Chris Sunkin

None exists. If it dissolves paint, it dissolves polyester and epoxy resin and certainly gel coat. I've seen restorers chemically strip Corvettes and it's a very long and grueling process. It takes days to do it on something as tiny as a vette. It would take eons to do an offshore boat.

Soda is nothing more than abrasive removal- You're asking to take something off that's basically the same hardness as what the base is. There's no way to control uniformity. I've seen auto bodies that have been completely sandblasted and the heat literally screws them up. I saw a nice 55 Chevy abandoned from panel warpage caused by blasting. The boat won't warp but I'm going to guess it isn't too good for it.

The best way to completely screw your hull up is to try to take the paint off. Unless it's peeling, it's better off left underneath. If it is peeling, you'll probably have to spend many thousands on a true artisan/professional to sand those sides straight.

Chris Sunkin

Those areas can probably be filled and feathered. If it wasn't peeling off by itself, you likely have no problems. For insurance, use a good heavy epoxy primer underneath.

MOBILEMERCMAN

sunsation 25, I looked for the old thread but couldn't find it. If it has not been primed that is possible. I used Tal strip years ago on a car. It may be worth investigating. I just looked in a marine catolog, found KWIK makes a paint remover for fiberglass. I haven't tried it though. I have removed paint from the side before never had enough ambition to remove it all. The biggest variable in the job is whether it was primed or not. If you scrap a small area to expose gelcoat to see if its discolored and hazed by primer. If it has been primed painting is really the only option for a nice finish.
Jim

SUNSATION 25

Thanks for the reply! I don't want to hijack this fellas thread, but I do know the paint on my PP is factory and hasn't been sanded, scuffed or primed! it has been chipping away slowly. I've been in the business for 12 years and have used many different chemical strippers but am very leary of them..... the thread I was thinking about involved a Nortech I believe and it was only about 6 months ago.....have you used something that doesn't hurt the gell??????

MOBILEMERCMAN

MEK but it is so nasty. If it flaking off it offers hope. The kwik brand stuff is non flammable may be worth trying. I took paint off when I was younger. Never again. Personally if ever in the situation again I would either leave it or bring to a paint shop and have them strip and or sand ,then repaint hull.
Jim

SUNSATION 25

Thats too funny!!! that's what I'm trying to avoid! I've painted many boats up to 38'(even stripped them and started fresh) but can't seem to find time or energy to do mine! there's something about a paying customer vs. job that's gonna cost you many nights away from the family......I'll pick up some MEK after the Leopa pokerrun and try it on a smallspot, if it works I'll srip it all....thanks for the tip............

Scott B

Dry ice blast it....

Panther

THey also use peanut shell blasting these days, it's not as abrasive...works pretty good from what I remember.

cuda

Bead blasting isn't a magic bullet.

A guy said it would work great for removing bottom paint. It looked like it took a twelve gauge of birdshot in some place.

scarabman

iTrader: (1)

There are all different types of media for blasting nowadays. Nutshells as already mentioned, plastic pellets of different durometers, metal/lead pellets, baking soda and so on depending on what you are blasting, talk to someone who specializes and you would be surprised what blasting can remove and not damage the substrate when properly applied.