Help this is my first boat!!

bicyclejuju1 · 30 May 2012, 02:03

I just bought a west marine 310 by avon rib. I got the boat 10hp motor and trailer for $100. The motor and trailer are fine. The previous owner had patched (very half assed) a large area in the front inside of the boat where the fiberglass base of the hull and hypalon fabric meet when inflated. My problem is he used some kind of stickers and a crap ton of silicone caulking(about a square foot)

I have peeled off as much as I can by hand but am having trouble removing the rest. It is a tight space as even when the boat is deflated I can only get my straightened hand in between the hypalon fabric and the hardshell. Can anyone give me any ideas on how to remove all that silicone? Are there any solvents that will help but not damage the hypalon or is scraping and sanding my only options. Ive been at it for hours and Im getting frustrated!!! see the picture its circled in RED (click to enlarge)

ANY HELP IS GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!!!

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Thx, Will

Wahoo! · 30 May 2012, 04:46

Hi and welcome to the fun world of Ribbing. Here in the UK there are products known as 'Silicone eaters' that remove sealants and they work very well. I'm guessing a good DIY store or builders supply merchant in the U.S. would have something similar? Good luck!

bicyclejuju1 · 31 May 2012, 00:18

Thank you for the idea! I'll check into it!

Will

jyasaki · 31 May 2012, 06:19

"Antibond" is one brand of glue softener, but it is designed for polyurethane sealants (think 3M 5200), and I think it may be overkill for what you're looking for.

Orchard supply (or any other hardware store) should have caulk removal solvents, which would probably be much more cost effective.

jky

bicyclejuju1 · 02 June 2012, 19:57

Thx for the advice. I went to my local hardware store and found a product called MÖTSENBÖCKERS LIFT OFF. It is eco friendly,

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water based and biodegradable. It worked rather well! You just apply the gel to the silicon and let it set for about 10 minutes. Then scrape. It doesn't break down the silicone, rather it weakens the bond between the hypalon and silicone. Best of all it didn't hurt the hypalon!!!! Took a lot of scraping but it wouldnt have been possible with out it. Good product!