Bottom Cleaning

JBlumhorst@aol.com
Fri, 15 Jan 1999 20:53:58 EST


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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Hi Gang,

My boat, Red Wing, was in the water for many years before I bought her.
Unfortunately, the bottom paint was neglected. There are zillions of ugly
patches where there are gazillions of crusty, hard little rings where the sea
creatures attached themselves to the hull with Father Neptune's version of
glue. Before the old owner sold her to me, he had the bottom scraped, but
that didn't come close to getting it smooth or clean.

What's the best way to remove the "glue rings" and the remaining blue bottom
paint? I'd like to restore the hull to plain old white gel coat, if the sea
creatures didn't eat into it with that glue stuff. The paint is a chalky light
blue that can be scrubbed off with elbow grease and some 3M Scotchbrite pads.
Where ever the "glue spots" are, however, I can't scrub the hull clean. It's
ugly, green/brown hard scum with spots of blue paint inbetween the rings.

I read somewhere to try oven cleaner. It didn't do much. What about paint
remover? What kind? They sell a paint remover at the marina that promises
to not destroy the gelcoat, but of course it's $50 a quart. Most paint
removers say they will remove epoxy. What about using paint remover on
polyester based gel coat? Somebody with experience -- PLEASE HELP!

Thanks in advance,

Judith Blumhorst, DC
HMS-18/P-19 Fleet Captain, Potter's Yachters
WWP-19 #266 "Red Wing"
SF Bay, CA