Safest way to remove new Antifouling

[Ezz]

Hi All

My new boat has been painted with antifouling by the manufacturer by mistake. What would be the safest way to remove the new antifouling without damaging the gelcoat. The company will do it on its expense. Keeping in mind that antifouling will not be applied on the hull anymore. Any suggestion please

 

[Thistle]

Hmm! That's a shame and I appreciate your concern. It is, however, the company's problem and up to them to choose the method they use. I would stand back and let them get on with it so that if there are related problems at a later date the company can't turn round and say "It's your fault because you told us to do it that way."

 

[bignick]

I second what Thistle recommends. You shouldn’t provide any advice at all. If they’ve applied it properly then they will have put a primer on first, which will be even more difficult to remove.

 

[Elessar]

Hi All

My new boat has been painted with antifouling by the manufacturer by mistake. What would be the safest way to remove the new antifouling without damaging the gelcoat. The company will do it on its expense. Keeping in mind that antifouling will not be applied on the hull anymore. Any suggestion please

If they applied it properly they will have sanded the boat with coarse sandpaper.
If you polish that smooth again you will have made the gelcoat thinner.
So I’m afraid the answer is - you can’t if you want it “as new”.
Reject the boat.

 

[Neeves]

A minor question. If the manufacturer, boat builder, applied AF I guess (maybe wrongly) that this is their normal practice and their boats stay in the water (and foul if not protected).

My questiono is - why do you not want AF?

We dry sailed our X-99 but originally, when we first owned her from new, she had AF. When we lifted her we removed all the old AF by hand, hand sanding, and then made good any nicks in the hull (and sanded again to a 'dull' polished look). We did not attempt to replace any gelcoat we might have sanded off - it was not an issue. Our focus was on maximising performance and I negotiated a deal with the marina that we could keep the yacht in its cradle on the hard (the cradle it was shipped in from Denmark) and they would lift and relaunch any time we wanted, no limits on frequency - this for the same cost as keeping in the water on a pontoon.

Jonathan

 

[ChromeDome]

It is close to impossible to remove it completely. Even when mine was dry-ice blasted you could see traces. Of course not a problem in my case as it was to be treated again, just with a different type of AF.

It indeed is their responsibility, but unless they really get it back to the original state, I'd agree to reject the boat.

Is it made to order or a standard product?

 

[Neeves]

You may find that rejecting the boat and asking for all your money back is a big ask. Much might depend on whether you were very specific that you did not want the hull to have AF. If you have made all the payments it does not change the position but you may find that the vendors play hard to get. You might also not be based in a country offering you lots of consumer support - so tread carefully until you know the implications. I'd test the reaction and then post back here and you might get some useful advice.

Jonathan

 

[ChromeDome]

As the manufacturer appears to have admitted to the mistake (supposedly not to have AF agreed in the sales contract), a rejection should be one option.

May end in a settlement if the boat is not standard and can't be sold as-is to the next buyer.

We still do not know why the OP didn't want AF, but if not needed it certainly would be an unwanted hassle for years to come.

 

[Daydream believer]

Soda blast, then treat as if it had osmosis, following the latest procedures, except one would still have most of the gel left & one would not have a drying period. Possibly a period should be allowed for resin gasses to be exhaled from the substrate

 

[ChromeDome]

Soda blast, then treat as if it had osmosis, following the latest procedures, except one would still have most of the gel left & one would not have a drying period. Possibly a period should be allowed for resin gasses to be exhaled from the substrate

If that was the alternative, I'd demand a new boat.

 

[jwilson]

More information needed, type of boat (sailing/power/etc), size, and why you don't want AF?

As others have said, if you just want the original shiny gelcoat that is impossible to achieve now, as the original preparation/degreasing/sanding and priming will have taken the shine off the hull, and removing it will do more of the same. And if they then repolish it you will have thinner gelcoat, and modern boats don't have much thickness of gelcoat to start with.

 

[Ezz]

Thank you all for your advice and feedback . The boat is made to order with customized interior design and items. I would like to clarify one of the reasons for not wanting to apply an antifouling to the boat is because the boat is docked where no professional company can remove and re-apply the antifouling in the upcoming years. I would keep the hull protected by other means from any barnacles buildup. Antifouling is too much of a hassle and once applied, I have to do it over and over for years to come.
Your experience and advice helped a lot in making my decision. Thank again all so much. I will share my update soon.

