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Bottom Job

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Sea Trac
Master Marine Consultant

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Vanuatu
1357 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/05/2003 : 15:12:01

Background - '85 fin, lifetime wetted year-round in temperate zone fresh water lake, purchased 1+ year ago, PO stated bottom was 6+ years old.

Two weeks ago I lifted the boat to install a new bidata system which required two new through hulls. While the boat was out, I powerwashed and then scrapped the entire bottom with a drywall knife. Needless to say, the fiberglass is showing through what little bottom paint and barrier coat remain in many places. In some areas, the hull appears to have rough spots that look like eczema does on skin. There are a couple of what I would call blisters along the water line, being approximately one to two inches wide and half to one inch high.

Dilemma - The recommended marina has quoted me $1,600 plus $20 per blister for Lift/Clean/Dry Storage<img src=icon_smile_sad.gif border=0 align=middle>/Repair/Barrier Coat/3-Layer Bottom Coat/Splash. I am TOTALLY strapped for funds, but could put on my credit card, if absolutely necessary.

Question - Absolutely necessary this year? Likelihood of substantial increase in cost (damage) by waiting a year?

Thanks, as always, for your thoughts and advice!

J.B. Manley, Antares '85 FK/SR #4849
Grand Lake O' The Cherokees, NE Oklahoma

Edited by - on

John Mason
Admiral

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USA
687 Posts

Response Posted - 08/05/2003 : 15:25:48

You could slap on a coat or two of bottom paint ($50 a gallon cheap stuff). Throw it back in the water.

Or get a bit of epoxy and filler (colloidal silica), grind the two blisters and fill 'em and then the cheap bottom paint. Blisters that big, I'd fix. Just make sure you dry 'em out completely before filling.

That'd get you by 'til next year.

John Mason
<img src="http://www.users.qwest.net/~jamason/ali.jpg" border=0>
pronounced "Ali Paroosa"
1982 - FK/SR #3290

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 08/05/2003 : 15:36:19

If you've scraped the bottom, well heck, you've done a good part of the work already... another go over with an orbital sander and you'll be ready to paint.

Painting is pretty much the easy part... it only take a few hours per coat.

Blisters are not a big deal to fix with $75 of basic tools and materials.

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

Edited by - on

Sea Trac
Master Marine Consultant

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Vanuatu
1357 Posts

Response Posted - 08/05/2003 : 16:04:11

Thanks for the thoughts, guys, but I neglected to mention that I lifted the boat on a one-time temporary borrow of a C30 neighbors in-slip boat lift. Also, I probably should have said, "a FEW blisters". Without the ability to lift or pull the boat, no how and no where to move and store it, I think that I'm pretty much stuck with an all or nothing scenario.

J.B. Manley, Antares '85 FK/SR #4849
Grand Lake O' The Cherokees, NE Oklahoma

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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5908 Posts

Response Posted - 08/05/2003 : 19:04:09

I'd suggest you have it pulled out and have the work done. $1600. isn't a bad price for all the labor and materials for the job. $20.00 per blister is also reasonable if you just have a half dozen, but if you have a gazillion, it could get expensive.

You probably have a lot of tiny little eruptions in the gelcoat that don't penetrate through to the fiberglass. Those can be lightly sanded, and painted over with barrier coat and bottom paint. I wouldn't consider those to be blisters. Your marina repairman should be able to look at your bottom, once the boat is out of the water, and count the number of blisters that need repair, so you don't get any surprises. If he does, then the number of blisters to be repaired should be specified in the contract.

You could do the job yourself, but it's a lot of work, and you'd still have to pay to have the boat pulled out and stored someplace where you could work on it.

I think you could wait a couple of months without much risk, but I wouldn't try to put the work off for a whole year. The whole boating industry had problems with blisters from about 1983-4 until about 1989. Some boats were more susceptible to blistering than others, and it sounds like you might be lucky enough to have one that is less susceptible, but some sailboats actually blistered under the carpeted pads on their trailers. You really should have barrier coat on it.

