My School Half term approaches

[Team Slatter]

So, my 6 weeks at school are almost finished and I cant wait to get back on the cherub as I have some jobs lined up. I am looking at sailing the hell out of the boat when ever I am not revising and i was wondering if there were going to be any meets that are not formal.

Most importantly though how would you suggest the best way to remove paint other than sanding?

Alex

[Tim Noyce]

I would avoid any sort of chemical paint removers so think that sanding is probably the safest and best solution. It's not in any way fun or enjoyable, but the satisfaction of removing many layers of paint is rewarded when you sail the boat afterwards. Removing paint is essentially adding 'free' speed. (the only cost is time and sandpaper disks!)

[BenR]

Sanding and more sanding.
Doesn't take too long if you have a random orbital sander with 60/80 grit. (well worth the investment if you have a lot of sanding to do)

Sand/soda blasting also works but is pretty expensive. You really shouldn't use chemical paint strippers.

[Tim Noyce]

On Numb I took to using 40 grit as it sped things up a bit as there were many layers in places. You'll want to buy LOADS of sheets though, as you will become addicted to that new sheet feel with added bite and get through them in no time.

(if using 40g, be careful, keep it moving and stop when you even think you are nearing the end of the paint and swap down to a finer grit, or build yourself a long board* to ensure that you keep it all good and fair)

(*a long board is simple to make, get a plank of wood and screw a cheap door handle or 2 onto it, and then you can buy sand paper by the roll and just staple it onto it. This is a really good way of ensuring that you get a fair hull)

[PaulClements]

When stripping paint off cars I have used my grinder and a special disc, easily available from a car paint supplier, or by post from Moss brothers etc. The disc is plasticy like a brilo pad and is very user friendly, economic in money and effort terms and causes minimal substrate damage. Avoid sylicone based product like the plague. Fill and fair big dings with fine polyester filler and then one spray coat of 2 pack primer a speckle coat of acrilic and then a final coat of 2 pack primer. Use the sanding board until the guide coat re-appears and repeat 2 pack coats and boarding until there are no hollows and the hull is fair. Then 3 coats of 2 pack top coat. Leave 2 days and then burnish off one coat with cutting compound and complete the final polish for a to die for finish. Use the proper protective masks because 2 pack is unhealthy stuff when sprayed. The high build primer can be applied by roller (perhaps) on a boat reducing exposure to nasty vapours. Then get a back street car spray shop to do the final 2 pack finish. Don't use water based modern car paint as it will not be tough enough.

I know this works on a car restoration but have never tried it on a boat (yet).

Finish will be so good the boat will never be sailed again in case of damage. (actually with 2 pack it is easy to patch repair damaged zones)