Removing the bottom paint

[Deep Blue]

When I purchased my 282 Sailfish last year, bottom paint had already been applied. As I store the boat on a trailer, I don't need it.

Recently I noticed there were a couple of small areas where the bottom paint had flaked off, and to my surprise there wasn't any gel coat underneath. It looks like someone chewed up the bottom with a rough belt sander and then applied the bottom paint.

I think the Sailfish would look really cool with gel coat, maybe even with a tint applied.

Anybody have any experience with this?

 

[seasick]

Anything is possible if you have lots of money to burn. Removing the paint is bad enough but re gel coat the hull is a big job better left for the pros.
If as you say, there is peeling and exposed raw hull, you have to something. The most cost effective approach is to have the hull blasted to remove the paint ( glass beads, nut shell etc by a qualified technician) followed by an epoxy barrier coat (usually several coats) and then followed with a bottom paint. There are many types and colors and with a clean surface to begin with, the hull can look very nice.

 

[DennisG01]

Just to second what was said above... When preparing gelcoat for bottom paint, it is eithe rdone chemically or mechanically. Chemically etching the surface often changes the color of the gelcoat, so maybe that is what you are seeing. If, however, you are in fact seeing the effects of someone being overly aggrerssive with a sander and you are really seeing fiberglass, you need to get that fixed. Over time, water can seep in between (anti fouling/bottom paint is NOT waterproof) the gelcoat and fiberglass and cause blistering and a heavy, wet hull. As mentioned, an epoxy barrier coat will solve the issue once the hull is dry.

As mentioned, completely re-gelcoating a boat bottom can get expensive. If it was me, I would just touch up the areas of the hull that you can readily see on the trailer with anti-fouling paint. Of course, after verifying/correcting the possible bare glass issue.

FYI, soda blasting is another common way to remove bottom paint - you can search for a soda blaster in your area.