Gator skin Q

[scot]

I've gotta bad case of the gator on my 25 resto-mod project. The cap was no big deal, I've already stripped it to green glass and currently fairing and priming it. The sides are fine. PO used some type of grey primer and top coat that is like steel, it's tough as nails and holding up great, at least 10-15 years ago. I think it is Imron? Someone did an amazing job over coating the gator.

The bottom:

Under the bottom paint & grey primer is the "gator maximus" hull. The bottom paint actually looks pretty good, but is in need of a redo. The question is can I strip down to the primer or gator'ed gelcoat, smooth it out and use a couple of coats of 2000E over the gator? Will the 2000E fill & seal the gator enough to get a decent bottom job, when bottom paint is applied?

Worst option>>>Do I need to take it ALL THE WAY down to the green stuff? I really wouldn't be excited about the thought of stripping all the gelcoat of the bottom of my boat! oh the pain. :-(

Thanks in advance for your inputs, I hope I like ya'll's answers!!

[CaptPatrick]

Scot,

Remove the bottom paint completely, sand down the high points in the gelcoat/primer, and fair with Awlfair epoxy faring compound. Then two coats of of 2000E. The 2000E has very little fairing ability. The Awlfair sands fairly easily after 24 hours, gets harder to sand after 48 hours. You find youself using the Awlfair throughout the project. One of my favorite materials... 1:1 mix, resin is white, hardener is red, properly mixed is pink. Keep the hardener well mixed, it has a tendancy to seperate.

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/us ... do?pid=860" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[scot]

Thanks Patrick,

Certainly glad you didn't make me go down to green!

BTW what is the best equipment (air or electric sander) for removing the old bottom paint? it's harder than woodpecker lips, and laughing at everything but a tiger disc on my 4 1/2" grinder, which is not very controllable.

Wish I had the facilities for blasting, but I don't see that happening.

[Peter]

Scot;

I don't know nothin' about how to solve your problem, but I'm glad to see that you ar back at it!

Peter

[CaptPatrick]

Scot,

Tiger disc and other flap wheels are really only good for metal, try a course abrasive pad such as Norton Non-Woven Depressed Center Rapid Strip Wheel, 4-1/2" http://www.amazon.com/Norton-Non-Woven- ... B00755XY2Y" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Try to find, if at all possible, someone to either soda or walnut shell blast the bottom paint off. Grinding it off has got to be one of the dirtiest and most despicable jobs on the planet. Some folks like air sanders, I personally prefer electric.

Check with Gulf Coast Soda Blasting: http://gcsodablast.com/marine.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[scot]

Captain Patrick>

I used those Norton blue pads to take the gelcoat of the cap, works very well with just the right amount of aggressiveness. But I have no concept of the misery of using those to remove the bottom.

I would have to agree that bottom job work is on the top of my "avoid at all cost" list. Thanks for the link to the Texas based blasters, I will get a price from them before I get after it myself.

Peter>

Thanks. Hurricane Ike left my local marina completely destroyed and I found myself building a jeep from scratch. The marina has been rebuilt and NOW I find myself looking at a brand new, floating, state of the art, 300 slip marina and no boat >>> and the family is none too happy with me!

So it's time to get back on this project and get it in the water before my new 8 week old grand baby gets out of college.

[CamB25]

Hi Scot! I've been having reasonable success grinding with a 6" porter cable orbital sander/ polisher that I picked up at Lowes with 3m green corps 36 grit disks. For my bottom I used a stripper to remove 90% of the old bottom paint. I did not have the crazing issues that you have. A person on the 25 board bought a peeler and peeled the entire boat with the diamond blade. Lots of options, I would have it blasted unless you need a two week workout on your back!

[Kevin]

Scot,

I am with Pat. One of the worst jobs ever. With all the right tools and respirators it might be tolerable when the temps are below 60. The absolute best way is cash or check to someone who specializes in it. A small repair is one thing....the whole bottom is another animal. I would rather stand in a field of sand spurs during a tornado.

[Carl]

Not sure which is worst...the arms aching like a bastard till they go numb, the glasses fogging up with every breath, the dam fines that make there way into the googles regardless of how tight you make them or the people that feel the need to walk by and ask what your doing.

It's those days I wish I had a 31' Bayliner...a whole lot less bottom to contend with.

[scot]

Hi Cam,

What type chemical stripper did you use? I have tried one or two brands and not found any that I felt did very well. Even if I opt for paying the bottom blasted, I still have a fair amount around the transom that I need to do myself. And you know how weird the transoms are on our boats.

[Capt.Frank]

Scott,
I have sanded my B31 over 10 times and other boats over 50 times paying some one to blast last time was the best money I have spent on the boat. I think I'll live a extra 10 years longer also.

[Bob H.]

Scot, I blasted my 31 with ground corn, took most of the gator gel coat off the I used the awlfair method Capt. Pat suggested. Then I used west system with barrier additive, used about 7 coats, that gave me some material to start the build up process fill, fair, repeat, primer, high build, more fairing, more fairing, did I mention fairing...take a handful of advil before you begin..many a day I could barely hold up my beer on saturday night..I found some gymnastic mats that I stacked up and could lay flat on my back up close to the bottom. Not fun, but worth the effort..focus on the tree not the forrest..Capt Pats best tip..BH

[scot]

Frank.. 10 times! Thank God the marina I will be in is brackish and bottoms typically last 2-3 years. Not sure I'll last another 30 years lol, and I dang sure won't be doing bottom jobs myself after the first one. Only investigating doing this one because the boat's at the house during the build.

Bob, your a glutton for punishment. How much ground corn did it take? 100lbs? 200lbs? 1000lbs? I can rent an industrial blast pot set up and a big a** compressor for a weekend, can the blasting be accomplished in a day? Did you strip the gelcoat off the entire hull? Looks like green glass on the side in the picture.

BTW I have done two bottom jobs, on the last boat. it was a 22' Searay and it you guys are all correct, it sucks. I used the 2000E on that boat and the one thing I remember is that stuff is hard as concrete after it's fully cured.

[CamB25]

Scot, I used a product called AquaStrip, but I think they are all similar. The key is to keep the material wet. When the stripper dries out, she's done working the pole (or bottom)! I wrote a long tome on this on b25 site, here's the short version:

Apply glob of stripper to small are of hull
Cove area with plastic wrap, seal edges with tape
Let sit for 12 hours
Remove the plastic and 40 years of bottom paint will fall of the boat.

Worked very well for me! Good luck!