Peel Away Stripper for bottom paint

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Dale Stone

Hello C34 owners and others,
This is not a new topic but I am finding just few comments about it with the search engine. Has anyone used Peel Away to strip bottom paint? I have used Peel Away for interior trim and liked the results in the way way past. But not for bottom paint.

The manufacturer has a marine stripper, smart stripper II and several more versions. I just bought a gallon of the older "Peel Away One" for a trial.
More questions:
1) Was it effective for thicker layers? I have a 2001 C34II which looks to have 16 coats of ablative.
2) Any concerns or experience with Peel Away about the gel coat?

I am not crazy about blasting, not only for the rough surface left behind but also the >>>cost. I have used Easy Off Oven Cleaner on a 1988 P27 several years ago with good results. It did not effect the barrier coat. I expect the Peel Away will be similar.

Sorry for this painful topic. Welcome your thoughts.

Thanks
Dale
Dale Stone 2001 C34 II, Hull #1526, Salem Ma

glennd3

Glenn Davis
Knot Yet
1990 Catalina 34 Mk 1.5
Hull 1053
TR/WK
M25XP
Patapsco River
Chesapeake Bay Maryland

Ed Shankle

Hi Dale,
I used Peel Away years ago on a build up of layers, a mix of hard and ablative coats. I had to apply twice and still had to scrape. It was a lot of work and not as simple as I had hoped. A few years ago when I decided to move to a non copper, solvent free paint, I wanted to start fresh, so I had the bottom blasted instead. It came out great, no gelcoat damage. Followed with a new barrier coat, then the new paint.

Regards,
Ed
Ed Shankle
Tail Wind #866 1989 m25xp
Salem, MA

Ted Pounds

I tried PeelAway too.  PITA.  I ended up blasting.  Guy used crushed corn kernals - did a great job without chewing up the bottom.  I'm told soda blasting also works well.  Good luck.
Ted Pounds
"Molly Rose"
1987 #447

Ted Pounds

Before you blast close all your thru-hulls.  I didn't and ended up with corn kernel and blue bottom paint bits in all sorts of places inside the boat...  :shock:
Ted Pounds
"Molly Rose"
1987 #447

Dale Stone

Thanks for the replies. I understand the comments of difficulty using this and other strippers. But because I used Easy Off Oven Cleaner on a previous boat with not so bad results, I got to give this stuff a spin. The temperature in New England is above 60F for the next 2 days and I will try a few test patches.

I had conversations with 3 blasters so far. Quotes are $2K and above, two of them used crushed glass and the third uses soda. I've seen two blast jobs in the last 3 years and was horrified with the end results. I expect crushed glass was used and not soda or corn.

I'll pass on the results from the test patch next week.

Thanks again for your replies.





Dale Stone 2001 C34 II, Hull #1526, Salem Ma

scgunner

    Dale,

       I'm a little puzzled by your post. I have some questions; how do you know you've 16 coats of bottom paint, since it's an ablative paint wouldn't most of those 16 coats have been scrubbed off? So unless there's a problem with the bottom itself I don't see the need to strip it to the bare hull.

        I've owned Top Gun for 31yrs and I pull it out of the water about every 4yrs for new bottom paint. When it comes out of the water the hull is starting to show bare spots which indicates to me that most of the bottom paint is already gone. I have my bottom cleaned every 4wks which has the effect of gradually removing the paint and prepping the bottom for the next paint job. When it comes out for new bottom paint all it requires is a hard scrub(in the water)and a fresh water rinse before paint.
Kevin Quistberg                                                 Top Gun 1987 Mk 1 Hull #273

glennd3

I just had mine blasted in November last year, paid 1495.00.  That was for everything and in Maryland it was treated like asbestos removal. There were about 5 other boats in my marina that had it done. My boat had many layers of paint and because I just bought the boat last spring I wanted to see the true bottom. I have some small blisters but after 30 years I am not going to chase them which was recommended by my marina guys. . I plan to paint and sail and see what happens.
Glenn Davis
Knot Yet
1990 Catalina 34 Mk 1.5
Hull 1053
TR/WK
M25XP
Patapsco River
Chesapeake Bay Maryland

