Rusted/damaged coping - how to fix and ok to let stuff fall in pool?

[BadBack]

I've had several folks look and they shrug their shoulders.

Only one that offered a fix was the cut the concrete a foot back from the edge and go towards the coping and pull it from the back. Expensive and then would have a mix of new and old decking.

Others have said to replace it when the liner is replaced. The liner is only 3 years old so will be a while.

I've played some with angle grinders/drills with wire brushes. It helps but is going to be a lot of work. Thought about maybe a die grinder for some spots. The angle grinder is a bit much.

I'm tempted to leave the pool green and try to vacuum/catch with something as much as the debris as I can. But will letting paint flecks and some metal coping bits fall into the pool be a problem? I figure I'll vacuum it all out once I slam the pool.

Thoughts?
Pic is how it is around the entire pool.

 

[mariane]

We have AGP so I'd be of no help to you. I'm sure you'll get some good answers soon.
My concern re: grinding and debris possibly falling into the pool might set you up for tiny holes or tears in the liner.

 

[ajw22]

If that is iron or steel rust then I would apply a rust neutralizer like Paint Over Rust with Extend Rust Neutralizer from Loctite Adhesives and then paint over it. No grinding required.

 

[BadBack]

I had thought of using a rust converter. Then using a marine grade bondo to fill in the gaps. Then sand and paint. A little worried about the fiber glass being sanded down and getting into the pool.

 

[ajw22]

What is the material? Fiberglass doesn't rust. What is fiberglass and what is metal?

Fiberglass is inert and will get picked up by your filter or pool cleaner.

 

[BadBack]

The coping is steel. I was thinking I could spot fill the "holes" where it's completely rusted away with fiberglass resin and shape it to look as... Normal as possible. That would be for making it look nicer. Some spots of the coping have half dollar size spots rusted away.

 

[ajw22]

You can try it on one area and see how it shapes and adheres and if it lasts over time. I have no experience with trying to patch something like that.

I would neutralize the rust so it stops any further damage and maybe paint it and leave it as is until you replace it.