Intelligent Discussion on Ferro

[BillAU]

Originally Posted by clockwork orange

Bill, i dont understand what you are saying about trademe.com, its an auction site just like Ebay here in the US except it has many times more boats than Ebay, when i looked there were 13 Ferro boats with good descriptions and lots of pictures. I think you were on something else, we currently have 4 pages of sailboats on Ebay here, Trademe has 17 pages of just larger boats and then seperate areas for small boats and trailer sailers.
Steve.

Evening Steve,

I just checked Trademe.com again and it's still a link farm, are you sure it's not Trademe.co.nz you're talking about Trademe.co.nz does have a lot of boats listed, 22 listings for Ferro Cement alone.

Cheers Steve,

Bill

[BillAU]

Originally Posted by IslandHopper

Try.....

Yachts & sail boats | Boats & marine | Trade Me

TradeMe.co.nz - ferro for sale, New Zealand

I think you could well be right IH

Bill

[BillAU]

G'day mates,

What is the best way to remove old paint from a ferro hull so that the hull is clean of all old paint

Bill

[barnakiel]

I would think of:

- sandblasting,
- heatgunning,
- chemical stripping,

BTW the blasting can be probably done wet as corrosion no issue.

b.

[BillAU]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

I would think of:

- sandblasting,
- heatgunning,
- chemical stripping,

BTW the blasting can be probably done wet as corrosion no issue.

b.

I'm not so sure about "sandblasting" a ferro hull when I read the warning on using a pressure washer to clean paint from a concrete sidewalk.
Quote:
Tips & Warnings

• Pressure washers are extremely powerful. Be sure to begin the pressure washer on a low setting and stand a few feet away from the cement sidewalk to avoid damaging the surface.

Read more: How to Remove Paint From Cement Sidewalks | eHow.com H
ow to Remove Paint From Cement Sidewalks | eHow.com
Remember, the above is a warning on removing paint from a concrete sidewalk, which is a good 2", 50mm thick, what would it do to a fair FC hull

I have also read the following warning at FerroCement.Org
Quote:
I had reason recently to come in to contact with a 'boat sand-blasting expert', who had advised a ferroboat owner that he should blast the paint off the hull for him, and that there would be no problem as 'he had done many boats before'. After his 4 hours work, I advised the owner that the damage to the hull would cost (if possible to rectify), in excess of $12,000, and a further minimum $10,000 to attempt repair to the sand blasted deck. Having seen the hull built some 15 years earlier, I can vouch that as being more than it's original cost. It turned out as expected, that he had been regularly employed blasting gel-coats off GRP hulls with osmosis or sun deterioration problems. If you are considering removing the paint from a hull by blasting, as an easy way out, you must ensure that you get a guarantee in writing that only the paint will be removed with no detriment to the hull. If one is foolish enough to do it you will win yourself a new boat in the courts (if he has the money or insurance cover behind him).
End Quote:

If anyone knows of a safe way to remove old paint from a FC hull, I'm sure others, as well as I, would like to hear of them.

Bill

[Mark1977]

I just used an orbital sander on mine. DO NOT USE A SANDBLASTER!!!!!!

[BillAU]

Originally Posted by Mark1977

I just used an orbital sander on mine. DO NOT USE A SANDBLASTER!!!!!!

Thanks for that tip Mark, what grade sandpaper did you use?
I have also read that a FC yacht owner stripped-off old paint by using wide masking tape. Stripping The Hull, after/during his nightmare experence with "expert" water blasters and "expert" paint reps.

Lord, please protect me from "experts"...Who have never done it before

Bill

[Mark1977]

Originally Posted by BillAU

Thanks for that tip Mark, what grade sandpaper did you use?
I have also read that a FC yacht owner stripped-off old paint by using wide masking tape. Stripping The Hull, after/during his nightmare experence with "expert" water blasters and "expert" paint reps.

Lord, please protect me from "experts"...Who have never done it before

Bill

It was a few years ago but i think i started with about 100 grit and ended with a 180. You don't have to go too fine. Have you found a boat yet? How did the fiberglassed sheathed one look?

[AussieGeoff]

I've never stripped a hull before. Period.
Given the above stories, (which I'd seen) I'd probably try some commercial paint stripper if the paint was still well bonded. Scrub well with fresh water to remove any trace of the chemicals. Finish up with a light sanding, with a fineish grit, largely to ensure a good surface for the paint to bond to.
I have a pressure sprayer I use to wash the car and clean the barbie etc. If it hits damaged paint, it will take it off. I've seen this on cars and also on part of a wall on the front verandah. I've also seen it take chips out of the verandah concrete if you get too close. Mind you the verandah concrete is poorly made and cracked and generally pretty crappy, obviously not cured properly and not a good mix. I think a sound ferro hull would survive pressure spraying as a general cleanup just fine, provided you didn't go too far (or more correctly, too close) but NOT as a method for removing paint unless it's pretty much coming off in sheets already.

