PETTIT EZ SPEED STRIP

The antifouling paint I applied worked fine, but I wanted to test Pettit’s Running Gear Guardian, a high-tech substitute for antifouling, so I needed to strip my trim tabs back to bare metal. A Boating editor’s boat always serves as a test bed for a variety of products. One could choose to sand in this situation, but instead, I chose to remove the many mils of bottom-paint buildup by applying Pettit Paint’s new EZ Speed Strip.

No. 1: I hate sanding. No. 2: Sanding, even with a vacuum attachment, can send toxins into the air and requires wearing a full-face cartridge respirator and coveralls in addition to gloves. No. 3: Did I mention I hate sanding? EZ Speed Strip allowed me to strip the tabs quietly, with no dust, while wearing only gloves and eye protection.

I poured EZ Speed Strip into a metal coffee can (don’t use plastic) and brushed on a thick, gloppy coating. It adhered well to the underside of the tabs; although, I did put scrap cardboard down to catch the inevitable drips. It began bubbling the three coats of antifouling paint in about 15 minutes, and after an hour, I scraped off the mess into another old metal can. A quick wipe with thinner, and my tabs were clean and bright, except for a few spots in the corners where the sides bend upward. A second application took care of that.

Safe for gelcoat, EZ Speed Strip will remove other coatings, so mask off and apply care. $28.99, defender.com