Removing layers of old anti fouling - Best Practice/Method?

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russers

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Hello - Just got given a boat!! My first boat too.....Its a 1974ish relcraft 18ft. Not sure of the model..Have made a photo album if you wanna have a look. Have used it a few times to get the outboard back up to scratch and now I'm happy with it shes coming out of the water for a few weeks.

First job I wanna tackle is to sort the hull out and the layers of antifouling under the waterline. Never done it before myself, but am quite a handy person...

What products are the best at removing layers of old anti fouling? Which scrapers are the most efficient/safest?

I want to sand down the entire hull...Which grit paper should i use to start and finish with?

And with the finish...What should I go for? Gel coat or 2 pac? Which is the better finish?

____________________________________________________________________
MOST People are putting their boats in the water and I'm taking mine out..I Must be a mental :eek:_____________________________________________________
 
Hi & lucky you!.
International do a paint on anti foul remover & I know it does work very well,one trick is after painting on cover with cling film it keeps it active longer,then just a gentle scrape off is all that's needed,regards MM 1.
 
russers said:
Hello - Just got given a boat!! My first boat too.....Its a 1974ish relcraft 18ft. Not sure of the model..Have made a photo album if you wanna have a look. Have used it a few times to get the outboard back up to scratch and now I'm happy with it shes coming out of the water for a few weeks.

First job I wanna tackle is to sort the hull out and the layers of antifouling under the waterline. Never done it before myself, but am quite a handy person...

What products are the best at removing layers of old anti fouling? Which scrapers are the most efficient/safest?

I want to sand down the entire hull...Which grit paper should i use to start and finish with?

And with the finish...What should I go for? Gel coat or 2 pac? Which is the better finish?

____________________________________________________________________
MOST People are putting their boats in the water and I'm taking mine out..I Must be a mental :eek:_____________________________________________________
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There is a product called Removall610 which sometimes works lovely, sometimes not so lovely.

Powersanding i imagine - you will be surprised at how rough a disc you need - likely 80grit to get anywhere. Buy small qtys of whatever you think till you get some traction. Horrid job so probably right to do it while you're keen :)
 
As a/f is full of nasties, sanding it isnt usually a good idea as you just might fill yourself up with all those chemicals.Well, so some suggest.
Lidl did a power scraper for about £16, which worked quite well, or for £7 from B+Q etc, you can try a wallpaper scraper (about 30 cm long with an angled head and blade.
Bear in mind that if you go through back to the fibreglass (ie through the gelcoat) you will need to recoat with some sort of epoxy, so unless you want alot of work, dont get too carried away.
Chandleries do special scrapers.. I would try the cheapo solutions first.
 
Surveyor advised me not to go for any of the sand/ice/plastic ball blasting - said he has seen the damage they can cause. He also advised against power scrapers due to the danger to going through to the matting. According to him the best bet was a hand scraper with the corners ground down/rounded off to avoid inadvertent gouges in the gel.
 
Greg2 said:
Surveyor advised me not to go for any of the sand/ice/plastic ball blasting - said he has seen the damage they can cause. He also advised against power scrapers due to the danger to going through to the matting. According to him the best bet was a hand scraper with the corners ground down/rounded off to avoid inadvertent gouges in the gel.
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A Bahco 500 scraper with the corners struck off would be perfect for the job.

I'd then wet sand with about 320 grade before painting.

I'm not usually one to take notice of health and safety, but this is probly a job worthy of goggles and mask.
 
Ok - Great. Will defo go down the chemical road and cling film (dont wanna scrape to the matting) will use one of those baco scraper things with the edges rounded off. Thanks guys. Do i need to use anti foul primer before i apply the a/f? Hopefully boats coming out next week so will do some before and afters for this thread. Am jet washing bottom first, anything i need to be weary of? Good job i'm keen!!
 
Where are you? If anywhere near Exeter I may have something to help you.
Btw my one of my first boats was a Relcraft Pearl, 21', lovely boat.
 
Thanks longjohn!! Am in newhaven sussex. Bn9 0ed. Wish i was near exeter. Beautiful part of the country. Will carry on regardles. Am sitting on boat now taking the ceiling down as we speak!! Techonology these days is marvellous.
Dont suppose you know what primer/paint to use on inside of hull. Have scraped right back to the matting. Really starting to get to know my relcraft now and it seems they are so well made. Grp is really thick!! Got loads of screw holes to fill to. Whats the best sealent for doing that i wonder?

All the best - russ
 
Thanks longjohn!! Am in newhaven sussex. Bn9 0ed. Wish i was near exeter. Beautiful part of the country. Will carry on regardles. Am sitting on boat now taking the ceiling down as we speak!! Techonology these days is marvellous.
Dont suppose you know what primer/paint to use on inside of hull. Have scraped right back to the matting. Really starting to get to know my relcraft now and it seems they are so well made. Grp is really thick!! Got loads of screw holes to fill to. Whats the best sealent for doing that i wonder?

All the best - russ
 
Same surveyor advised against priming before anti-fouling.........doesn't achieve a lot and can lock moisture in apparently......
 
Two pennies worth.

"First job I wanna tackle is to sort the hull out and the layers of antifouling under the waterline. Never done it before myself, but am quite a handy person..."



Unless there is a compelling reason for removing all the old A/F off and going back to the original gel coat,it may be worth just removing any old loose stuff and smoothing down any lumps and bumps to get an acceptable finish to paint over.
If the boat is fairly old you may not like what you find after 30 odd years of scrapers have done their worst.
The cost of remedial work to get it all nice and shiney is going to more than the boat is worth and then your promptly going to cover it up again with bumpy lumpy A/F,which is all going to be under water anyway. ?
 
Elessar said:
and the qualifactions needed for being a surveyor in the UK is??????

what nonsense! you either misheard him or he's talking bollox.
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next thing people will be telling us that gel coat is there to keep the water out and stop the boat sinking.................:)
 
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