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Old 02-10-2017, 17:58   #16
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Re: Paint stripper to remove antifoul?

There are a number of things that concern me, but I guess it's just fear of the unknown. I read articles everywhere about just how hard someone had it trying to antifoul their 36 foot fin keeler and then I look at my girl and see that I have at least 5 times the area to cover... with no prior experience.

To answer some of the questions above:

There is a forest growing under the boat because she is way overdue. The antifoul on there is old and was about ready for re-coating when I purchased her 2 years ago. I just haven't been able to get to it until now.

I do not know what type of antifoul is on there, but I suspect is is the hard type. I suspect this because at the pre-purchase survey 2 years ago, she was hauled and water blasted, yet I did not see any obvious signs of any of the antifoul being stripped from that. With ablative, I would have expected to see a few bare patches here and there. Maybe I'm wrong about this, just an assumption.

If money were no concern I would pay a pro to blast her clean and start from scratch. But money is a concern and the quotes I have received for the soda blasting job are simply not possible. This is why I am tossing around the idea of using stripper.


Given the above and after reading this thread, I'm starting to think I'm probably over thinking all of this. I will probably just book a week on the hard, clean her as best as possible by water blasting and then spend whatever time necessary to scrape off flaking paint and give her a good sand all over before re-coating.
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Old 02-10-2017, 18:41   #17
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Re: Paint stripper to remove antifoul?

If the ablative paint and its undercoat were both correctly applied then water blasting won't leave bare patches.

A good way to remove ablative paint is with a Scotch Brite floor scrubber. That's the red one with a handle. You need lots of water and it is messy but so is every other method.

https://www.amazon.com/Scotch-Brite-...ch+brite+floor
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Old 02-10-2017, 19:12   #18
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Re: Paint stripper to remove antifoul?

I suspect you'll be limited to this type of paint stripper, due to environmental boatyard regulations.

Peel Away

Paint it on. Cover it with supplied waxed paper and tape up edges. Wait 24 hours with section out of sun and drying winds. Peel off paper. If you are lucky paint will come off with paper. Otherwise carefully use tungsten carbide scraper.

https://www.bunnings.com.au/uni-pro-...raper_p1670800
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Old 02-10-2017, 19:56   #19
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Re: Paint stripper to remove antifoul?

Not wanting to be a wet blanket, but I'd point out that you don't have any idea how many coats of old paint are lying in wait for you. Unless the layer is very thin, one application of stripper, no matter w hat the glossy brochure says, will not remove it all. Likely not two, or even three applications will actually get rid of it all.

This wisdom, fortunately, is not gained from personal experience, but watching the frustration of others in boatyards that I have been working in.

In your position, I'd scrape off the hard growth first. A square nosed shovel will do a better and much quicker job than any hand scraper when there is massive growth. Second step is a water blaster, used mercilessly. There now is likely to be further hard growth revealed, and now is the time for hand scraping. Finally, go over it with the coarsest scotch brite pad you can find, using lots of water as you go. A long handled pole with a swivel mounted pad is best for this stage. Scrub the hell out of it. Finally, wash with clean fresh water, let it fully dry and then start painting. This will seelm like a vacation in paradise compared to the prep work!.

It won't be a racing bottom, far from it, but it will do for now and keep the nasties off for a while.

This process is yet another of the things they never tell you at the boat shows...

Jim
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Old 02-10-2017, 21:27   #20
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Re: Paint stripper to remove antifoul?

Pwillems, have you seen this other current thread with a similar subject here?
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...om-191809.html
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Old 02-10-2017, 22:12   #21
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Re: Paint stripper to remove antifoul?

https://www.seahawkpaints.com/produc...aint-stripper/

American paint maker has this product. Will do several layers depending on thickness of coating and time sitting. Will not hurt barrier coats in shorter wait times. Test spot recommended. Biodegradable, nonflammable, low odor. Fisheries Supply, Ebay, Amazon has it. Several others, too. About $90 gallon does 50-75 sq.ft. Thicker works better and faster.
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Old 02-10-2017, 23:35   #22
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Re: Paint stripper to remove antifoul?

