Is there any good antifoul removers?

[martin33100]

Hi, do any of the GRP safe antifoul striping products work?.
We have just bought a used boat and as it was previously a safety boat at a sailing club it's been antifouled.
It's coming off in places and I was wondering if any of the GRP safe antifoul strippers actually work?.
If I am able to successfully remove the antifoul I was going to try and polish up the white gel coat.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

[The Black Pig]

Leave it to the pros it is a particularly nasty toxic job which can leave you unwell, life is too short

They use a dustless blast method which incorporates an inclosed nozzle a bit like a patio jet washer system with the right chemicals which won’t melt the grp

[Maximus]

I've done it a couple of times,without too many ill effects!....I used the gel type remover (and a nylon/plastic scraper) which is much safer (and easier) than trying to sand down or use abrasives which does cause real problems...whith toxic dust everywhere!
Take your time,wear suitable gloves...and eye protection ect (especillay if you're doing the job on a trailer,which you can also mask up/project where nessisary)...do smallish areas...and put down plenty of paper/dust sheets to collect residue...cold water does kill the active agents in the stripper and should be kept handy....and for the final wash off before polishing.
It is messy process but well worth the effort! ...and once removed you can re-buff the hull to a good finish with a mop and compound...just take care on the edges of Chines and straight edges with power tools
I know anti foul is a necessity for some ....but if you don't need it 100%...don't do it

[willk]

Originally Posted by martin33100

It's coming off in places and I was wondering if any of the GRP safe antifoul strippers actually work?

You say the old antifoul is coming off - are there bare patches of GRP showing? Is this in good condition, i.e. not scored/keyed? If they were useless lazy WAFIs then they may just have lashed a litre of eroding yacht antifoul on there - a lick and a promise. If you're in luck - it might respond well to an industrial pressure washer on hot wash. Avoid tubes and tapes - they will open right up.

[beamishken]

I've done a couple and found the same as willk that a hot pressure washer got off quite a lot . Then finished off with cellulose thinners soaked on a rag to soften it and wash off the residue. You need plenty old rags and need to keep the rag nice and wet with thinners to wash it off.
No health implications if your pressure washing or washing with thinners as the dust isn't getting airborne like sanding or scraping
Gloves are handy as its messy

[Tim M]

International Interstrip is pretty good. I did a 6.5m RIB with it and after final polishing etc you'd never know it was antifouled. However, an awful lot of hard work. If you can find someone to do it for a reasonable cost then do that - getting covered in antifoul goop scraping for hours on end is not my idea of fun.

[Sutty]

Why bother, if it is a speed issue it doesn’t make much if any difference and if it is aesthetics who can see when it’s in the water