Removing paint.

Noboat1

Member
Joined
17 Oct 2015
Messages
41
Visit site
I scrapwd the complete underside removing years of crater like AF. I used a jetwasher to blast of the aorst of the flakey stuff, and a pull scrpaer and dibbling running hose to prevent dost, and keep the AF soft/damp.

It was tough going, but did a couple of hours at a time on my day off and on the weekends. Got the lot off over a couple of weeks. Its all much much better now.
It does seem that effort pays off with this. Thank you.
 

Noboat1

Member
Joined
17 Oct 2015
Messages
41
Visit site
Many years ago - I had an Alacrity 19 - that previous owners had basically recoated topsides repeatedly ... it must have had about 2 - 3mm of paint layered ....
After a 'scrape' - we all have such moments !! I had a patch on the port transom where the paint had been removed showing the depth of it. I had a decision to make - try remove the built up layers or try patch in the area about the size of my hand on the transom ... note - the depth was enough to consider filler and then topcoat colour !

I made decision to remove all topcoat paint .. a decision that I regretted once started. It was terrible work - I tried chemical stripper ... hand scrapers ... in the end electric sander ... but the sander was so slow that I made a big error of changing to a disc sander ... Yep - I admit I did it ...
Now the paint was coming away at a reasonable rate ... but OH DEAR ... when you looked along the hull - it was dips and peaks .. no longer a level smooth surface.
I could have used Fine Fill (Internationals finishing filler) and then board sanded her back ... but decided to just go with it ... I gave her a new topcoat and sailed her for a few more years and sold her on. I was honest with buyer about the hull.

I was young .. eager to get the job done ... ignored my own advice !!

So please anyone thinking to sand - do not use a disc sander ...
Thank you. Yes, disc sanders are great in the right place!
 

fredrussell

Well-known member
Joined
24 Mar 2015
Messages
3,240
Visit site
Very interested in that comment ..... nearly every yard I know - if not using blasting - use electric sanders with vacuum attachment .....
It depends how much you like your neighbours. Not all the AF dust will end up in the vacuum cleaner. I worked in a boat building place a few years back where every abrasive tool had a vacuum attached. On a sunny day if you looked at the air near a window it was extremely dusty. Electric sanding of AF is very much a no no in my local yard.
 
Top