It would behove anyone planning on stripping their bottom or doing a big sanding job to read this thread. Do I need to strip my bottom? - Page 3 - Cruisers & Sailing Forums
Lots of tips, tricks, & instructional resources.
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Old 03-10-2017, 12:01   #23
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Re: Paint stripper to remove antifoul?

There is a forest growing under the boat because she is way overdue. The antifoul on there is old and was about ready for re-coating when I purchased her 2 years ago. I just haven't been able to get to it until now.

I do not know what type of antifoul is on there, but I suspect is is the hard type. I suspect this because at the pre-purchase survey 2 years ago, she was hauled and water blasted, yet I did not see any obvious signs of any of the antifoul being stripped from that. With ablative, I would have expected to see a few bare patches here and there. Maybe I'm wrong about this, just an assumption.

Given the above and after reading this thread, I'm starting to think I'm probably over thinking all of this. I will probably just book a week on the hard, clean her as best as possible by water blasting and then spend whatever time necessary to scrape off flaking paint and give her a good sand all over before re-coating.[/QUOTE]

yep - over thinking. Antifouling is not about being thorough, it's about being persistent. I've found i can get away with 18 months between antifouls. 12 months is better. 24 is too much, you start getting bare patches of hull. Instead of expensive novelties like paint stripper you'd be better off planning a couple of haulouts over the next 2-3 years and just doing the basics - waterblast, scrape, prime (if you buy 1/10 the amount of primer as antifoul, and spotcover all the dips and patches, it'll cut the time rolling on the antifoul by half.), antifoul.
Also - have to disagree with Jim on the approach to waterblasting - the guys in the dock should know their stuff well enough if left to get on with it - over-enthusiastic blasting can strip the resin out of fibreglass sheeting, waterblasters of the power commonly used in boatyards are powerful enough to do quite a bit of damage.

good luck - at 57ft thats quite a bit of work...
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Old 04-10-2017, 16:21   #24
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Re: Paint stripper to remove antifoul?

defoul in Canada
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Old 04-10-2017, 19:26   #25
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Re: Paint stripper to remove antifoul?

When I worked in a boatyard we would always remove antifoul before doing any hull repairs.
The simplest way I found was to use a paint stripper and apply it at the manufacturers recommendation, cover this with a cling film or plastic and wait the required interval. I can’t remember the product we used but generally it took about an hour to lose effectiveness. Then I would peel off the plastic and use a linbide scraper to peel the softened antifoul straight into a bucket. There was no dust, hardly any smell and the only protective equipment were latex gloves. In my experience it took several applications to remove years of buildup. So I wouldn’t be too concerned about accidentally removing a primer coat. Using sanders with hoses and vacs is a dusty, noisy and time consuming way to remove large areas of antifoul. You won’t have the inconvenience of wearing paper overalls, gloves, respirator, ear muffs, and eye protection especially in your hot weather.
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Old 15-10-2017, 02:16   #26
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Re: Paint stripper to remove antifoul?

Quote:
Originally Posted by pwillems View Post
Hi All. Spring is fast approaching down here in Oz and I'm about to book a lift to deal with the forest growing under my big 57ft full keeler and put on a fresh paint of antifoul. Budget is limited, so I'll be doing most of the work myself and considering this will be my first go at antifouling, it's a daunting task to say the least. From my reading, using a GRP friendly paint stripper is looking like a nice option, but I can't seem to find information anywhere about the effect it will have on the barrier coat under the antifoul. There are many products that state they will not harm the gelcoat, but I can't seem to find anything about the effect it will have on the barrier coat.

What has been your experience with these products?
Get your local chandlery to order in a bucket of Peter G's Stripper for Antifoul. It is made in Perth, is two-pack (and gelcoat) safe, as it is just sodium hydroxide in a gel form. You brush it on with an old broom in the afternoon, leave it overnight (being a gel, it stays active), and in the morning, you just scrape it off onto an old plastic sheet, roll it up, and dispose of. Then pressure wash, let dry, give the hull a sand, and there you are - all done.
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