Come March, I think I want to begin the project of removing the bottom paint on my 89 242SS... Any advice?

1.) Is it worth it?
2.) Recommended chemicals/methods to use?


As far as I can tell, its been bottom painted for along time, with a few layers on there

I did my 242 when I first got it. Try 'Peel Away' you can get it at hardware stores, etc.

It took several treatments to get the old paint to soften and come off.

oven cleaner takes it off along with pressure washer

You can use a bottom paint remover like Marine Paint Stripper by Sea Hawk Paints works really well. It is designed to remove several layers of bottom paint.

You may want to try see exactly what is under there 1st. Specifically, if there is an epoxy on the hull prior to the bottom paint. Chemicals like mariner paint stripper will work on the bottom paint, but they will not remove the epoxy. I would recommend leaving it bottom painted if there is epoxy on there.

Another think to keep in mind is that even after you remove the bottom paint, you are going to need to use some serious elbow grease compounding and waxing the surface... The amount will depend on if the bottom paint was applied with a sandless primer or if the hull was sanded first.

Good Luck!

Do you leave the boat in the water? If so I would leave it on there. You may be faster on day one but with out the bottom paint you will be slower and slower every day. With the bottom paint you MAY be slower (I highly doubt it however) on day one but will stay at that speed all sumer. Now if you have a TON of layers then yes try and remove as much as possible but then repaint. Also depending on what is in there some of that stuff can be nasty with chemicals so be carefull! I think bottom paint gets a bad rap. These days it is MUCH better then what used to be.

Thanks for the input guys, I do slip the boat all season (April 1 - Nov.1) so I suppose the bottom paint is needed unless I an prepared to pull it out every week and power wash it (easier said then done).... so I am leaning towards maybe not removing it... it was more so just because I hate the look of bottom paint then gaining 1-2 mph not to mention boat value seems to be more consistent with no bottom paint on these formulas..

you don't gain chit, I removed it on my 32 Baja and gained ZERO....

best way to remove?? soda blast.... wet sand... buff... looks new again, but the work involved???? I would buy another boat with no bottom paint lol that was the worst job I ever did, especially on a 32...

no eassy way to deal witht hat mess...

Since it is kept in the water, I vote to leave it on. Both of my parents Formula's are kept in the water all summer. The 18' has not bottom paint and you can really see the scum on the bottom when the boat is pulled from the water. The 24' has bottom paint from the previous owner and after it sitting in the water all summer and pulled at the end of the year. the bottom looks the same as the day it went in. The only scum is the stuff the attaches on the sides.

There are some bottom paints now that you can get that lay on real smooth. Makes it hard to notice. If you don't have the bottom paint the bottom looks all brown so what is worse? :-)

I would pull the boat every weekend before I put bottom paint on a boat that does not have it..... I pull my 35 Cig every weekend since its heavier then my Baja was and I cant rack it anymore where I am at, I thought it would suck but its not that bad, good part is its already on trailer so its easy to clean, or take home to maintain anytime...