Bahco 665 Carbide Edged H/Duty Paint Scraper

Product Information

Change sandpaper regularly – as soon as it begins to lose its bite. Barnacle remains need very thorough treatment, as their cement contains a hormone which encourages young barnacle ‘spat’ to settle nearby. So sand off all this cement until none is left.

Eroding antifoulings will typically not survive speeds above 25 knots, although Seajet claim 40 knots for many of their products. To combat this, hard paints are typically applied to planing powerboats. But for most of us, economy dictates that doing it yourself is the only way. PBO tested the various methods out on the bottom of Gallant a Sigma 38. The bottom wasn’t too bad, but 21 years of paint had left it pitted in some places, and the performance of the antifouling left a lot to be desired.We taped out a test grid halfway down Gallant‘s port side and set to work, dressed to the nines in overalls, gloves, eye protection and face masks. It’s a lovely job! But it was probably the most effective. Larger versions have a knob on top for two-handed work that allows you to put a lot of force into it. The tungsten-carbide blade stayed sharp for longer than those of the triangular scraper. I soon moved on to other jobs, because it was a waste of time using the Draper scraper on the hull. We’d have to go and buy another Bahco. Removing antifouling: Top tips

A popular option on the market, copper antifouling boasts a 10-year lifespan, but some have raised concerns about whether it could cause damage to your hull.When James got tired he swapped with me. Holding the handle of the Bahco in one hand and the knob in the other to steady it, I followed the curve of the hull, top to bottom, in even sweeps. Pour a small quantity at a time into your roller tray – that way if you drop it you won’t lose too much. Replace the lid on the tin, too.

It takes a while to get a feel for the correct angles of use but is much easier and cleaner to use than a manual scraper,’ says Philip. ‘A friend did the bottom of his 11.3m (37ft) Moody in a few days.’ It’s cheaper than getting someone else to do it – but takes time. If you can afford it, paying someone else to blast it off might not be a bad idea! If the bottom’s in a bad way, it’s clearly time to take the paint off. First, a warning: removing antifouling is not a pleasant DIY job. You’ll rarely meet a boat owner who has enjoyed the experience, and some pay a professional blasting company to come and do the job for them.The gap between the horizontal red dotted line and the pale cream section (leached area) is where the paint has eroded when the boat moves. The leached area is the part of the antifouling film which has lost all its biocide through leaching, but because the boat has not been used enough, the dead paint has not been eroded away. PBO VERDICT: Slower acting than Interstrip. Environmentally friendly. Left the primer intact beneath the paint. Owatrol Marine Strip Old antifouling and marine growth is easier to remove before it hardens out of the water over winter and it saves time in the springtime. Should I prime my hull? But for heavy-duty scraping it had a tendency to dig in and try to gouge the gel coat. Triangular scraper Would I scrape off antifouling again? No. Absolutely not! But there’s truth in the expression, “you have to do a job first to understand why it’s worth paying someone”. Thanks to our Project Boat Supporters

Antifouling that reduces the need for regular stripping, sanding and repainting has broad appeal. But is ultrasonic antifouling the answer?An advantage is that you have three scraping surfaces to work with, which gives you extra time before it needs sharpening with a file. But it still needed frequent sharpening. Bahco scraper Switch to utility knife mode to cut carpet, cardboard, plastic, vinyl, rope and more with ease and precision. I found if I threw my whole body weight into the scrape, the paint came away easily from the cast iron. It was quite a surprise, after getting used to the grey and green of the hull epoxy, when the bright orange rust appeared from the keel. Bahco paint scraper the best for removing antifouling