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Stripping paint from grp boat and polishing help please?


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Hi everyone,

I am going to try to fix up the outside of my grp boat but I have never done this before and could do with a little advice.

The previous owner painted it some wrong type of paint that has totally peeled off and is really patchy. I have taken as much off as I can but I think I need to buy some paint stripper any recommendations or guidance on how to do it? Thanks

And also once I've stripped the paint would like to polish to a nice finish but I'm not sure what im doing? Any recomendations or advice to help me with my research would be mega appreciated! Like do I nneed to buy a polished? Or can I buy a polishing head for my angle grinder? And what compound would you recommend? Thanks for your help everyone. Any help at all to get s handle on what I'm doing. Thank you thank you thank you you wonderful boaters.

X

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8 minutes ago, squarelips said:

Thanks rusty, that's not nothing that some solid gold advice. It's what I thought but wanted to check before I shelled out cash for a polisher. Cheers man, x

I wouldn't rush out and buy one until you know what is under the paintwork. I should imagine it has been painted for a reason, and may need repainting again once you have prepared it, a simple polish may not be enough.

Edited by rusty69
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5 minutes ago, Flyboy said:

Do not use ordinary paint stripper on GRP, it will dissolve the resin. What you need is Dillunet made by Owertrol.

http://owatrol.com/en/all-our-products/7927-dilunett.html

I thought modern paint stripper didn't dissolve anything much (unlike the old solvent-based Nitromors)!

Edited by David Mack
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I've got to do exactly the same job on mine, I was chatting to a decorator and he reckoned that sticking brown parcel tape on the paint, leaving it then whipping it off quick should get the majority of it off, then it's just a question of (carefully) using a cabinet scraper and non-methylene chloride based paint stripper to get the most stubborn bits off.  

I think mine was painted because the gelcoat is poo brown underneath...

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I used Marine Strip from Owatrol which is designed for GRP, sourced on ebay.  I googled Dilunett, I expect it is the same thing but without a 'marine ££££££££' label B) ).

It needed several applications to get thick anti-fouling off the bottom of my yogurt pot, and it helped to do it in small areas, covering the jelly coating with clingfilm and leaving for 24 hours before scrubbing off with soapy water.  Any stubborn bits came off easily with a hot-air gun (modern type of blowlamp) and a hardwood spatula.

good luck with polishing or re-painting.  International (and others) do paints specifically designed for GRP.

Edited by Murflynn
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Hi Squarelips

 

Not long ago i done a good part of my cruiser as i got fed up of sanding, i used to like doing it :(

 

I used this from Wickes and was better than the other two i tried, sorry forgot the name but i can say this was better.

 

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Paint+Varnish-Stripper-2-5L/p/155055?pageNumber=2

 

I didnt leave it over night covered over but just kept it damp for an hour with a fine spray from a water bottle or old garden weedkiller bottle or the likes, they give a good size spray fan.

I had to remove 3-5 coats of paint and one treatment removed atleast three of them, 

The first treatment was scrapped off, i used a wall paper scraper and it came off easy then the next treatment i used a pressure washer to blast it off.  

There are still small areas left that i need to do and should of got in there with a scrubbing brush but after what i found i am going to finish off with a soda blaster that i have now. Will be betetr to get into the treads area that is not easy to get into even with a scrubbing brush.

 

Then once that is done i hope not but sins will be shown from the past, mine is dam scary from what i have found, You may be able to polish anything up and it will need a repaint again with a good three coats of primer then 2-3 coats of paint of choice. Lots to choose from. I am using Jotun on this boat.  

 

If you areluckyto be able to polish the gelcoat back up then i would buy a cheap polishing kit

 

like this maybe, but there are lots about

 

 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SILVERSTORM-1500W-180mm-SANDER-BUFFER-POLISHER-8PC-SANDING-POLISHING-KIT/381585433670?_trksid=p2045573.c100508.m3226&_trkparms=aid%3D555014%26algo%3DPL.DEFAULT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D43649%26meid%3D96ce4f12e7af4002994caa2db061e847%26pid%3D100508%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26

 

Good luck and enjoy ;)

 

wayne

Edited by W+T
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  • 3 years later...
On 28/04/2017 at 22:52, harrybsmith said:

I've got to do exactly the same job on mine, I was chatting to a decorator and he reckoned that sticking brown parcel tape on the paint, leaving it then whipping it off quick should get the majority of it off, then it's just a question of (carefully) using a cabinet scraper and non-methylene chloride based paint stripper to get the most stubborn bits off.  

