Just picked up a boat in need, Now I need some advice?

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Ian Mauro

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Sep 25, 2008
6
Hello,

Haven't posted in a few years and under a different name with my Mac 26S.

I sold that boat and had a baby. Now with a bit of free time I picked up a American Mariner 26. Needs some cosmetics but has a camper canvas set up for the cockpit nice new sails and a 28" draft for the Great South Bay which is a bit skinny.

There are a couple of things I'm trying to figure out on this boat.

First, what it was painted with. I can guess a brush and must have been many yrs ago it has bad paint lines and that's on the outside. The inside must have been done at a different time with a different paint, I think? It is pealing and I am posting a pic. ot sure how to go about this.

Sandblast
Powerwash
Orbital Sander
Stripper Chemical

And what should paint it with or can I epoxy 1/4" Birch veneer (3ply) over the existing surface.(As I have 4 sheets in the shop)

Thanks
Any thoughts are appreciated
IanM
 

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Rick D

Rick D

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Jun 14, 2008
7,204
Hunter Legend 40.5 Shoreline Marina Long Beach CA
First: Congradulations on the New Boat...

..it looks like more fun than work. For the exterior, I'd tend to try a pressure wash first and then go from there. If the rest of it looks OK after, I'd be inclined to scuff it down and brush on a good quality single part enamel after primering. If it does not seem to be OK, I'd use a stripper, being careful to try a small area first.

As to the interior, I hate to say it, but a girlfriend once painted a large part of my mahogany interior with latex indoor bathroom paint as a 'surprise' (snarl). I hope that isn't true here, but it has that look. Is there something you can take to a paint store to have it looked at? If it is latex, I think you are up against a strip job.

Anyhow, that's my first inclination. There are a lot of guys on this board who probably have better ideas. I hope so. Good luck, and don't forget to have some fun on the way!
 
caguy

caguy

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Sep 22, 2006
4,004
Catalina, Luger C-27, Adventure 30 Marina del Rey
Congrats on your new project. I just stripped a door that was peeling in some places but hard as nails in other spots. I took a small propane torch and spatula to it. An industrial heat blow gun works too but takes a little more patience. It doesn't take much heat to soften the paint, process was amazingly fast. Finished it with a belt sander but in your case a commercial disk sander might work better. Don't forget to wear a mask, fiberglass dust is brutal on your lungs.
Best of luck,
 
sailingdog

sailingdog

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Oct 22, 2008
3,502
- Telstar 28 Buzzards Bay
Unfortunately, unless you know what the existing paint is, stripping it is the safest way to go to prep either the interior or the exterior for a new paint job.

I'd go with a power wash as the first step on the exterior. If you don't like the results, then try a chemical stripper—make sure you get one formulated for use on fiberglass and follow the directions. I'd really recommend avoiding sandblasting, as it can damage the gelcoat and laminate, or using a sander, which is just a nasty, dirty, thankless job.

For the interior, pull everything out and see how bad the paint really is... and then start by washing the interior really well...with trisodium phosphate or some other strong degreasing agent. Use a scotch brite pad and elbow grease while washing and you'll probably get rid of most of the loose stuff and leave yourself with a fairly decent surface. You might be surprised at how decent it looks after a good cleaning. If it isn't up to your standards, chemical stripper on all the painted fiberglass is probably the way to go.

BTW, I highly recommend you invest in a full face respirator, like a 3M 6000 Series, since it will be far more comfortable than goggles and a half mask. You'll probably want a decent organic vapor cartridge as well as a p95 particulates filter.

The mask looks like this:



Click on the photo for more info...
 
BrianW

BrianW

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Jan 7, 2005
843
Hunter 26 Guntersville Lake, (AL)
Congrats on your new boat!! Sailingdog is right on with his caution about the respiratory hazard. I'm a safety engineer and shutter when I hear about folks using paint strippers inside enclosed areas. If you use the old kind of paint stripper that is still sold at Wally World and big box home improvement stores, it contains methylene chloride. This is pretty bad stuff!! First it acts like most other solvents and can give you an undesired/desired "high". Second, it can stay in you bloodstream and hours later break down to form carbon monoxide inside your bloodstream. Next, it can wreck you kidneys and liver. Next, you can absorb it through your skin and then into your bloodstream. Next, it is a proven cancer-causer and is highly regulated by OSHA. Finally, it goes through organic vapor respirator cartridges like poop through a goose. Best advice from a old safety geek is to avoid methylene chloride-based paint strippers (read the label). BrianW
 
