To paraphrase from our 2000 paint stripper test: What expletive that we haven’t used before can we possibly mutter to describe the onerous task of stripping bottom paint? From application of the gelatinous goo to the scraping, wiping, and sanding, it’s simply one of the most—if not the most—tiring, nasty jobs a boat owner faces below the waterline.

Because removing bottom paint is such an odious task, we’ve tried most every method available over the years: scraping, sanding (both wet and dry), sand blasting, soda blasting, and chemical strippers. None is ideal, and each has its own set of pros and cons. The con-cern with early strippers was the toxic…