Sticky mess!

[RobW]

Hi folks
Just bought a rather neglected Hunter Horizon 27 which my wife and I are now franticaly working on to get the basics sorted out so we can go sailing by the end of the month.... you know, the little things like, engine, rigging, hull fittings that don't leak, etc etc etc.

Anyway to the problem I need help with, (apart from a bigger bank loan!)

During our lunch break I made the mistake at having a tentative pull at the corner of the disgusting looking stuff the previous owner has stuck to the cockpit floor. I am pretty sure its kitchen vynil / lino!

Under the lino, I found a teak effect vynil - something like Teck-deck on similar, but long, long past its best, and now full of the adhesive the lino was stuck to it with.

Now starting to wish I had let sleeping dogs lie until next winter, I had no choice but to venture further, and pulled back a section of the teak effect vynil.
Under this is the original adhesive, sticky, brown, filthy stuff!

To cut a long story short, does anyone know of a miracle product I can apply to this mess to assist with its removal?

Any time saving advice much appreciated!

Robert

 

[Pete7]

Rob, now you know why the previous owner glued lino on top rather than do it properly.

Look rigging, engine and clean water tanks are your priority just now if you want to go sailing, so if it was me I would put something down as a temporary measure a rubber mat perhaps. Long term sounds like a job for acetone or toluene but they are nasty chemicals to handle.

Pete

 

[sjclewes]

hi there autoglym tar and glue remover will sort it out best regards simon

 

[Bosunof]

Fire

But seriously, Pete has the right idea. Get the priorities sorted. Get sailing. Hide the problem that isnt important nor structural till you can get a real good go at it next winter and not waste time when you should be afloat and enjoying her.

 

[weaver_fish]

Been there done that! Advice is good - leave if for the season. I had the same stuff, lino covered teaky plastic stuff. Bonus is that it had all been painted with nonslip too!!!

Scraper, scotch brite scourers and tolouene. Really awful job. Get a decent mask and be very careful - made myself very poorly before posting on here and being told to get a decent mask.

I stayed sane by marking off a small area each time and setting myself that as a limit. Happy days.

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
Get a decent mask

[/ QUOTE ] The mask must be an "Organic vapours" mask eg 3M 4251.

Even that is only effective up to 1000ppm or 10 times the "Occupational Exposure Limit" so good ventillation is still also necessary when using organic solvents such as toluene.

The OEL (8hr TWA) for toluene is only 50ppm!

 

[bluedragon]

From my days in the chemical industry, I would really avoid Toluene for this. I'm not sure what mask easily available is going to deal effectively with the fumes. It's likely that White Spirit will soften the glue (if it's already sticky) so that it can be scraped off. Try that first. It's probably the safest option, if not the most effective.

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm not sure what mask easily available is going to deal effectively with the fumes

[/ QUOTE ] I obtained the 3M mask I mention above when I relined my boat using a toluene based impact adhesive.

Used in conjunction with good ventilation I would say it was very effective. While wearing the mask I was unable to smell the toluene and suffered no adverse effects from it whatsoever.

According to the data I have to hand the approximate threshold of smell of toluene is less than 5ppm. Although I realise sense of smell varies (mine is particularly keen) that would indicate that it reduced the concentration to well below the OEL. You'd expect that if you bought a mask made by someone like 3M and used it according to the instructions.

BTW I bought my mask from www.hawkehouse.co.uk at the same time as the materials and adhesives.

 

[Lakesailor]

Nice sheet of marine ply with Burgess Marine Sealer over the lot for the moment.
Or a thin and carefully laid layer of tarmacadam for that individual look.

 

[RobW]

.....the individual look it is then - I already have what looks like a "a thin and carefully laid layer of tarmacadam "!

Have booked the crane for a couple of weeks time - will put some of your suggestions to the test when the tides are wrong for sailing!

Many thanks all.

Robert