Removing Bottom Paint (Starboard)

July 25th/26th, 2015

Through the weekend, I continued on the path of removing the bottom paint on the starboard side of the hull.  The idea for removal of the bottom paint included using a stripper product to reduce the airborne dust.  The previously applied product was a bit messy in application, so I opted for a change in the application process - spray on.  Brushing on the product that I had initially tried presented a messy venture to say the least; spraying on the paint stripper was much easier to control.  

Over the course of the weekend, I would typically apply a couple coats of the spray-on product within 5 to 10 minutes of the first coat being applied, and then wait roughly 15 minutes for good penetration of the product before scraping off the bottom paint.    

The reason for addressing the bottom paint was presented to me at haul-out the day of the purchase.  I noticed several areas around the hull that appeared to be osmotic blistering.  However, once I sanded the bottom paint down to the gelcoat, I noticed little to no blistering emanating from the fiberglass structure.  In the picture below, the flesh-colored paint is a barrier coat - likely epoxy-based.  The whitish surface is the original gelcoat.  The hull, from a fiberglass perspective, appears to be in great shape.  My guess is that the barrier coat was not applied according to specifications, and allowed water to penetrate between the gelcoat and bottom paint, resulting in surface blistering.  Barrier coats should be applied to a surface free of paint, otherwise adhesion problems may result.  The blueish outline around the "barrier coat" on Alva Anne was likely the original bottom paint - this should have been removed prior to the application of the barrier coat.  There were a few areas of the fiberglass structure itself that held water, and so I ground those areas out to release the water and allow it to dry prior to filling and fairing.

I was able, through the weekend, to meet my goal of removal of the starboard bottom paint.

In the coming days, I will focus on the port side bottom paint removal.  After removing the port side, I will rearrange the blocking to remove the paint surfaces on the bottom of the keel.  The boot stripe will also be removed.

Total Time: 7 Hrs.