Bottom stripping 10 coats

[All U Get]

I started stripping the bottom of our Catalina 30 and found at least 10 layers of paint. Its been slow with the soy strip and changing weather but I'm making progress. I've been waiting about 1/2 hour after coating to scrape the paint off and only get 2 layers at a time. Would it go quicker if I cover the soy strip for a while with plastic sheeting? Here's 2 pictures of the progress, about two days and a gallon of soy strip.
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[Buck420]

I started stripping the bottom of our Catalina 30 and found at least 10 layers of paint. Its been slow with the soy strip and changing weather but I'm making progress. I've been waiting about 1/2 hour after coating to scrape the paint off and only get 2 layers at a time. Would it go quicker if I cover the soy strip for a while with plastic sheeting? Here's 2 pictures of the progress, about two days and a gallon of soy strip.
All U Get

Per Rich Stidger's (I think) recommendation, I bought a couple of gallons of "Smart Strip" paint remover (http://www.peelaway.com/smart-strip.htm ) and tried it, primarily along my waterline, where I had at least 12-15 coats of paint.
I was pleased with the result.
Apply it with a paint brush GENEROUSLY. Let it sit overnight. I believe you will be surprised at how much paint lifts off with a wide putty knife the next day ( I found, as suggested in the product literature, ~ 6-8+ coats).
It's a bit messy, ... wear gloves, etc, and have a large trash can under the area you are scraping off to discard the scraped off "stuff" into.

 

[tommays]

I have had some very good results with a scraper that holds sheetrock blades it takes some time to get the hang of it BUT it works well and all you have to do is sweep up the chips

When i have used the safe strippers i found you really need to apply the paper to allow the stripper enough time to stay wet and soak into the coats of paint

 

[All U Get]

1. It's a bit messy, ... wear gloves, etc, and have a large trash can under the area you are scraping off to discard the scraped off "stuff" into.

2. When i have used the safe strippers i found you really need to apply the paper to allow the stripper enough time to stay wet and soak into the coats of paint

I'll be using the Peel Away on the other side, sort of my own testing site. I've been using a 8 inch sheetrock blade with the trash can and plastic sheeting to catch the ooze as I scrape it off. Quite a bit of information under that paint on where the PO's had the boat.
All U Get

 

[Rich Stidger]

Per Rich Stidger's (I think) recommendation, I bought a couple of gallons of "Smart Strip" pain remover

I did post once that I attempted to use the Peel-A-Way brand of stripper, but found that it was way to much work and would require more time than I had available. Also it was very expensive and messy.

Instead I opted to sand aggressively with 60 grit with a vacuum sander over a four year period. Each year it got better and now I have a minimum of paint on the hull. I was going to sand anyway so the sanding job was just more extensive.

I coupled that sanding method with applying only one very thin coat of paint with a 3/16" nap roller. This one coat lasts the season and is mostly gone by haul-out. With just moderate sanding in the Spring, I have a fresh coat of paint each year with no long term build-up. I use just under one gallon of paint for my 40-foot boat.

 

[kenn]

I did our small boat with Soy-Strip. It takes alot longer than 1/2 hour to work! Best results came from putting the stripper on thickly late in the day, then scraping the next morning. I used a 3" drywall knife for scraping.

I didn't use cling-wrap, but I did have tarps over the boat to keep sun and wind off of it.

It took about 2 applications to remove 3 or 4 layers of old bottom paint. I then did one more quick coat of soy stripper, let it sit for a couple hours, then I used a scrub-brush and warm sudsy water to scrub this off, since soy-based stripper is water-soluble. This did a great job, with minimal damage to the gelcoat.

(Caveat - small trailerable boat. Other methods may work better on larger hulls)

 

[All U Get]

Instead I opted to sand aggressively with 60 grit with a vacuum sander over a four year period. Each year it got better and now I have a minimum of paint on the hull. I was going to sand anyway so the sanding job was just more extensive.

It took about 2 applications to remove 3 or 4 layers of old bottom paint. I then did one more quick coat of soy stripper, let it sit for a couple hours, then I used a scrub-brush and warm sudsy water to scrub this off, since soy-based stripper is water-soluble. This did a great job, with minimal damage to the gelcoat.

Hi Rich,
I'm going to barrier coat next spring so I have a little time. The Peel Away was on for 6 hours, I just finished in the dark, and it took it down to the bottom two coats. Wait a minute,,,, The letters were coming off the laptop. Will sanding hurt the gelcoat before I epoxy?