And Bill, did you look into that sheathed boat? Enquiring minds want to know

AussieGeoff

[BillAU]

G'day mates,

I decided not to go further with that glass sheathed 50'er, besides, one listing says she sailing towards Fremantle, the other listing says she's in Albany, WA and she was listed on one list at $110,000 and the other at $86,000. Today she's listed at $86,000 on both listings. At any rate, I can not get away from home at present, nor am I sure when I will be able to get away, (personal reasons and I have no wish to elaborate on a public forum)


There are a number of FC yachts in New Zealand, listed on TradeMe.Co.nz a few of which I like the look of, and they are priced well below similar boats here in Australia. At any of their asking prices, I could afford to buy one, sail the boat to Australia, pay any duty, taxes and whatever, update some of the gear aboard and still save quite a few dollars over buying a similar boat in Australia. But...As I have already said, I'm not able to move on any boat at present so, I just need to be patient and hope they, at least one of them, will still be available when I am ready to move.


I'm asking the questions on rigging, gall and SS, and removal of old paint so that I'll have some knowledge of what's involved should it need doing on any boat I end-up with and I thank you all for sharing your knowledge.


Bill
Australia

[barnakiel]

It is all up to how one uses the sand gun! Once the paint is gone, you move on, not keep on sanding the material thru! Also, same like waterblasting - the closer up you move the nozzle, the more action. Move it back and the sand is working very slow and you gain control.

Alas, I take the sandblaster back. I said that after we saw workers cleaning sandstone buildings from graffitti. Perhaps concrete is not quite as hard as sandstone.

barnie

[Pete7]

Bill, I found this FC yacht a while back and thought if my world ever went pear shaped I would look for something like this. She is in the wrong location for you but for the asking price at £13.5k, seems very good.

Some of the FC designs have all the appeal of a double decker bus but this one looks like a yacht. No idea how she sails but fin and skeg should have reasonable performance. Certainly a good size for the harbours and marinas in Europe were costs can be just breath taking.

S/Y Crystal: Hartley 32 Ferro Cement Sloop

Pete

No connection to her btw.

[Pete7]

To answer your question on rigging can be tricky. Can't comment on the galv stuff never owned it. Stainless, well in the UK 10 years seems fine, other make it last longer and get away with it. Problem is you can't tell when it's at the end of its life. From what I can gather failure tends to be at the swages rather than in the middle and you can't see inside them.

We have just changed our SS rigging at the 11 year point. The previous owner had while plastic covering fitted which is nicer to hold but it does trap damp and dirt as water runs down the rigging. The swages and turn buckles were corroded which was the decision point to spend £1900 replacing it and all the running rigging with dyneema were appropriate. Wasn't cheap, but I really don't want the mast coming down mid English channel on a stormy night.

Pete

[BillAU]

G'day Barnie and Pete,

Barnie mate, as I've had NO experience with water or sand blasting equipment, I don't believe I should start learning either by blasting a FC hull...I would most likely, blast a hole in anything I touched, so I think I would go with Geoff on paint remover and a good scraper, then washing down...I would be much slower but, I believe for me, safer too

Pete, that's a nice Hartley but it's not what I'm set-on. I believe I would need something a bit larger, say 40 to 50', I plan to sell everything and make the boat I buy my permanent home for the rest of my days and, at my age, 68, I do enjoy a few comforts As I have stated in earlier posts, I'm needed at home 24/7, (that's why I'm still up and about at this time, 5.20am) so carrying out my plan to get back to sea, is at present, just that, my plan but I thought I would do as much research as possible for when I'm ready to make my move.

As for the earlier question on rigging, I've read that Gal rigging, if cared for, will outlast SS rigging by ten to twenty years or more. To help me decide on the rigging bit, today I have ordered, Brion Toss's Rigger's Apprentice and it should be with me within 21 working days...I hope (it's coming from the UK) I found a cruising site with what seems to me to be sound information on rigging, that's where I got the name of the rigging book I've ordered, so if you think the site would be helpful, here's the link to the Rigging Site/Page. It would be interesting to hear what you all think about Gal and/or SS rigging, after reading the site/page comments.


Now I'm off to make a nice cupa



Cheers

Bill

[captain58sailin]

I've no experience with sandblasting FC, but as I was reading I was wondering if you could use walnut hulls? We have done that here when we didn't want to be too abrasive on FRP hulls. I would also be inclined to go with the naval gel and just strip the paint off. You also can turn the air pressure down.