Paint removal

I have a 14ft fibreglass launch/speed boat.(early 60's)
there are numerous coats of paint on it,which are crazed and cracked.
Paint remover doesn't make much impression on it.
I have carefully used a gas torch on it on a small patch.The old paint rolls off with a scraper.
I don't require a gelcoat finish,just a painted hull.
Sanding and filling would take more time and effort than I want to spend on it.
Once the old paint was removed,I would of course sand it down before applying
the new paint.
I have some two part epoxy paint,and intend to use garage floor paint as a topcoat.
Am I heading for a disaster?

 

Any time you have to remove lots of paint it's a pain in the butt, though not a daunting process, just a bit tedious.

Strippers do work, but you have to strictly follow the instructions, or they often don't. A heat gun or torch works, but is a lot more work than a chemical stripper, plus the potential of burning something.

In the end, the fastest way is a good commercial chemical stripper, followed by sanding.

 

Thanks PAR,
I am going to go with the blowlamp method.I was a bit concerned if the heat would damage the fibreglass.The paint is all varieties and colours,and there is not much to burn apart from the outer timber strip of the gunnels.
I painted my 10ft dinghy using two part epoxy paint and white floor paint,
the result was pretty good.

 

3M used to make a product (can't find it on the net with a quick look, though) that consists of an open, spongy black mesh material, presumably with impregnated abrasive, that is ideal to sand things where scoring of the substrate needs to be minimized. It was available in discs to attach to lower speed sander-polishers, and you could also buy it attached to a backing plate and a stem, to fit an electric drill. You might experiment with the latter to see if it is any use in your application. PAR may know the name of this stuff, and whether it is suitable. It works a treat sanding paint off soft timbers, without gouging.

 

Hello again Mr E,
What do they say "Great minds think alike?"
I've got three of them that fit my angle grinder.
Like you say,they take no prisoners,Haha.
They work better on an un-interrupted surface,if you catch a nut head with them they soon shred.
The amount of old paint on this boat causes it to melt,and the pads fill up with paint,so I tend to use them once the bulk of the paint has been removed.
Too much concentrated pressure and they will cut into the fibreglass,so it's a
job to be done carefully.
I can see them being good on timber,although I haven't tried them on any.
3M and Silverline do them here,I got mine off Ebay.