Removing VC-17; keeping/removing 2000E barrier coat

[Rachel]

Hi folks,

I've got some anti-fouling decisions to make, and I'd love to hear your comments. My "new" boat has lived in freshwater all its life, and it has a lovely fair coating of Interlux VC-17 on its bottom. This is a hard, Teflon coating, and although I'm hearing that it *could* work in the Chesapeake (or be overcoated with VC Offshore, another similar coating), it really isn't what I think I want. It's a coating that's meant to be burnished and polished for racing use, and although I might conceivably race casually (not even likely at that), I'm not a racer by any means. I've used a top-quality ablative paint in the past (Pettit Ultima SR, which is similar to Interlux Micron Extra), and been very happy with it, so that's what I know and would prefer. OTOH, life in the yard is not that charming, and I have no interest in dragging it out longer than necessary.

In looking at the West Marine "advisor," and then subsequently calling Interlux's tech line, I find that (because of solvents therein), VC-17 has to be removed completely before any other paint can go on. Interlux's tech line said it could be removed by "scraping, sanding, or stripping" (yeah, okay, I KNEW that - what else is there?). When pushed a bit for more specifics, he allowed that Interstrip 299 could be used as a stripper.

Since then, I've found out that the boat was stripped back to gelcoat a few years ago (they were changing bottom paint types), and "5 or 6" coats of Interlux 2000E barrier coat were applied, and then the VC-17. The boat had no blisters; they just figured they'd do it while the boat was bare. Personally, I would have left well enough alone, but it's on there now.

How the bottom looks now:



So this is really a multi-part question:

1) Should I keep the barrier coat on there? Is it impossible (practically speaking) to remove if I do want to remove it?

2) If I leave it, is "5 or 6" coats enough? Should I add more?

3) How should I remove the VC-17 (and what are the additional considerations if I don't want to harm the barrier coat)?

I did a bit of poking around and found that "Peel Away" makes a special formula for removing bottom paint that has a barrier coat underneath, which supposedly does not harm the barrier coat. I know that Peel Away doesn't always measure up to their claims, but in this case I wonder if it might work okay, since the VC-17 is quite thin.

I now know I could probably leave the VC-17 as is (or overcoat with VC Offshore), and it's tempting to not have to deal with the bottom now; but, on the other hand, it's clean and easy to deal with now, and I know that VC-17 is really not "me."

Has anyone done something similar? How did you go about it and what might you do differently next time? As a side note, the yard I'm at prohibits dry sanding of bottom paint, although just yesterday a guy spent all day grinding away on his failed barrier coat, so it might be loosely enforced (not saying I want to sand, mind you).

Thanks ahead,
--- Rachel

[MQMurphy]

Why not try going with the bottom as it is - call it an experiment? Next time you haul, will it be the same yard (and rules) or a different yard?
BTW, congratulations on your new boat. She's a beauty!

[Tim]

Well, I won't be much help here. I'm a grinder when it comes to removing paint, because, as nasty and exhausting as it is, it just works best for me.

I continue to fail to be impressed with the strippers on the market. Half the time, you end up with a sloppy, soggy, soft mess of partial paint left behind that, lo and behold, you have to sand anyway--or keep applying expensive and messy stripper. The strongest (and far and away the most effective) paint strippers, of course, are potentially damaging to gelcoat and fiberglass and therefore cannot be used. The strippers applicable for use on your boat have worked well for some people, while the same product and technique has failed miserably for others. The problem is that you just never know when you get into it how the stripper will work, and whether you will have a mess or success. That's why I like (like may be too strong a word, of course) grinding: I know how it will go every time.

Given the beautiful condition of that bottom, I'd second the suggestion to think about overcoating it with whatever is compatible and giving it a try. If it doesn't work the way you hope, then you can redo it more at your leisure in a year or two when you do your next haulout.

There's nothing worse than feeling rushed into a project or decision because of a real or artificial time frame or schedule. Stick with what's there, learn more as you go forward, and deal with replacing the product later if that's what becomes necessary.

