Stripe removal

[7421f]

I want to remove the vertical stripes from the hull of my 11 meter International Express. They have "dock rash" from previous owners. I believe them to be painted on then clear coated. Has anyone "erased" theirs without damaging the gel coat and without having to re-paint? How did you accomplish it?

Thanks in advance!

[jimbo36]

Interlux "Interstrip" was designed for this purpose. Jimbo

[jimbo36]

Some have used oven cleaner but this can yellow the gelcoat. Also, the gelcoat under the paint will be original so likely shiner than the hull.

[BobCT]

Yes, I used a citrus stripper and a million scotch brite pads. Took a long time. After doing one side, I decided to use a palm sander to at least sand through the clearcoat and use the stripper on the base coat. I wound up just sanding everything off and did it in 1/10th the time of the first side.

Just sand it it all with 220 and then compound and buff out the scratches. The gel coat is not nearly as delicate as I initially thought.

Bob

[yorklyn]

X2 on what Bob said. I sanded my boat for paint. I sanded it at least 4 times with a da sander and only sanded through the gel coat in one area the size of a quarter. you should not have a problem lightly sanding them of and then buffing the gel back to a gloss. my gel was way thicker then I had imagined.