I think mine was painted because the gelcoat is poo brown underneath...

Good to know! But in my case I may wish to remove the gelcoat an redo her... but not good for others, as that might even remove their gelcoat! As a little bit of info, removing a sticker from the top of my boat did show some of the firberglass below when pulling too hard! A bit of an oops, but also I do plan to practice painting/gelcoating and now I know where to start. Other than "everywhere"!

PS, I might have your boats twin. :)

Edited by Techy-Ben
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On 05/06/2020 at 16:45, Techy-Ben said:

Good to know! But in my case I may wish to remove the gelcoat an redo her... but not good for others, as that might even remove their gelcoat! As a little bit of info, removing a sticker from the top of my boat did show some of the firberglass below when pulling too hard! A bit of an oops, but also I do plan to practice painting/gelcoating and now I know where to start. Other than "everywhere"!

PS, I might have your boats twin. :)

Cool! Gelcoating isn't hard, if yours is a Highbridge then it's a polyester based gelcoat. As much as you can you're best to not disturb the old stuff as while they're incredibly thick hulled you may as well key the old gelcoat (scratch it heavily with sandpaper) and overcoat. 

 

If yours is a blue Highbridge blacked up to the gunwhale then it's from the same hire fleet and is actually one of my boat's twins, there's 3 that I know of like that

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See Sail Life on youtube for detailed preparation procedures, he uses the manual provided by the epoxy manufacturer, Peel-ply film, sanding, fairing compounds. Demonstrations  of how to sort most problems you are likely to encounter.

If you needed a project in your life, you have made a great start by buying a boat

Edited by LadyG
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42 minutes ago, Murflynn said:

not for the faint-hearted, that's for sure.,

And not cheap - it cost £936 for the stripper alone (36 foot boat) and that was just for the cabin sides and deck only (not below the toe-boards / hull)

Filler, brushes rollers etc was another £350, and £1650 for primer, paint and top coat.

£3500 labour for a guy on a £100/ day day-rate to help me.

 

I'd had a quote of £11000 to have it done and wish I'd paid them to do it.

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1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

And not cheap - it cost £936 for the stripper alone (36 foot boat) and that was just for the cabin sides and deck only (not below the toe-boards / hull)

Filler, brushes rollers etc was another £350, and £1650 for primer, paint and top coat.

£3500 labour for a guy on a £100/ day day-rate to help me.

 

I'd had a quote of £11000 to have it done and wish I'd paid them to do it.

I thought fibreglass boats were cheaper to maintain than steel!

It would appear from your bill that having a steel boat overplated is not too dear.

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Just now, Mad Harold said:

I thought fibreglass boats were cheaper to maintain than steel!

It would appear from your bill that having a steel boat overplated is not too dear.

No, they are cheaper to buy and cheaper to NOT maintain, but to maintain properly and increase their value 'costs-a-lot'

 

Just think each oil change I do is 2x 23 litres and 2x £16 oil filters (Twin-engines)

Each time I fill the fuel tanks from empty is 2800 litres

 

I was quoted £8k for a back to metal re-paint on my 45 foot NB so the painting prices are not really much different (GRP boat is 14 foot beam)

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On 08/06/2020 at 12:24, Mad Harold said:

I thought fibreglass boats were cheaper to maintain than steel!

GRP isn't immune from issues although Alan's example is quite extreme.

 

One GRP boat has been ashore near us undergoing osmosis treatment below the waterline . I guess the owner is taking his time and doing a good job. Now into its  second year ashore.

 

 

 

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7 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

I always said I'd never buy a painted GRP boat, and now I remember why.

 

My take is once you start painting a GRP boat you need to keep on doing it or it soon looks tatty.  I put up with fading gelcoat for quite a few years, but I wasn't tempted to paint it above the waterline.

 

 

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40 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

I always said I'd never buy a painted GRP boat, and now I remember why.

 

Nothing 'extreme', just removing the old paint.

I thought you had stripped the gel coat.

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