Bottom Paint Removal help?

[Beaker326]

Hey Folks,

So since it's about time to get things rolling, I've started getting the old bottom paint that the previous owner had out on Wild Oats.  Unfortunately....it's about 5 coats of bottom paint.  What's the best way to remove it?  I've been using a window scrape and a good ole belt sander.  I'm afraid to go down too far and ruin the gelcoat so I kind of stopped for the present to seek out better advice.   :lol: I've sanded a bit and it leaves things rough, but down to what I believe is the gelcoat.  Am I doing things way way WAY wrong?  Most of it flakes off pretty easy except for the bottom most layer and everything near the waterline.  Hopefully, here's images of what I've dne so far.  Any help would be most greatly appreciated.

[Mercrewser]

NO BELTSANDERS!!  You have to be careful that you don't hurt the gelcoat.  Botom paint will come off easily with wet sanding, it's the barrier coat that is hard to get off.  Wet sanding using generous amounts of water is the way to go.  Others have used chemical methods such as "peelaway".  The only sanding I would do is wet sanding with the most aggressive paper you can buy, usually 320 or so.  Follow up with 600 when you are done.  I took mine off its trailer to make it easier.  If you have a magic tilt trailer, get a helper and roll it off into your yard.  You can flip it to side to side, and even reload it yourself.  Heres some pics

[Beaker326]

Thanks for the tidbits.  I actually put the sander away about 2 minutes after I got it out.  I took a look at what it was doing and said no way, no how.  I'm going to have to fix that little area, but that won't be tough.  Unfortuantely, my trailer isn't quite that great.  Actually that's the other thing that needs work.  I have to replace the bunks.  They're just about rotted and there's more rust than metal on the brackets.  I think its going to involve lifting one side off the bunk then the other to get underneath them.  The yard I'm using is anything but flat...plus my parents may disown me if I abandoned my boat in their front yard and went home.  

And I lied about the 5 coats of paint....it's 7.   I think I'm going to wind up scraping away as many as I can and then reapplying bottom paint anyway.

[Mercrewser]

Dont forget about peelaway.  Do a search.  I've heard good things.

[steve brown]

Is it possible to roll a CP19 off its Magic-tilt trailer for bottom painting like the 16?

[mgoller]

Sometimes when you start something its best to finish.  Looks like you have about a third of it off.  getting the boat off and on its side would be a good idea.  Lay it down on a plastic tarp.  Sanding will take forever, use a stripper that is absolutely safe on fiberglass.  Check somewhere that wont show to make sure.  Let the stripper do its work and you can scrape with a plastic scraper to the gelcoat.  
"If the job's too hard you're using the wrong tool"
A chemical stripper will cut your work time to a day.
Throw the tarp away when you're done.
Don't give up.
Just set aside the time, be determined, have all the materials gathered and at hand and finish it.
When you're all done you can put a nice couple of coats of wax on and slip through the water.  At the end of the day it'll drip dry.
I expect pictures of the shiny hull by the end of April!

[Beaker326]

Update:

Peelaway is some nice stuff!!  I started with a tiny patch and it worked great.  Once the military's nice enough to give me another day or two off, I plan on getting the rest done.  I can't guarantee pictures by end of April.  Want to get the new Bowsprit put on too....which actually just got billed to my card...oof.  Pictures will be forthcoming once everything's done.  Thanks for the advice all around.

- Sean

CP16  #1540  "Wild Oats"

[stephen]

Some of the marina's in the area now offer to remove old coats of bottom paint using a pressure wash system that incorporates baking soda.  They claim that it removes the paint but will not harm the gel-coat.  It might be worth looking into.

[mhallas]

okay, how did you get your cp16 rolled off into the grass??? I do have the magic tilt trailer, but I cant get my head around how you did it!

matt hallas
'76 cp16 "Sarlacc Pit"

[Mercrewser]

Have someone sit on the transom, and then pull the trailer tilt pin.  Trailer should tilt.  Release winch strap, and slide the boat until the keel is in the grass.  Hop in the tow vehicle, drop it into drive and floor it.  No, I'm not kidding.

[Dan Hill]

How do you get the boat off the grass and back on the trailer?

[Mercrewser]

Retilt the trailer, and winch it back on.  You will need a helper to sit on the transom.  This pulls the bow up, and allows the keel to roll onto the first roller.  We winched as we backed the trailer underneath it.  This prevented it from scuffing up my yard.  It was all really simple and went well.  I was surprised.