I just don't see enough of a reason to strip it all back right now. If you were going to be going through the whole boat and redoing everything, then yes: stripping might make sense at this juncture. But since you have a boat in good condition and are really looking to minimize what you need to do in order to get back in the water, then, lacking any truly compelling reason to do so, I wouldn't rush into the stripping.

I have discussed my feelings on barrier coats ad nauseum here. The fact that it was pressed upon a boatowner in fresh water seems to support my feeling that many owners are made to think it's important or useful "insurance" or part of sound preventative maintenance, thanks to the Chicken Little style of sensationalist, yet poorly informed, articles available out there.

I maintain that barrier coats are meant as part of a repair system for boats that already have significant hydraulic blistering. Lacking that, I wouldn't have put it on. Besides, in fresh water, there's no logic at all, since thedamaging blisters everyone worries about only occur thanks to a reaction between salt water and styrene. But it's on there, and I wouldn't worry too much about it for now.

[CharlieJ]

Rachel- by all means leave the barrier coats. And yes, 5-6 coats should do just fine. We put 3 coats ( of barrier stuff) on Tehani, just because. That's after a couple of coats of straight epoxy. There were no blisters ( same deal fresh water boat) but it seemed a good idea to do it while the bottom was dead bare. We needed to fill and fair some dings anyway.

can't help you at all with the getting rid of the VC-17 part- how about soda blasting though?

I think many many places are prohibiting dry sanding bottom paint now adays, and most now require plastic under the boat to catch the chips if you scrape- EPA regs ya know.

By the way- I used ACR 60 on Tehani- over 18 months now in our warm waters and very little growth- she does need to be scrubbed but we could go another 6 months.

[JetStream]

Rachel,
Another potential reason for leaving the paint alone for now, is that there is a lot going on with environmental legislation on bottom paint. You could spend a lot of time getting the bottom changed over to a system that is banned in a few years. I think I'd wait and see how things are going to shake out. In the meantime, you might want to read about "e-Paint" in the latest Professional Boatbuilder magazine.
http://www.epaint.net/index.shtm
Besides, you don't want to do anything that will take time away from getting her in the water!!
Best Regards,

[Rachel]

Okay, you've "convinced" me; I'll scratch that off my list for now, and deal with it later...

Now, on to through hulls, zinc-age, engine stuff, mast things....

Next!

--- Rachel

[The Good Goose]

Rachel
If you are going to leave the VC-17 on the boat why not do a test patch of your bottom paint of choice over it. Maybe if you just roughed it up a little it would work. Do a 1 foot section near the bottom of the keel. If it holds up maybe you could save yourself the trouble of stripping it.


Brock

[Mark.Wilme]

You are already half way though winter with a list thats probably increasing daily. I would be tempted to overcoat with something compatible with the VC17 (for salt water) and see how it goes. If you have to strip then you have to strip - you'd have been doing it anyway, but more importantly you can do it next fall/winter.

[radicalcy]

Rachel,
Just to add my 2 cents worth. I used ablative paint on my 8.7, and it is virtually covered with barnacles and heavy grass, after less than 18 months.The paint contains a biocide and a high percentage of cuprous oxide. I spent 6 months in the water in Deltaville and the balance just upriver in Urbanna. I sail the boat about 24 hours a month.
My Columbia Saber is coated with a hard paint similar to VC-17,containing cuprous oxide and Teflon, and has only a light coat of slime. I sail it on average 6 hours a month. It's been in the water in Deltaville for about 18 months.
The VC-17 only needs to be burnished only if you're planning on competitive racing. Otherwise, it is treated just like any other bottom paint. Haul the boat once a year, or every other year, power wash, touch up, and re-launch.
Even if it does get barnacle growth over the next year, barnacles are easy to remove, with EASY-ON/EASY-OFF hull cleaner. They basically just melt, and you brush, and pressure wash. So my rec......leave the damn paint alone.
Larry Wilson