best fiberglass paint remover

[Hannibal41]

hello,
what is the best fiberglass paint remover?

trying to remove some bottom paint from the kids whaler.

[Buoy]

What are you trying to remove?
Anti-foul bottom paint?

[Hannibal41]

yes, i have tried peel away 6 from lowes and it didnt work. any other thoughts

[Ratickle]

There are some really good specific to bottom paint removers out there. However, I've never seen one where you didn't have to reseal/recoat the bottom after sanding off the excess the stripper did not remove.

The only way I know of to do that, and then not always depending on how the very first coat of bottom paint was put on and the preparation prior to that first coat, is to soda blast. Walnut shell blast is also similar.

[Buoy]

I've never done the job myself, but everything I've read, Ratickle is sending you the right direction.
Soda blast, or walnut shell.
However you do it, miserable job. But the outcome will be well worth it

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

Whether or not the whaler was primed or not plays a big part. The bottom paint primer actually alters the gelcoat. If it was primed the blasting is the way to go because you will need to refinish it. If it was not primed then patience and solvent will get it off. I would pressure wash it first to remove the loose stuff than use stripper or something like MEK to remove paint. When the paint is removed a light wet sand and machine polish will restore it. If it was primed it will be more difficult and I have found you will likely need to paint it to restore it.

[Hannibal41]

thank you all! heres what i did. i pressure washed it with a gas machine washer and tried to get all the loose paint off still many tough spots. I def want to go the soda route, but for a 17 whaler its around 500 - 700. is that worth it? i am tempted to put good resporators on the kids and let them get to work. then they will look like little smurfs when done. i guess theres just no easy way. btw boat bottom never primed and never sanded which you would think would make it easier and the paint would just fall off

[Ratickle]

thank you all! heres what i did. i pressure washed it with a gas machine washer and tried to get all the loose paint off still many tough spots. I def want to go the soda route, but for a 17 whaler its around 500 - 700. is that worth it? i am tempted to put good resporators on the kids and let them get to work. then they will look like little smurfs when done. i guess theres just no easy way. btw boat bottom never primed and never sanded which you would think would make it easier and the paint would just fall off

Could have been done new though, but a definite advantage for you.

Buy one of the good bottom paint removers from a marine store or on line and have at it. The good masks need to be used, not those paper ones.

Shoould come off with very little sanding. I did the Scorpion, took two tries - put the paste on, scrape with a scraper, pressure wash. Then after the second time some light sanding but I recoated with VC 17 because we leave it in the water.

[Offshore Ginger]

soda blast

[glassdave]

I've actually had decent luck with easy off oven cleaner to get bottom paint off.

[Hannibal41]

how do you use the easy off dave? is there a specific way?

[glassdave]

I had an old 260 Scorpion that had bottom paint on it and i just got a case of easy off and sprayed it on in small sections like maybe one foot by three foot. Let it stand for a bit then used a scraper as it softened. when it got down to the gelcoat i switched to a red scotchbrite pad. I used a powerwasher to. worked pretty good but it was also pretty old and probably a cheaper grade of bottom paint.

[Hannibal41]

i am headed to the ace me right now! or i wounder if BJs would have a better supply... wish me luck off to the store with my smurf kids in tow! they better not get that blue **** on my nice seats.

[Hannibal41]

dave et al. i went to acme to get one can to see if it worked. This bottom paint is stuburn and will not remove. guess i will need to soda blast! thank you for your ideas!