Another sanding question

[MortenH]

I am thinking of repainting my boat this winter. It has been painted once before, and the paint is falling off. So i guess I have to sand it all away. But when I am sanding off the paint, I am 100% sure that I on some spots are sanding through the gelcoat. How do I cover these spots? Is it enogh to paint with 2 pt. paint?
The boat lies in salt water all summer.

-M-

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Another sanding question

Mort, Sanding through the gelcoat is only an appearance issue. You can prime those spots with an epoxy fairing compound or primer. If the old paint is sound, you can just sand it smooth. If not, you will need to remove it. You can try a heat gun and a putty knife, in lieu of sanding of chemical strippers. Fill all gouges with polyester putty and sand smooth. Final sanding should be with 400 grit wet paper. You can use air powered sanders and a hose to make the wet sanding job go faster. Use a 2 part polyurethane paint like Awlgrip. Not all 2 part paints are for below waterline use.