Stripping a cold molded hull

[h00per]

Time has come to clean up 3232 'Rising Damp'. I'm planning to start on the outside, stripping back to the wood in order to investigate some crazing and cracks that have appeared in the paint following the lay of the veneers. Please can anyone give me advice on how best to tackle the work and what to watch out for. Can I use Nitromors or might that damage the bonding? Hot air? Or is the best tool the good old sander?

So much to do! so many questions!

Looking forward I want a nice bright finish for the outside, so that when I inevitably go swimming I can be easily spotted. If possible I'd like a coating that adds strength and stiffness, so any hot tips here would be greatly appreciated too. I'm planning to post pics as I go along, and of course I'm sure there will be haps of questions when I come to the interior.

Cheers
Ben

[Overomtimistix]

Hi Ben
I've used hot-air to strip my wooden British Moth (hard chine plywood construction) successfully. Hot air will melt polyester resin - I'm not sure about other resins. Obviously take any plastic fittings out of the way.
I don't know whether there are any considerations specific to a cold-moulded hull. 
dan

[chalky]

Hi Ben,
Glad to hear you are spending some time on the boat. Unless the paintwork has deteriorated badly over the last 12 months I would save a lot of time and money and not strip the outside. Just rake out the cracks  Which reflect the joints in the outer veneer with something small and sharp and fill with thickened epoxy. Finally fair in to the rest of the hull. Any paint below the red is 2 pack (grey and blue) and it will cost you a fortune in time and money  to build this back up. The time you save can be spent sailing or swimming.
If you want to add stiffness  why not add some more frames and a double bottom?
Good luck, John

[JimC (Guest)]

Unless the paint is actually lifting off the paint companies invariably recommend seriously sanding back rather than stripping the paint. It sill also save you hours of work filling and smoothing if you do it that way.

[Red Hot Pudding]

I've just started a similar project on Wot No Pudding, (Crusader 3316) and although the paint on the hull is in a pretty poor state, I've been advised by a boat repairer friend of mine, to sand back to the good stuff rather than strip completely, for the reasons given by Chalky and JimC

[Dave Croft]

My advice is to get yourself a good quality random-orbital sander (that's the type with the round discs with holes in not the cheap rectangular type). This will save you hours of work and when you have put the last coat on you can put a polishing sponge on the random-orbital and get a perfect finish

[paulburton44]

Hi, Just brought my Rough Diamond 3201 home for a bit of TLC. Guess its time to get the sander out and keep going untill smooth and solid.