Polishing my boat

[jglazer]

I read a lot of techniques on polishing heavily oxidized hulls and what-not here but I still have a couple questions:

1. How do you do this on-trailer? I have 20 foot regal that I'd like to clean up but can't figure out how to get around the trailer issue.

2. I bought this used. The guy before me put a coat of black something-or-other on the lower half of the hull (boating in lake-erie i guess). Should I replace this or try to strip it and if I strip it, what should I use?

Any suggestions?

 

[gcboat]

Re: Polishing my boat

That black 'something or other' on the bottom of the boat is antifouling paint, make to keep grasses, and other critters from sticking to the bottom.
If you decide to remove it ( which is not suggested ) then you are in for a world of pain and suffering. First off if the original application was done properly then the underside was sanded with 80# paper for adhesion. So now you have removed all the bottom paint and here is this really clean, sanded piece of FRP. No amount of polishing or buffing will ever make those marks go away. Would probably need to apply new gel coat. After you faired out all of the scratch marks, sanded them, applied a barrier coat, yikes! It is a pain in the neck and a stretch on the wallet. Leave it. Just freshen it up with a compatible type paint. My $.02

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Polishing my boat

Check the black stuff and see if it is bottom fouling. I purchased a tri hull once and I thought it was painted black but is was years of lake build up. Take a sponge and some simple green and rub a spot real hard.... see if it comes off?

It took me days to do a 15' boat. Clean what you can and then move the boat back about 2' on the trailer to get what you missed.

 

[jglazer]

Re: Polishing my boat

ok so I show my lack of experience here. Yes it is bottom fouling for sure. I'll just try to "freshen" it up as suggested. Thanks!