Boating How-To’s - Bottom Paint removal

I purchased my boat used with a bottom paint installed.

What are my options for removal. I have painted it once and it needs to be painted again. If I'm going to spend the money, I rather remove it. What kind of money am I looking to spend? Most important, what can I do? I know it is not as easy as sanding it off.

The boat lives in a lift.

Thanks for you guidance and help

Look to spend about $150 a linear foot to have it removed and gel-coat refinished. Thats just a rough estimate.

Look to spend about $150 a linear foot to have it removed and gel-coat refinished. Thats just a rough estimate.


:o:o:o:o:o:o:oWOW:o:o:o:o:o:o:o I guess I won't be doing that? What about soda blasted and Awlgrip? How would that hold up to trailering?

I used Peel Away many years ago. worked well. was expensive. Look into soda blasting, might not hurt the gelcoat.

Depending on where you live, plan on spending at least $50/ft to have it soda blasted. If you have the means to remove the bottom paint chemically, it's much cheaper.
Having it soda blasted by a competent operator is a great way to remove bottom paint...make sure you check references.
If you have the time and space to remove the paint yourself, I'd go that route...do a search here on the boating forum-lots of information there.

We had our boat soda blasted. It worked out great. But, I was planning to go back with epoxy barrier coat and ablative bottom paint. If you are looking to remove the bottom paint and not replace it, soda blasting might not be the best choice. It will leave the surface of the gelcoat textured, and it exposes minor defects in the original gelcoat - mostly what were tiny bubbles just below the original surface. For my purpose the resulting texture was desired as it provided nooks and crannies for the epoxy barrier to grip. The minor stuff was fixed with thickened epoxy before painting.

However, if you want that new boat shiny smooth bottom you will have to do some serious gelcoat work. In that case a chemical remover might be best.

I used a product call Saftey Strip took some time and about 5 gal on a 20' Scout SF. Took it all the way to the gelcoat with no damage. Let the stripper do the work.