posted 02-20-2014 05:36 AM ET (US)        

I want to remove some bottom paint from my 18' Guardian. Options include stripper...(hasn't worked well for me at all on this boat), and easy off oven cleaner....I'm going to try it this weekend.

Other option is buying big sand blaster from Sears( $60) and loading it with baking soda, OR trying a hand held cup feed sand blaster, which I would also load with baking soda.

I've owned and used a sand blaster before, but sand is not kind to gelcoat, so I'm wondering if this small hand held unit would be worth trying...particularly being loaded with soda.

QUESTION: has anyone here had experience with one of these $10.00 or so hand held blasters? Here's one on eBay: www.ebay.com/itm/121279072194?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984. m1423.l2649

posted 02-20-2014 03:11 PM ET (US)            

I tried to remove paint on the topside of my restore project and it worked but extremely slow. I then tried it on the bottom paint and again, extremely slow and it also pitted the gelcoat. I returned it for a refund - no questions asked which was nice.

I used a DA sander with 40 - 60 grit paper on both the top paint and the bottom paint. Keep in mind that I was stripping the entire boat to raw fiberglass so I didn't have to be careful on stopping precisely at the gelcoat. However, if I did need to stop at the gelcoat it would have been possible to stop close and the get the last bit down with 100grit or 120 grit paper.

This takes practice to control how deep you sand so practice in small area and go slow. Once you get the feel for it it actually goes pretty quick.