Hi Kenn,
I'm using soygel on one side and it seems to dry quickly and is a PITA to scrape. I tried a plastic covering but beyond 1/2 hour it sets up again. Once near the gel coat it stays wet for more than an hour.

I included pics of soy on starboard... 3 days, and peel away on port... too dark for final result.

All U Get

 

[kendall]

I have had some very good results with a scraper that holds sheetrock blades it takes some time to get the hang of it BUT it works well and all you have to do is sweep up the chips

When i have used the safe strippers i found you really need to apply the paper to allow the stripper enough time to stay wet and soak into the coats of paint

Agree, that's what I've found works best with thick paint. I normally file the corners so they're rounded and won't dig in as easily. Using a wood chisel or razor makes it easier to start a section, and helps with smaller spots.

I once spent 4 hours with sanders and only got a small 2ft x 2ft section, then hit a spot with a razor scraper, finished up the rest of that side in a couple hours with it. Did have a few small sections that needed to be sanded, but it was nothing at all compared to sanding the whole thing.

 

[jfmid]

Where to find scaper handle????

Agree, that's what I've found works best with thick paint. I normally file the corners so they're rounded and won't dig in as easily. Using a wood chisel or razor makes it easier to start a section, and helps with smaller spots.

I once spent 4 hours with sanders and only got a small 2ft x 2ft section, then hit a spot with a razor scraper, finished up the rest of that side in a couple hours with it. Did have a few small sections that needed to be sanded, but it was nothing at all compared to sanding the whole thing.

Where can one find the scaper handle?? Is this a Home Cheapo special???? Never seen them there but could be I didn't look hard enough.

Is this in lieu of soda blasting the bottom prior to barrier coating??? Does one still have to soda blast??? or will light sanding get the surface prepped for barrier coating after thorough paint removal.

Thanks

John

 

[tommays]

The sell them at Pep-Boys there brand name is OEM and its real job is a gasket scraper
Item 25060: OEM Heavy Duty Scraper

They sell one for soft blades which is good for topside paint and one for rigid blades which is the one in the picture

I did not find a good scaper handle at home depot

 

[Ed Schenck]

Ace Hardware has paint scrapers in a couple of sizes. I used both with the corners of the blades knocked off. Got the bottom down to where a light hand sanding cleaned the bottom to white gelcoat. Then five coats of Interlux 2000E. Back in 2000.
http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1279660&CAWELAID=109363758

 

[jfmid]

Ace Hardware has paint scrapers in a couple of sizes. I used both with the corners of the blades knocked off. Got the bottom down to where a light hand sanding cleaned the bottom to white gelcoat. Then five coats of Interlux 2000E. Back in 2000.
http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1279660&CAWELAID=109363758

What is the general concensus to put on after the 5 coats of Interlux 2000E? Or is that all that is needed.

Thanks again

 

[kenn]

Hi Kenn,
I'm using soygel on one side and it seems to dry quickly and is a PITA to scrape. I tried a plastic covering but beyond 1/2 hour it sets up again. Once near the gel coat it stays wet for more than an hour.

It sounds to me like the stripper was being absorbed quickly, because of the number of coats of paint on the hull. It might have done better if you were able to lay on a thicker coat. Or maybe I just got better results because of having fewer coats to strip.

Thanks for posting your findings and results.

 

[catsailor]

I think I smell an ablative paint in the OP's future....

My last boat was 29 years old when I sold her, and she had never been stripped. Barrier coating was irrelevant, since she was an epoxy boat. Just 2-year paints and some in-water scrubs as needed. She stayed in the water 12-months.

Lest you think she was a slow tank, we hit 17 knots on the sea trials at sale.

 

[Maine Sail]

I have had some very good results with a scraper that holds sheetrock blades it takes some time to get the hang of it BUT it works well and all you have to do is sweep up the chips

When i have used the safe strippers i found you really need to apply the paper to allow the stripper enough time to stay wet and soak into the coats of paint

Best method out there!! I use one that holds standard razor blades. Fast and clean, well cleaner than many other methods..

 

[All U Get]

It sounds to me like the stripper was being absorbed quickly, because of the number of coats of paint on the hull. It might have done better if you were able to lay on a thicker coat. Or maybe I just got better results because of having fewer coats to strip.

Thanks for posting your findings and results.

Finally got out of work and have pictures;
1. 1 coat soygel and 1 coat peel away
2. 2 coats peel away on the left, 1 coat on the right
3. 1 coat peel away put on thinly
The better results were made by thick coats of either product, but the peel away seemed to penetrate more layers. I'm not done so I'll test more applications. I tried a razor and it will scrap down the thin bottom layer, but make more dust.
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