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stripper does npt work and sanding will take forever...

2K views 12 replies 11 participants last post by  poopdeckpappy 
#1 ·
I have tried to strip the topsides on a 37 foot boat but the strippers I have tried will not cut it and sanding a square foot of paint with takes 15 minutes. The only thing I can think of to do is use a grinder which can cause major problems when I have to fare the topsides for blue Awlgrip. HELP.
 
#4 ·
you sure its paint and NOT gelcoat?
 
#5 ·
Are you trying to strip the Gelcoat?

If not, keep at it! it took 2 months to sand the Deck, Cockpit, Topsides, Hull, and Keels of a 20 foot bilge keel yacht.

I learnt a lesson about stripper - ensure you throughly wash it off with water after it has done it's job. Another bit of advice for paint stripper - cover it over with clingfilm. It should make it easier!
 
#6 ·
If you connect a vacuum to the sander the job will go much faster, you will use way less paper and you might live longer by keeping the dust off you. And it's much better for the environment. The vac keeps paint from building up and melting into the paper. The Fein vacuum is a great one for this type of project and super useful to have in your shop.
 
#8 ·
I'll second the question about what it is. Do you know it is paint? Do you know if it's a 2 part paint or a single part paint? What are you painting over it?

IIRC, if you are painting with a 2 part paint you have to have a 2 part paint under it (or gelcoat) if you are painting with a single part paint, you can have a single or a 2 part or gelcoat under it.
 
#11 ·
One of our boats I used Peel Away, it's like a wallpaper paste that you either brush or roll then cover with a paper ( supplied ) worked pretty good as long as you let it work and do it with good temps ( the warmer the better ), if a stripper doesn't remove the old finish, just prep the deck,prime and finish
 
#12 ·
Topsides = the outer skin of the hull between the waterline and the deck, and that's normally resin gelcoat on a plastic boat. Not paint, so paint stripper won't bother it. Oven clear, like lye, will soften and destroy it eventually but gelcoat isn't just cosmetic, it is keeping moisture out of the laminate. You don't normally want to remove it, you would sand/refinish/repair it and then apply a new coating ("paint") OVER it.

Make sure of what you've got before you destroy it.
 
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