I have a 2001 Sea Ray 180 bow rider with the 135 MerCruser in it. We
had bottom paint put on it from a local shop because we kept it in the
water for a period of 6 months. We now keep in it at our house on the
trailer but would like to remove the antifouling paint (its starting
to look bad) and return it to the white fiberglass. Can anyone tell
us what we need to do and what products to use? Can we do this
ourselves?
Thanks in advance,
Mike in Tampa

I did this last year on a boat. Be careful it's toxic.
I wet sanded it off with 3m cloth. Be sure to wear rubber protective
clothing. Keep it wet and don't breath any of it in by dry sanding it.
Worked pretty well for me, but a real messy job.


On 18 Sep 2003 15:21:33 -0700, (Mike) wrote:

I have a 2001 Sea Ray 180 bow rider with the 135 MerCruser in it. We
had bottom paint put on it from a local shop because we kept it in the
water for a period of 6 months. We now keep in it at our house on the
trailer but would like to remove the antifouling paint (its starting
to look bad) and return it to the white fiberglass. Can anyone tell
us what we need to do and what products to use? Can we do this
ourselves?
Thanks in advance,
Mike in Tampa

Will I need to paint/seal the fiberglass again? I assume it was sanded
to put the antifouling paint on (it was only painted once). What
would I need to put on it, if anything?

(Mike) wrote in message . com...
I have a 2001 Sea Ray 180 bow rider with the 135 MerCruser in it. We
had bottom paint put on it from a local shop because we kept it in the
water for a period of 6 months. We now keep in it at our house on the
trailer but would like to remove the antifouling paint (its starting
to look bad) and return it to the white fiberglass. Can anyone tell
us what we need to do and what products to use? Can we do this
ourselves?
Thanks in advance,
Mike in Tampa

Usually a boat hull is painted with a barrier coat of epoxy followed
by another coat of anti fouling paint.
The epoxy paint is to prevent blistering, but if you are trailering
your boat like I do then you don't need any paint on the bottom.
My boat is in the water for a week at a time max, and I clean the hull
pretty often with some simple green and/or a pressure washer so it
stays nice and white.
John C.


On 19 Sep 2003 08:05:22 -0700, (Mike) wrote:

Will I need to paint/seal the fiberglass again? I assume it was sanded
to put the antifouling paint on (it was only painted once). What
would I need to put on it, if anything?

(Mike) wrote in message . com...
I have a 2001 Sea Ray 180 bow rider with the 135 MerCruser in it. We
had bottom paint put on it from a local shop because we kept it in the
water for a period of 6 months. We now keep in it at our house on the
trailer but would like to remove the antifouling paint (its starting
to look bad) and return it to the white fiberglass. Can anyone tell
us what we need to do and what products to use? Can we do this
ourselves?
Thanks in advance,
Mike in Tampa

Tampa Mike sez "......would like to remove the antifouling paint (its starting
to look bad) and return it to the white fiberglass.......


Mike, When I had mine painted for the first time (brand new boat) the yard did
some AGRESSIVE sanding/prep to provide a "tooth" for the barrier and subsequent
coats of paint. You may well find you'll never have the glossy gel coat finish
you had when new! But please let us know how it works out, as my boat is back
on the trailer after 1 1/2 years in the bay, and I suppose I should do
something to improve the looks of the boat before my neighbors "talk" to me!
Best wishes
Mike
BTW...I lived in Tampa for a while then moved to Treasure Island (off St. Pete
Beach) before going to 'Nam in '66. How is the availiblity of water front
property w/docks? Or has the Manatee issue stopped that?

Check the archives for my do it yourself chemical striper -- nasty to
deal with but works well, and leaves the fiberglas smooth as new

CaptMP wrote:
Tampa Mike sez "......would like to remove the antifouling paint (its starting
to look bad) and return it to the white fiberglass.......


Mike, When I had mine painted for the first time (brand new boat) the yard did
some AGRESSIVE sanding/prep to provide a "tooth" for the barrier and subsequent
coats of paint. You may well find you'll never have the glossy gel coat finish
you had when new! But please let us know how it works out, as my boat is back
on the trailer after 1 1/2 years in the bay, and I suppose I should do
something to improve the looks of the boat before my neighbors "talk" to me!
Best wishes
Mike
BTW...I lived in Tampa for a while then moved to Treasure Island (off St. Pete
Beach) before going to 'Nam in '66. How is the availiblity of water front
property w/docks? Or has the Manatee issue stopped that?

I found the procedure, and will reply to myself

DO NOT pressure wash the bottom. Bottom paint contains nasty stuff
(arsenic, Lead, copper, maybe mercury and other such stuff you don't
want to drink) If the feds or most states catch you it means big fines.
Likewise sanding -- you sure don't want to breath that stuff.

Follows is a procedure that will work; a little labor intensive, and
slightly dangerous, but with proper precautions will work just fine.

You need
3 buckets (Local $1 store)

maybe 3 cans of household Lye (read devil or similar) from the
cleaning dept. of your local supermarket. DO NOT use drain cleaner

2-3 boxes of cornstarch (local supermarket)

Gloves goggles, plastic scrapers. plastic drop cloth. old or disposable
paintbrush

Fill 2 buckets 1/2 way full of COLD water

Put on the gloves goggles, long sleeve shirt, long pants (old, ugly,
about to be trashed)

To Bucket #1 add 1 can of lye stir enthusiastically
to bucket # 2 add about 1/2 box of cornstarch -- stir even more
enthusiastically

Add the contents of bucket 2 to bucket 1 whilst stirring. Stop adding
when the mix is about the consistency of pancake batter.

Put the drop cloth under the boat

Slather the glop in bucket #1 on as thick as you can while wearing
gloves & goggles (This stuff eats skin)

Go get a cup of coffee

Come back about 20 minutes later and use the scraper to remove the
softened paint. Put it in Bucket #3 for proper disposal (call your
local hazardous waste facility for their version of proper disposal)

Repeat as necessary to get all the paint off

Roll up the tarp and drips for proper disposal.

THEN pressure wash to remove the remover

Jim wrote:
Check the archives for my do it yourself chemical striper -- nasty to
deal with but works well, and leaves the fiberglas smooth as new

CaptMP wrote:

Tampa Mike sez "......would like to remove the antifouling paint (its
starting
to look bad) and return it to the white fiberglass.......

Mike, When I had mine painted for the first time (brand new boat) the
yard did
some AGRESSIVE sanding/prep to provide a "tooth" for the barrier and
subsequent
coats of paint. You may well find you'll never have the glossy gel
coat finish
you had when new! But please let us know how it works out, as my boat
is back
on the trailer after 1 1/2 years in the bay, and I suppose I should do
something to improve the looks of the boat before my neighbors "talk"
to me!
Best wishes
Mike
BTW...I lived in Tampa for a while then moved to Treasure Island (off
St. Pete
Beach) before going to 'Nam in '66. How is the availiblity of water
front
property w/docks? Or has the Manatee issue stopped that?