Oops. Varnish drips on gelcoat…?

[Airscrew]

Now 2 weeks old.

White spirit?
Anything better?
Anything to avoid?

Thanks.

 

[Caraway]

Try acetone on a bit of out-of-the-way gel coat. If it's OK, use it on the varnsish.

 

[northwind]

Sharp chisel and scrape it

 

[Pye_End]

paint stripper.

 

[Refueler]

Acetone : Softens Polyester GRP.
Chisel can gouge GRP
Paint Stripper ??

When I've had accidents like this - I found that initially the paint appeared to be hard on ... but Gelcoat especially if in past waxed tends to let you knock the offending off by carefully placing blunt edge against it ... may take a few knocks ... if not then its one of above or similar !! If the Varnish is two pack ... then its going to be stuck - but I'm sure our resident Yard Expert will be along shortly with solution ...

 

[Spuddy]

I've been told that some paint strippers attack the grp; dunno which ones tho.

 

[Refueler]

I've been told that some paint strippers attack the grp; dunno which ones tho.

I had to remove layers of antifoul of an Alacrity I had years ago ... previous owners just slapped on coat after coat year on year .. till it was like a second hull.
International sold a stripper for AF then ... and printed on the tin words to effect :

Make sure you wash all traces off from GRP !!

 

[VicS]

Now 2 weeks old.

White spirit?
Anything better?
Anything to avoid?

Thanks.

White spirit is unlikely to have any effect after 2 weeks

Try acetone if you have any but prolonged contact with gelcoat will soften it.

A very sharp chisel may be effective but care needed to prevent damage

A caustic soda based paint stripper may be the best bet ( provided its not 2 pack or polyurethane varnish) eg Owatrol Marine Strip or Owatrol Dilunett or simply a fairly concentrated ( say around 15 to 20% ) solution of caustic soda

You don't tell us what varnish it is !

 

[SaltIre]

If it is just drips, try a fingernail?

 

[VicS]

I've been told that some paint strippers attack the grp; dunno which ones tho.

You are thinking of dichloromethane based paint stripper eg the old fashioned Nitromors

 

[LittleSister]

If it is just drips, try a fingernail?

Fat chance!

If my experience is anything to go by, the surface one has carefully prepared, degreased, rubbed down, degreased again, primed, and then applied multiple coats exactly as specified will peel or flake off before long, while the accidental drip that fell on the unintended, greasy, dusty surface below will resist every effort to remove it, and remain stubbornly in place until hell freezes over.

 

[rotrax]

I used a special stripper for graffiti removal to strip the teak toerail on our previous boat.

The supplier listed a GRP safe one. I queried the exorbitant price - marine product - when I was told their graffiti removal product was the same but a third of the price.

Worth investigating. No harm to our gelcoat or non skid at all.

 

[ryanroberts]

I recently stripped and revarnished 10m of rubbing strake, biostrip works, if you slap it on like a cream scone. Harmless to gelcoat and fish.

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

White spirit is unlikely to have any effect after 2 weeks

Try acetone if you have any but prolonged contact with gelcoat will soften it.

A very sharp chisel may be effective but care needed to prevent damage

A caustic soda based paint stripper may be the best bet ( provided its not 2 pack or polyurethane varnish) eg Owatrol Marine Strip or Owatrol Dilunett or simply a fairly concentrated ( say around 15 to 20% ) solution of caustic soda

You don't tell us what varnish it is !

Dilunet is the one referred to by Refueller in Post#7 as needing to be removed from GRP .

 

[Buck Turgidson]

Been there done that!
Best solution I found was a razor blade with rounded corners used as a scraper.

 

[Leighb]

AFAIK there are no solvents/paint strippers that work on Polyurethane varnish that are safe for GRP. As others have said, care and patience and a sharp scraper may be the only answer.

 

[Restoration man]

Screwfix own brand paint stripper, my top sides had been hand painted twice by previous owners with some sort of 2 pack , tried caustic soda but didn’t touch it , I used screwfix own brand paint stripper as recommended by someone on a Facebook group , I’ve stripped my whole superstructure back to original gel cote ready to re polish , hull was not painted thankfully apart from boot topping that was to high , so I also paint stripped that , don’t know why people paint gelcote when all it need is polishing and few small repairs? Anyway get some screwfix stuff and try on somewhere inconspicuous the small bottle has slightly different label but it’s the same stuff and it’s only £5 bottle

 

[Refueler]

Dilunet is the one referred to by Refueller in Post#7 as needing to be removed from GRP .

I always remember it as I had an Alacrity 19 then on road trailer. Yard at Farlington Marshes had water supply and hose ...

I slapped this stuff on ... went for the hose and some **** had nicked half of it and I couldn't get boat near enough ... so hitched onto my Capri 2.8i and dragged her home onto the driveway.
Wife was not amused to have this stuff washed onto our driveway !!

Have very fond memories of that boat ..