paintshaver to remove antifouling

Discussion in 'Fiberglass and Composite Boat Building' started by pierreuw, Oct 23, 2013.

  1. pierreuw
    Joined: Sep 2011
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    pierreuw Junior Member

    Hello, I am about to remove the anti-fouling and paints of a 41 ft cruising cat. I do not want to remove the gel coat. I do not have access to a sandblaster (I am on an island in Honduras). I saw the paintshaver (http://www.paintshaver.com/). I see that it is very efficient to remove gel coat. I was wondering if anyone has ever tried to remove bottom paint with it. Thanks in advance.
     
  2. michael pierzga
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    michael pierzga Senior Member

    Bottom paint never develops a strong bond to the glass. A paint scraper will easily blow the antifoul off. Sailboats are easy because thier bottoms are smooth and fair...no chines and spray rails. Follow up with a random orbital spinning 60 or 80 grit.

    I prefer a push scraper...you push it, not pull it. The scraper is a two handed tool made of steel plate or a car leaf spring. The scraper doesnt have a bevel sharpened edge like a chisel...it has a flat 90 degree edge ..flattened with a file. The flat edge it easier to steer, doesnt gouge into the substrate and since it has two sides , less sharpening, more push time.
    Sandblasting is the best but if its not available, push scrapers are the second choice.

    I have no experience with paint shavers...perhaps they work.
     
  3. dskira

    dskira Previous Member

    Far to expensive this paint shaver. Use what Michael said, its the best way.
    And use the $700 you save to buy something for the boat!
     
  4. Stumble
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    Stumble Senior Member

    What type of anti-fouling? I have had good luck removing ablative paint with just a preassure washer.
     
  5. PAR
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    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    The "paint shaver" you've linked to is designed for flat surfaces only and will dig deeply into the curved surfaces on your boat, especially at the turn of the bilge. You'll remove gelcoat and laminate in these areas, not to mention destroy the blades very quickly.

    A pressure washer is the usual method to remove previous coats of anti foul, followed by a light scuffing for the new coats.

    If you have a build up of paint, a few pressure washing may get it, followed by scraping and sanding. This isn't a pleasant chore, but a necessary one occasionally. if you keep up with regular cleanings, washings and coating, not so bad, but if you let it go, the paint bulks up and has to be removed. A disk sander will make quick, if dirty work of thick layers of paint. Of course wear appropriate protection.
     
  6. pierreuw
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    pierreuw Junior Member

    Thanks a lot for those infos. The pressure washer did not do much, I will give a go at the scrapers, I did give it a shot before with a sharpen scraper on the fein without great result. I will restart the work in a month, I will keep updated.
     
  7. Stumble
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    Stumble Senior Member

    Do you know what type of paint you have now? Hard racing paints like Baltaplate generally don't need to be removed very often, but regularly burnishing and polishing is.
     
  8. pierreuw
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    pierreuw Junior Member

    I am not sure what it is, it is much softer than any regular paint and clog festool eccentric sander with festool vaccum. My guess would be a soft antifouling from interlux and I would guess it has been applied about ten years ago. I recently purchased the boat, the previous owner had left it 6 years in water at a mooring without any use. The bottom was a reef!
     
  9. michael pierzga
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    michael pierzga Senior Member

    The best way to sand antifoul is with wet and dry paper on a swivel head stick,

    60 or 80 grit is used. Two guys working can remove all the oxidized paint from a 70 footer in one day. Use plenty of water to keep the surface lubrcated and prevent paper clog. Use a stout alloy pole on the swivel head.
    Machine sanding clogs paper and kills your employees
     

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  10. pierreuw
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    pierreuw Junior Member

  11. michael pierzga
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    michael pierzga Senior Member

  12. michael pierzga
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    michael pierzga Senior Member

    By the way Mirka products are superior. Investigate their system is you have much surface prepwork to do . Its a pro system
     

  13. pierreuw
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    pierreuw Junior Member

    I will try those as well! Thanks!
     
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