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Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
I would start by removing everything that you don't want painted and mask everything that you don't want painted and can't remove. Where they got paint on wood, alcohol will remove latex paint. A 3M grill scrubber pad and plenty of water with your favorite cleaner added. Spic and Span is better than TSP. Avoid dry sanding if at all posible. There are several primers made to be used over well adhered base paints of doubtful origin. You can get first class advice from the company paint stores Like Pittsburg Paints, Sherwin-Williams, McCormack. The crews there are trained by the factories to solve difficult painting problems. The demands placed on coatings by industry are far more severe than those of the boating trades. The shipbuilders don't buy their paints from West Marine.
 
sailingdog

sailingdog

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Oct 22, 2008
3,502
- Telstar 28 Buzzards Bay
Ross-

Just curious as to why you think Spic n' Span is better than Tri-sodium phosphate. I worked in the retail paint industry for several years, and TSP was the chosen surface prep cleaner back then. Still is AFAIK.

This is the industrial description of TSP from one of the vendors:

The all purpose cleaner used by professionals prior to painting exterior surfaces. It removes mold, and de-glosses surfaces that are oil-base painted. Ideal for cleaning garage or basement floors, it can be used to restore dried, used paintbrushes.
Click to expand
There's also a far greater chance that Spic n' Span will leave residue behind that will interfere with the new paint's adhesion, since it is scented. :)

I'd also point out, if Spic n' Span were such a good prep cleaner for painting, most paint, hardware and home improvement stores would probably be selling it in their paint department. I've never seen it there.
 
Scott T-Bird

Scott T-Bird

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Oct 26, 2008
6,432
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
I'm thinking along the same lines ...

The interior looks like it has no liner for either the hull or the roof. I don't think I would do the paint stripping. I'd bet that you could get a good, paintable surface by sanding and then painting with the appropriate primer and a one-part polyurethane paint. The wood also looks to be in prett good shape other than the sloppy paint spatters. You can take a lot of the trim off and re-finish in the comfort of your basement. The wood that you can't remove can be finished in place.

With refinsihed woodwork and a new color of your choice on the fiberglass, it will look great when you're done!
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
sailingdog said:
Ross-

Just curious as to why you think Spic n' Span is better than Tri-sodium phosphate. I worked in the retail paint industry for several years, and TSP was the chosen surface prep cleaner back then. Still is AFAIK.

This is the industrial description of TSP from one of the vendors:

There's also a far greater chance that Spic n' Span will leave residue behind that will interfere with the new paint's adhesion, since it is scented. :)

I'd also point out, if Spic n' Span were such a good prep cleaner for painting, most paint, hardware and home improvement stores would probably be selling it in their paint department. I've never seen it there.
Click to expand
TSP is indeed the industry choice for generic cleaners but Spic and Span is even harsher. My information comes from the former head of chemicals and coatings at Aberdeen Proving Ground. He doesn't recommend it for fine woodwork because it is harsher than TSP.
 
RAD

RAD

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Jun 3, 2004
2,330
Catalina 30 Bay Shore, N.Y.
Ian

Congrats on the new boat, where on the Great South Bay do you sail?
 
Bob S

Bob S

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Sep 27, 2007
1,813
Beneteau 393 New Bedford, MA
Ross,

I haven't seen Spic n Span in a store in years. They still sell it?
 
I

Ian Mauro

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Sep 25, 2008
6
Wow , Thanks for the great input.

Rad, West Islip. This coming season maybe Bayshore. My little girl is 19 months and I have only been able to throw the Javelin in for some quickies at Hecksher or Captree. Which I enjoy. I actually bought the boat for her a few yrs in advance of course but have thoroughly enjoyed getting wet in it.

Scott T-Bird That sounds like a plan, Everything is nice and hard, Some sanding and a paint scraper may work just fine then. Maybe a little cleaner and safer then stripping, Brian W I would love to avoid chem stripping.

Ross, I'll use some alcohol, may help determine the paint. It is flaking off very easily in a lot of areas.

Thanks for the advice. I am going to start with removing all wood and getting it inside for the winter project.
 
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