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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

What type of fiberglass hull ?

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timpky
1st Mate

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USA
41 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/20/2003 : 15:36:59

I have heard mention of different types of fiberglass for the hull. I have a '78. Does any one know what type of fiberglass was used in 1978 to make the hull ?

Tim Peoples
Sarasota, FL
78 Catalina 25 SK Hull #875

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Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 07/20/2003 : 20:40:16

I know that in 88 they changed to a vinylester resin for more blister resistance, so you can make whatever inference from that that you want.

Not real helpful, was it?

Frank Gloss
89WK/TR

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Dave B
Admiral

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Mali
863 Posts

Response Posted - 07/20/2003 : 20:56:31

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
I know that in 88 they changed to a vinylester resin for more blister resistance...
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>
That's the newer type of gelcoat. I believe the main layup is woven fiberglass mat in epoxy. There's no coring (balsa or foam) in the hull, except for foam in some areas between the liner and the transom in some vintages (including ours). That would appear to be intended to stiffen the areas where the motor bracket and swim ladder are mounted.

Dave Bristle, 1985 C-25 #5032 "Passage" SR/FK/Dinette/Honda in SW CT

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lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 07/21/2003 : 08:20:50

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
That's the newer type of gelcoat. I believe the main layup is woven fiberglass mat in epoxy. There's no coring (balsa or foam) in the
Dave Bristle, 1985 C-25 #5032 "Passage" SR/FK/Dinette/Honda in SW CT
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>

The FRP layup is done with Polyester resin, not Epoxy. If Catalina used epoxy to make hulls, a new Catalina would cost at least double whatever the current retail price is. What you use epoxy for is a thin outer barrier coat, 10 to 30 mils thick, below the waterline to isolate the gelcoat from direct contact with water. Epoxy is waterproof, whereas Polyester resins (gelcoat is polyester based) have some porosity. The only disadvantage of epoxy other than cost is it is not very UV resistant, and must be kept painted, or covered with some kind of UV resistant coating.

Larry Charlot
Catalina 25 #1205 "Quiet Time"
Sacramento, CA

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Steve Kostanich
1st Mate

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88 Posts

Response Posted - 07/22/2003 : 01:07:14

Larry,
I sure concur on the cost of epoxy. A friend and I just bought a gallon of System Three standard and a gallon of their SB-112. The 2 gallons with appropiate hardener came to $213.00!! Can't imagine Catalina using epoxy on the lay-up of the hulls. Sure would be nice if they did though, its a hell of a lot better that polyester and vinylester resins. It's fun to wonder what a C-25 would be like with and epoxy-carbon fiber hull, deck and mast. Weigh reduction should be pretty impressive, but then so would the price tag!!

Steve Kostanich C-25 Equinox 1119 sk/sr moored Oly., WA.

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lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 07/22/2003 : 08:29:51

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
Larry,
gallon of System Three standard and a gallon of their SB-112. The 2 gallons with appropiate hardener came to $213.00!! g!!
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>

Epoxy is a little cheaper in bulk, wahich is how a boat manufacturer would buy it, but still quite expensive. TAP Plastics sells their General Purpose epoxy in 55 gallon drums, I think it costs around $500 for that quantity. I would guess that big manufacturers like Catalina or Hunter probably buy resin in railroad tank cars, 100 tons at a time, for the best possible volume discount.

Larry Charlot
Catalina 25 #1205 "Quiet Time"
Sacramento, CA

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 07/22/2003 : 10:12:32

"The 2 gallons with appropiate hardener came to $213.00!!"

Sounds like a yowser, but that's still just half the cost of "top of the line" bottom paint. For the price, I expected to see little flecks of gold in my last can of Micron CSC...

Currently maintaining two holes in the water...'77 Venture 23 and new to the family,
'78 Catalina 25

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Happy D
Admiral

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921 Posts

Response Posted - 07/23/2003 : 08:15:39

Does anyone know if Catalina used different colors of Gelcoat for the hull? Say Blue? or were they all white?

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5902 Posts

Response Posted - 07/23/2003 : 09:25:52

They had blue, red, yellow, white, beige and probably other colors that I don't recall offhand.

Steve Milby "Captiva Wind" C-25 T/FK #2554

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Bill Holcomb
Admiral

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USA
769 Posts

Response Posted - 07/23/2003 : 09:36:08

Hi Steve,

Catalina used several different colors of gelcoat. Dealers could order the boats in hull and stripe colors of the dealer's choosing. The hull/stripe colors ranged from: white, to four different colors of blue (dark - midwatch, lighter - regatta, lighter still - meridian, and lightest sky), to red, to tangerine, yellow, grey, brown, gold, green, lime, and brown - as well as black.

The factory encouraged us to use lighter colors for the hulls and darker colors for the stripes. This was because the darker colors showed oxidation and mediocre wax jobs more. But, they would do anything we wanted when it came to actually ordering the boats.

For the smaller Capri sailboats (Cyclone 13s, Coronado 15s, etc.), I'd often use solid dark colors for the hulls and lighter stripes. For the Catalina boats though, I pretty much stayed with the lighter colors for hulls....white, sky blue, grey, and camel brown. Then offset these lighter colors with dark strips. BTW: The stripe colors were molded in - rather than painted on.

Bill Holcomb - C25 Snickerdoodle #4839

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