Antifouling Paint Strip & Reapplication

8

87 cruisers

Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2005
RO Number
19273
Messages
27
PO(s) used what my boatyard manager calls a 'semi-ablative' bottom paint for years. Each year, they've just lightly sanded and applied fresh paint. I'm considering stripping and starting over but they want $50/ft to remove old paint and he recommends going to Micron Extra as a replacement. Total cost would run near $3,000. I don't think sanding the old stuff off is practical, and wonder if chemical strippers would be any better - he says no, they're too messy. If they do it, he said they'll use a pneumatic 'soda stripper'. 3k will buy a nice compressor, blasting gun and lots of walnut hulls! Has anyone done this job? Is it a reasonable DIY job?
Charlie
 
quote:
Originally posted by pdecat

why bother, just do as the POs did

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I've decided to do just that this spring..but with a buildup exceeding 1/8" in many places, it seems that I'm sacrificing fuel and speed by carrying all that extra weight around...I'm planning ahead for next year - or the next, or the next.
Charlie
 
Charlie, can you store your boat on a lift? After 3-4 yrs of not bottom painting anymore, it would pay for itself. Also your outdrive is protected from corrosion.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Flutterby

Charlie, can you store your boat on a lift? After 3-4 yrs of not bottom painting anymore, it would pay for itself. Also your outdrive is protected from corrosion.

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I don't have access to a lift as the marina where I keep it doesn't have lifts but I do keep it on the hard from late November until early April in a boatyard. I don't have outdrives...it's twin Crusader 350's with thru-hull shafts.
I'll apply a fresh coat of bottom paint in a couple of weeks (just before launch) and then figure out if and how to strip it for next year.
Charlie
 
What's a semi-ablative paint?

Never heard of it.

I've seen a demo of the new Petite paint remover and it appeared to work as advertised.

Jonathan
 
If your yard will let you, you can use Peal-Away paint stripper. You can buy it in 5 gallon cans. It takes some time, but does a good job with no dust problems. After a light sanding, I would use Micron. I've had good luck with it the past 6 seasons. If your taking it down to the gelcoat, you might as well barrier coat with West or 2000E. After that, I applied two coats of Micron. Every year after, I do a good cleaning, scrubbing with soap and a brush and apply a light coat of Micron. I thin down a 1/2 gallon for my 28 footer using regular cheap paint thinner. (I know this isn't recommeded, but it works fine for me. I also used lacquer thinner one year.) At the end of the season when hauled, I've never had any problems with growth and save a fortune on bottom paint.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Gary001

If your yard will let you, you can use Peal-Away paint stripper. You can buy it in 5 gallon cans. It takes some time, but does a good job with no dust problems. After a light sanding, I would use Micron. I've had good luck with it the past 6 seasons. If your taking it down to the gelcoat, you might as well barrier coat with West or 2000E. After that, I applied two coats of Micron. Every year after, I do a good cleaning, scrubbing with soap and a brush and apply a light coat of Micron. I thin down a 1/2 gallon for my 28 footer using regular cheap paint thinner. (I know this isn't recommeded, but it works fine for me. I also used lacquer thinner one year.) At the end of the season when hauled, I've never had any problems with growth and save a fortune on bottom paint.

Click to expand...


I just scraped and sanded about 10 years of bottom paint off my boat, 1989 280 Dancer, it's down to the gel coat, where should I go from here, what type of paint and how many gals?

Thanks in advance!

Bill
 
Bill, I did the same as you a few years ago and never want to have to do that again! My old paint was hard epoxy and about 10 years worth. After I got all the old paint off, I wiped the hull down with solvent, applied about 4 coats of Interlux Interprotect 2000 (barrier coat) and then applied 2 coats of Pettit Ultima SR. You need a barrier coat under your anti-fouling if you use ablative (no build up like the epoxies and mult-season protection unlike epoxies). Bottom paint and gel coat are semi-permeable. Water can move in and out and that's how osmotic blisters start. The barrier coat will protect the hull. The barrier coat also gives a great surface for paint to adhere to. Have you ever seen bottom paint flake off in large areas? I doubt they used a barrier coat and the adhesion was poor. You've got a great start on doing a great job, don't stop now.
Greg
 
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