I have done paint stripper and a powerwasher but the grass did not grow for a year in that spot and it made a mess!

What about on a hard surface ? Cover the trailer. Now, I mean just a industrial powerwasher, without the stripper ?

NEVER remove a chemically stripped surface with a power-washer.Any strippable layer should be manually removed by hand.And if necessary reapply the stripper again and manually remove again.Then sand.

My first boat " Flash Back" had many layers of bottom paint, I wanted to remove it and repaint it but some old salt told me to let it wear off naturally and gracefully, or have it soda blasted.
That boat had so much bottom paint fish would hide in the crevices like structure and wait for food to go by.
So now on the Trophy no bottom paint , collonite wax & rain -X, call me anal but it keeps me out of trouble
ML Sr.:eyes:

I have stripped two hulls with peel away. A lot of work, but much easier than conventional strippers. You can get 5 gals at home depot for half of what they charge at West Marine. I did a 20' grady and a 28 ft Penn Yan.

As someone else mentioned above, it will burn if you get it on your skin. The kits come with special paper that expensive when you need more. I used wax paper and that worked fine.

There is also a new process that is supposed to work well. It is sandblasting with baking soda. If you want to talk my experience with peel away, send me a pm.

good luck,
john

My Soda Blaster will be in next week...