110 Cookson Lane | Whitefield, ME 04353 | 207-232-7600 | tim@lackeysailing.com
Before getting going on stripping the bottom, I took several easily-reproducible measurements of the location of the existing waterline for future reference. There wasn't much about the existing location to emulate, but as a starting reference for striking a new waterline (for new work, I always mean the top edge of the bottom paint) and boottop later on during the project.
the bottom paint had been brought up to the top of the boottop, which I ignored, but there was an original scribe line visible at the ends, which I used as one of my reference points both stem and stern. I also measured to the existing scum line, which more accurately represented where the boat actually floated. I recorded these measurements on paper and by numerous photos (not reproduced here) for later use. If my sloppy notes don't make sense, don't worry: they do to me.
The existing bottom paint was in poor condition and heavily built up, which made removal quite easy overall. I started with what I considered the worst part of the bottom--the center third (or half) of the boat, including the keel. During the course of the day, I removed the paint in this area, essentially from the forward to the after jackstands on each side, and from waterline to the bottom of the keel. I used carbide scrapers to remove the paint--red, blue, and black colors represented--then sanded the newly-scraped areas twice, with 40 and 80 grit paper, to remove residual paint, smooth the surface, and complete the work.
Someone in the past had apparently done bottom work before. There was very little gelcoat left on the bottom, and uncountable half-moon shaped grinder marks from the previous efforts. These low areas, plus numerous other areas, had been filled and smoothed, but clearly someone had done a bit of a hack job. No one likes stripping bottoms, but grinders are not the solution. In any event, this work had clearly been done long, long ago, as there was a huge buildup of old bottom paint above.
I'd continue with the remaining areas tomorrow.
Total Time on This Job Today: 6.5 hours
