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My boat’s bottom paint had to go. I got some help thanks to New Nautical Coatings’ Sea Hawk Paint Stripper, which is reportedly non-caustic, biodegradable, and safe for gelcoat.

I applied Sea Hawk stripper with a roller; a sprayer can also be used. The coating should be between 15 and 30 mils thick. Make sure it is thoroughly applied. Recommended duration depends on how many coats need to be removed; I kept mine on for several hours. I found that the coverage the stripper provided was in line with the directions, which require one gallon for every 100 to 125 square feet.

To remove, you can use a putty knife, synthetic wool pad, or, in my case, a power washer. The Sea Hawk stripper helped take days and probably a backache out of this thankless job.

Sea Hawk Paint Stripper runs around $200 for a five-gallon container. —Capt. Patrick Sciacca

New Nautical Coatings Phone: (800) 528-0997. www.seahawkpaints.com.

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