Does anyone have any tested method of removing varnish from the non-skid deck? Care was taken to avoid any spills but wasn't 100% successful.
Removing Varnish from the deck
- Thread starter jkleary
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This must be a particular problem for O'Day sailors! Never heard this question asked when I was on the Columbia list...
I recently purchaseed an '87 O'Day 272 that had a large varnish spill on the cabin top - at lest that's what it looks like to me. Even have footprints heading back to cockpit... I asked around and was told that Acetone and a stiff brush was the key. Another person told me to use lacquer thinner - that it ws stronger than acetone... Haven't tried either, but did get a SS bar-b-que brush on it yesterday. Helped some. But there is still a lot there...
If anyone has a better idea, please share.
Charles
I recently purchaseed an '87 O'Day 272 that had a large varnish spill on the cabin top - at lest that's what it looks like to me. Even have footprints heading back to cockpit... I asked around and was told that Acetone and a stiff brush was the key. Another person told me to use lacquer thinner - that it ws stronger than acetone... Haven't tried either, but did get a SS bar-b-que brush on it yesterday. Helped some. But there is still a lot there...
If anyone has a better idea, please share.
Charles
Only one way, but works fine. Because the varnish/cetol becomes one with the gelcoat, you have to sand it. but don't despair, the gelcoat is thick enough to handle a couple of sandings if done properly. I would start with 400 grit wet, then work up to 2000 grit wet, then hand buff well with some gelcoat compound, then polish. It will be the best looking part of your deck.
There is no way i have found to get it off the nonskid.
keith
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it can be done, but you arent going to like doing it..... get it down to where the "lands" of the non skid are showing thru the work by whatever process you choose to use (sanding or if wire brushing, with a chemical to soften or lube it a little as you are scrubbing)..... then get a mechanics pick and start to work.... picking and scraping it out of the "valleys"..... ive done it and it can come out very nice.... but it was only about a 3sq inch area..... yours may be a project that you work on over a period of time if its a big area.....
and use a stainless steel wire brush.... a regular steel wire brush has no place on or near a boat....
and use a stainless steel wire brush.... a regular steel wire brush has no place on or near a boat....
I had a bunch of stains on my cabin top around the grab rails from previous owners who chose not to mask the area when varnishing. My method was a combination of a couple items here, started with light sanding with 1000 grit wet, removing as much as possible from the top level of the non-skid. After that, I used a single edge razor blade(several of them) to scrape in between the grooves and nooks and crannies. It took me a while with a lot of patience, but I got just about all of it off, with no visible change to the non-skid. For the smooth surfaces, I always find a single edge blade works great, just be careful not to scratch your topcoat.
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