Bottom paint issue

[Fastdoc98]

I have a 2009 Eclipse that had bottom paint applied by the previous owner.  He did a fantastic job of cleaning up the teak and refinishing and polishing the gelcoat, so the boat showed well.  The bottom paint was fresh as he never had a chance to sail it before he sold it to me.  I asked him what kind of paint he used, and he confessed that he just bought some cheap bottom paint off Amazon, did not specify brand.  Well, a few years now and there are places where it is flaking off.  When I look at those spots the gelcoat underneath is beautiful!  It appears shiny and fairly glossy so I'm thinking there was no sanding or barrier coat applied before this bottom paint went on.  Considering I'm a trailer sailor and this boat is moored on my driveway I'm wondering about just taking off all this cheap bottom paint and polishing the gelcoat.  What would be a way of removing the paint without damaging the existing gelcoat as it appears to be in pretty nice condition?  I know I could just leave it as it's purely cosmetic and only seen when on the trailer and driveway, but it bothers me a little. 

[brackish]

Too bad you don't know what it is.  If it is an ablative bottom paint with no anchor pattern sanded on the gel coat, you could maybe pressure wash it off.  If you have a pressure washer you might try it. 

[Fastdoc98]

I'm guessing since I'm in the Midwest and the boat was purchased locally it's not an ablative.  It also doesn't seem to have a chalky texture to it, i.e., nothing ever seems to wear off on the bunks.  It feels thicker than like a VC17, somewhat rougher finished texture but that could be the way he laid it on.  I like the idea of the pressure washer.  I bet if I got really close on one of the flaking areas it may continue to peel.

[MacGyver]

I have been held up and not been on for a while.
If I were you I would try to pressure wash it off only, maybe even allow it to come off naturally, as really what you are looking at is the surface tension of the paint grabbing the bottom to actually give out.

If you have Gelcoat and plan to trailer sail, then I would wax it or some kind of coating. BUT: If you would rather keep it in for longer periods, then I would ponder on that and maybe do the Barrier coat and paint. When I was doing this work at a yard here in Illinois, I wouldn't wax a bottom if there was a thought to Barrier coat it later, reason is, if you do not remove the wax well enough, well...... the barrier coat wont be on long in the areas the wax is present.

Anyway, weird that folks coat a bottom with paint and don't sand it...... but then again, weird to me possibly because I did it for 20 years and fixed alot of odd stuff!

Mac