Antifoul

chrishowden · 24 October 2011, 19:03

What is the easiest way to remove anti foul from the hull. Is there a product on the market that you can buy?

Cheers

Erin · 24 October 2011, 19:56

There's a product called Interstrip which will do it, but it's slow and laborious. If you are going to repaint and don't mind scratching the gelcoat then a carbide scraper is good. Another option but one that I haven't tried is grit blasting with soda beads.

Boats&Outboards · 24 October 2011, 20:20

Even if it's removed though bear in mind if it's been applied correctly your unlikely to get it back to a "gel" Finnish. Its a good idea to take it all off prior to re-applying a new coating.

Peter ~ Boatsandoutboards4sale ~ askboatsandoutboards4sale@sky.com ~ 07930 421007

thomas · 24 October 2011, 20:56

Out of interest, how much does it low you down?

Boats&Outboards · 24 October 2011, 21:00

Depends on the extent but I'd say couple knots, 3 maybe I'm not entirely sure

If you took it all off and re-coated you'd gain a little but I'd also look into other options like prop adjustment, trim tabs etc.

Peter ~ Boatsandoutboards4sale ~ askboatsandoutboards4sale@sky.com ~ 07930 421007

thomas · 25 October 2011, 06:57

Not much then, I've been looking at two boats, one antifouled and one not, have gone with the antifouled one.

9D280 · 25 October 2011, 09:36

I used an angle grider!

Ok , slight exaggeration, but I needed some ridiculously coarse paper in the belt sander, & various shaped wood scrapers to get in round the spray rails.

Grantred I then threw it at someone to get the whole lot re- gelled & even out the dodgy repair of yore (my hull was asymmetric accross the last metre or so, and found a rather hastily applied repair under the antifoul).

With hindsight the guy that did the new gelcoat reckoned it would have been quicker & easier (& therefore cheaper) for him to have done the removal, as I was removing it in less than ideal conditions, and so ended up taking gouges out of awkward corners that then needed filled, whereas he would have turned it over (needs to do that anyway to re- gell it!) & so a far easier working environment.

Can't complain about the workmanship, the boat now doesn't heel unnervingly to port above 18 knots, and is very shiny....below the toobs where you canlt see it!

JABS · 25 October 2011, 12:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrishowden

What is the easiest way to remove anti foul from the hull. Is there a product on the market that you can buy?

Cheers

Get someone else to do it!

The best solution is to blast it off. I used Hayling Yacht Services who blasted it off and then polished the hull. The job was 'as new'

Removing it yourself would be a soul destroying job and you risk damaging the gel coat.

Oscarguitar · 25 October 2011, 13:00

My boat used to be kept in the water but i now dry berth. I wanted to get rid of the antifoul as it wasn't needed any more. I did mine with a scraper and sandpaper. Big boat and it was soul destroying. Worse still the hull had been keyed so well that I can't face sanding/buffing it back up to shiny.

I will probably apply a very thin smooth coat of hard white antifoul and sand that as smooth as possible. Real shame as I was hoping for a nice shiny result.

Any advice on the best white hard antifoul that stays white??

PeterM · 25 October 2011, 13:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oscarguitar

Any advice on the best white hard antifoul that stays white??

I always used Blakes ( now another name I cant recall) hard white racing antifoul which stayed a proper white for me. It was sandable and dried hard ( clues in the name) so didn't come off all over everything.

Oscarguitar · 25 October 2011, 13:19

Many thanks Peter, I will have look at using some of that.

Boats&Outboards · 25 October 2011, 14:27

Blakes is now called Hempel

Peter ~ Boatsandoutboards4sale ~ askboatsandoutboards4sale@sky.com ~ 07930 421007

chrishowden · 26 October 2011, 17:40

Has anyone used this product.

Owatrol Marine Strip Gel - Paint & Varnish Remover 1Ltr - Only £16.95 - Force 4 Chandlery

cheers

mitchc · 26 October 2011, 18:15

For antifoul stripper do a search for reactive resins and use their stripit product. It's nasty stuff on your skin but does exactly what it says on tin!

9D280 · 27 October 2011, 09:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by JABS

Get someone else to do it!.

Yep - I learned that the hard way!

Quote:

Originally Posted by JABS

The best solution is to blast it off. I used Hayling Yacht Services who blasted it off and then polished the hull. The job was 'as new'.

Edinburgh - Hayling is a bit of a trek!

Quote:

Originally Posted by JABS

Removing it yourself would be a soul destroying job and you risk damaging the gel coat.

Yep! (on both counts!)

HAving said that if you can turn the boat over and don't have spray rails it might not be as bad.

chrishowden · 27 October 2011, 14:27

Is there anywhere in or around Edinburgh that do a job like that?

willk · 27 October 2011, 20:43

Dry Ice (CO2) blasting might be an option. The lads are in Glasgae: Linky

Don't take on the job yourself, you'll be calling the Samaritans after a week...

9D280 · 28 October 2011, 09:32

Will: S' Glesga. Glasgae is almost a festival!

Chris:
There's Caledonian GRP / Scottish Loch & Canal boats in Stirling. 01786 832848.

willk · 28 October 2011, 20:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9D280

Glasgae is almost a festival!

Oh, sorry. Is that the one where they wear skirts with little integrated handbags and toss their poles?