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

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Sea Trac
Master Marine Consultant

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Vanuatu
1357 Posts

Response Posted - 08/05/2003 : 22:16:07

Thanks, Steve. I wa$ afraid that might be the ca$e. <img src=icon_smile_sad.gif border=0 align=middle> Although, I'm glad to hear the "tiny little eruptions" are probably not as bad as they look and that the price is at least fair. On the bright side, she'll be the prettiest girl on the lake and will sail smoother and faster. <img src=icon_smile_cool.gif border=0 align=middle> (well, maybe not faster, since she's been hitting hull speed pretty regularly the last two weeks). Anyway, I appreciate your help in pushing me off the fence. <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

J.B. Manley, Antares '85 FK/SR #4849
Grand Lake O' The Cherokees, NE Oklahoma

Edited by - on

svmoxie
Past Commodore

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USA
331 Posts

Response Posted - 08/06/2003 : 09:54:35

JB,

The longer that you can let the boat sit out of the water with the blisters opened and the hull scraped/sanded the better your results will be. It gives the hull time to dry out.

I expect that the yard will want to do this as fast as possible but if it was me I would check with them on the possibilty of hauling at the end of the season, storing the boat for the winter with the bottom scraped and the blisters opened to allow the hull to dry as much as possible, and then repairing the blisters and barrier/bottom paint before you splash next season.

The obvious advantage is that you can sail this season and save some money for the repair. What is left this year for your area, three maybe four months? Enjoy it and repair at the end of the season.

The disadvantage is that you will undoubtedly get in late next season since they will be working on your repair during the busy time. They may also charge you for the storage on the hard for the winter.

I also agree with Steve, once that boat is out of the water, go around the hull with a Sharpie marker and your yard manager and circle all of the blisters that need repair so that you have a firm idea of the extent of the cost. Also do it that same day you have it hauled as the smaller blisters can shrink pretty quickly to the point that you might miss them.

Those areas of eczema looking stuff were all over my hull too and they sanded right off. I think that is was some sort of primer or wash that was used at the factory. The quoted cost is pretty good if the yard is using the good stuff, Interlux or the like. Get that stated in the contract too.

Good luck!

Clif Thompson
Treasurer C-25/250 National Association.
svMoxie '81 25 sk

Edited by - on

Sea Trac
Master Marine Consultant

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Vanuatu
1357 Posts

Response Posted - 08/06/2003 : 11:56:17

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
I expect that the yard will want to do this as fast as possible...<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>

Actually, this yard will only accept the work if you agree to leave the boat on the hard until the moisture measurements meet his approval. Apparently, he used to agree to follow owners' requests to slap barrier coat and bottom paint right over the blisters so the boat could be back in the water in a week, but no more. Those owners kept coming back and complaining that the bottom job didn't last long enough, and no amount of "I told you so" made it worthwhile. So, now he absolutely refuses those requests.

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>What is left this year for your area, three maybe four months? <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>

That's been my second dilemma. We can sail here from late March until late November, and use the boat as a winter cabin in between. I'm on the boat one night a week and every weekend during sailing season, and every other weekend during the winter. Oh well, four months will be more than long enough for the blisters to dry and the job to be completed, so I guess I'll finally go ahead and get my knee scoped at the same time.

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
The disadvantage is that you will undoubtedly get in late next season since they will be working on your repair during the busy time. They may also charge you for the storage on the hard for the winter.

...go around the hull with a Sharpie marker and your yard manager and circle all of the blisters that need repair so that you have a firm idea of the extent of the cost. Also do it that same day you have it hauled as the smaller blisters can shrink pretty quickly to the point that you might miss them.<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>

Fortunately, this area never really has a "busy time", and there is no additional charge for storage, since all the boats stay in the water year round. Great idea about marking the blisters when the boat is pulled. I was somewhat concerned with the fact that every fifty blisters adds another $1,000 to the cost...could get out of control very quickly.

Thanks for all the great advice! I'm feeling better about overextending a bit financially to get it done this winter. Hopefully, my house will sell soon and eliminate the financial concern, as well.

J.B. Manley, Antares '85 FK/SR #4849
Grand Lake O' The Cherokees, NE Oklahoma

Edited by - on

Dave B
Admiral

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Mali
863 Posts

Response Posted - 08/06/2003 : 13:11:51

JB... About getting the knee scoped... I had one done recently--they drilled it in three places, and I walked out of the hospital an hour after they finished. Didn't even have a limp the next day! Your mileage may vary, but they do amazing things!

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

Edited by - on

Sea Trac
Master Marine Consultant

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Vanuatu
1357 Posts

Response Posted - 08/06/2003 : 13:14:56

<img src=icon_smile_cool.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_cool.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_cool.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

J.B. Manley, Antares '85 FK/SR #4849
Grand Lake O' The Cherokees, NE Oklahoma

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