| Aphelion Refit |
June 18, 2007 Armed with a new supply of sandpaper, today I finished up the hull paint removal on the starboard quarter and transom, following the same process described during earlier days. |
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With the topsides stripped of their paint, I continued with the heavy-duty bulk stripping with the bottom, beginning at the starboard bow. I tried a variety of mechanical tools before settling on the inevitable combination of hand scraper (carbide blade), 8" grinder with a soft backing pad, and 5" DA sander, both equipped with 40 grit paper. I began with the scraper to remove as much loose paint as possible, then ground the bulk of the remains with the large grinder, and finished up with the smaller sander, before switching to 80 grit paper for a final cleaning pass. I feel compelled to note that the dish-shaped red marks on the hull, as seen in these photos, were already present beneath the bottom paint from some previous stripping effort, and are not the result of my efforts. In any event, these areas are merely minor scratches in the gelcoat which remain filled with red paint; the bottom is generally smooth and fair. I made it about halfway down the starboard side before knocking off for the day. |
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