 

[Tranona]

Thank you all for your advice and feedback . The boat is made to order with customized interior design and items. I would like to clarify one of the reasons for not wanting to apply an antifouling to the boat is because the boat is docked where no professional company can remove and re-apply the antifouling in the upcoming years. I would keep the hull protected by other means from any barnacles buildup. Antifouling is too much of a hassle and once applied, I have to do it over and over for years to come.
Your experience and advice helped a lot in making my decision. Thank again all so much. I will share my update soon.

Have you explored Coppercoat? That is a proven way of avoiding regular antifoul replacement. Typically a life of 10 years. Intrigued by what you will use on an non antifouled hull to prevent fouling, particularly if in salt water.

 

[Ezz]

Have you explored Coppercoat? That is a proven way of avoiding regular antifoul replacement. Typically a life of 10 years. Intrigued by what you will use on an non antifouled hull to prevent fouling, particularly if in salt water.

It was an option, but no company would give me 10 years guarantee.

 

[rotrax]

Thank you all for your advice and feedback . The boat is made to order with customized interior design and items. I would like to clarify one of the reasons for not wanting to apply an antifouling to the boat is because the boat is docked where no professional company can remove and re-apply the antifouling in the upcoming years. I would keep the hull protected by other means from any barnacles buildup. Antifouling is too much of a hassle and once applied, I have to do it over and over for years to come.
Your experience and advice helped a lot in making my decision. Thank again all so much. I will share my update soon.

Good luck with that!!!

I tried 'ultrasonic' antifoul once. It only worked with critturs, not weed or slime. I did what it said on the tin, but in our sailing area weed growth is the problem, not critturs.

If you intend to keep it afloat for extended periods you will find your idea will not work.

If you intend not to antifoul in the future, just use the boat as supplied, antifoul and all. Once it becomes inneffective you will be able to see if other methods work.

Please report back here. I am keen to know the results - and alternative methods you use - of your idea.

 

[Ezz]

Good luck with that!!!

I tried 'ultrasonic' antifoul once. It only worked with critturs, not weed or slime. I did what it said on the tin, but in our sailing area weed growth is the problem, not critturs.

If you intend to keep it afloat for extended periods you will find your idea will not work.

If you intend not to antifoul in the future, just use the boat as supplied, antifoul and all. Once it becomes inneffective you will be able to see if other methods work.

Please report back here. I am keen to know the results - and alternative methods you use - of your idea.

 

[Ezz]

Why you think keeping the hull isolated from the water using any any brands like Seapen, Dockydock or Fabdock is not going to work?

 

[thinwater]

Why you think keeping the hull isolated from the water using any any brands like Seapen, Dockydock or Fabdock is not going to work?

I have a friend with one of those. It got so heavy with fouling that it sank. Then hauling the "dock" to antifoul it was a nightmare. And the boat was not that clean.

Good luck. A good 2-year paint is much easier. The best choice depends on where you are. I am also quite sure you can get a non-marine painter that can do a good job; just ask them to follow the manufacturer's application sheet. It's not complicated.

 

[dunedin]

Why you think keeping the hull isolated from the water using any any brands like Seapen, Dockydock or Fabdock is not going to work?

If you are going to keep the boat afloat, then what is the issue in having antifoul paint applied?
You have not stated if a sailing boat or high speed power boat, which would impact the choice of hard or soft/self abrading antifoul paint.
But generally there is no need for a “professional company to remove and reapply antifoul”. If the boat is otherwise protected from fouling, then the paint can remain fine for ages. And we have never “removed” any antifoul paint in over a decade, but a quick lift and hold allows to overpaint.
As others have said, your proposal is ambitious, but seems no harm in also having antifoul (particularly as already applied)

 

[Ezz]

More information needed, type of boat (sailing/power/etc), size, and why you don't want AF?

As others have said, if you just want the original shiny gelcoat that is impossible to achieve now, as the original preparation/degreasing/sanding and priming will have taken the shine off the hull, and removing it will do more of the same. And if they then repolish it you will have thinner gelcoat, and modern boats don't have much thickness of gelcoat to start with.

That's what I am worried about...