Jim Hardesty

A couple of power boaters in our club stripped their bottoms with a pressure washer and fine coal.  I didn't see the process but the end results looked good.  They had no problems barrier coating and bottom painting.  Our parking lot/boat storage area is gravel and the area under their boats looked fine after launch. 
May be something to look into
Jim
Jim Hardesty
2001 MKII hull #1570 M35BC  "Shamrock"
sailing Lake Erie
from Commodore Perry Yacht Club
Erie, PA

Dale Stone

Hi Gunner,
I am just guessing because I've owned her for just 2 years. The first year she was on the hard all year for long over due maintenance and a several nasty deck leaks and a real nasty rotten core below the port winch next to the cockpit seat locker. BTW, if you have a C34 MKII, check that piano hinge. If it is loose, it could cause severe balsa core moisture.
Back to the bottom paint, I put her in last year and didn't paint her, thinking she had more than paint already. I did wash/ scrub the bottom 2X during the season hoping to remove the buildup. I'm sure I got some of it off but not much, relative to the overall thickness. There are some bare spots now due to peeling.
She is 18 years old, the PO didn't use her for the last 5 years of ownership. With that, estimate 2 coats per year X 12 years and with some ablative action and I guessed the bottom paint is 24 - 8 layers to be 16 layers thick. Not very scientific or accurate, I'm sure.

I did try test patches of stripper this weekend. Unfortunately the weather never got above 50F for the 24 hour soak. I used Peel Away #1, Multi Strip and Easy Off Oven Cleaner. After 6 hours all 3 were working however not done to bare Gel Coat. After 24 hours, the Peel Away #1 had got down to the Gel Coat (barely) and the other 2 still had bottom paint.
Looking at the edge created by the stripper to Gel Coat, the paint thickness is about 1/32".
I've decided to use the Peel Away when the temperature gets above 60F and just do the keel and rudder this year.

I've have used the water based ablative by Petit on my last boat and 2 coats were easily removed at fall pull out and spring pre launch.

So I'll patch the old paint where needed and put the water based ablative on the stripped locations. Hoping to avoid build up and easy removal once all the old paint is gone and allow for a barrier coat. I expect that will be in 3 years. Good thing I'm not in hurry!

Never heard of the coal blast, very interesting. I would guess the cost is similar to soda or crushed glass blast.

I have another question about the heat exchanger but will use a separate post.

Thanks
Dale
Dale Stone 2001 C34 II, Hull #1526, Salem Ma

scgunner

     Dale,

       The big advantage east coast guys have over west coast guys is maintenance. While you can't use your boat for half the year you do have great access to the whole boat and it allows you to really dry out the hull every year. The longest my boat has ever been out of the water is five days, usually just three or four. It involves staging supplies and equipment pre-haulout, then a mad dash to get everything done before the splash deadline and hopefully not finding too many problems that weren't evident when the boat was in the water.

       I use Petit also(good stuff)and I'd have to say when my boat comes out the Petit is all but gone, with the exception of the area between the back of the keel and the front of the prop shaft and that hasn't been a problem. Just for me, unless I was going to barrier coat I don't see the need to strip the bottom.

       One thing just occurred to me, if your boat is out of the water half the year wouldn't your bottom paint last twice as long? Also, you say you put two coats on per year? That's a lot of paint and that stuff ain't cheap. I put two coats on every 3 or 4yrs.
Kevin Quistberg                                                 Top Gun 1987 Mk 1 Hull #273

Dale Stone

Hi Gunner,
Depends on your perspective. Northeast coast season is at best 3 months. Your season may be 9 months.

The peeling old bottom paint is kind of a mess. I'd rather get it down to gel coat and start fresh. That is what I did on the previous boat and the bottom paint maintenance become much easier.

Which Petit do you use? I was using water based (no copper) ablative. It worked well for me.
Dale Stone 2001 C34 II, Hull #1526, Salem Ma

scgunner

    Dale,

      Here in SoCal the season is 12 months, the days are shorter and the water is colder but I've sailed to Catalina, dove the island in the winter months and celebrated New Years Eve in Avalon Harbor.

       Obviously if the bottom paint is peeling you'll have to strip it. I've never had a problem with the paint peeling(knock on wood). Usually when my boat comes out of the water I do some blister mitigation, prime the bare spots, paint and back into the water. I use the Petit that has the highest copper content, Trinadad I think. I find the more copper the paint has, the cleaner the bottom stays between cleanings and the longer the boat says in the water.
Kevin Quistberg                                                 Top Gun 1987 Mk 1 Hull #273