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New bottom coming - spring

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chancewane
Deckhand

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USA
17 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/18/2005 : 09:14:04

While replacing the to hulls with through hulls this fall, the inspection of the hull (first time I'd seen it) revealed many numerous blisters. They are full of water; I stuck one with my pocket knife. I don't know where to begin this spring when I have her hauled out to do the bottom. The keel is cast iron with rusty spots. Should I grind the whole bottom first with my 4" grinder, and then what? A step by step or any help and suggestions would be much appreciated.

I purchased 'La Paz' last May with litttle knowledge, and have still lots to do, athough we did sail a lot last summer. So far I have:
Replaced head , tank and all hoses
New pump fawcet and hose, new flexible tank
New hand bildge pump
Installed electrical bildge pump and float switch
Partial rewire of electrical, including mast wire
Installed boom vang left onboard by P.O.
Sail slot lock
Solar vent
Locker vents

Pending also is the refitting of the windows for which I have the kit from C.D. , and the refinishing of the exteriot teak. Also need to finish refitting and sealing of deck hardware.

Thanks,

Chancewane

Chancewane
1978 C25 FKSR #744

Edited by - on

Dave Laux
Captain

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318 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2005 : 09:46:09

If the blisters are widespread, large, and deep you will probably have to strip the entire bottom to fix that. You can do this by either having the bottom peeled using a tool like an electric plane, or if it's done carefully and by somebody who understands what they're trying to do it can be sandblasted . In any case this part of the operation should be done as soon as possible to allow maximum drying time before re-laminating the underwater portion of the hull. In any case this will be a major project. If the blisters are in a localized areas you may be able to use your grinder to work on them.
Once the area is finished you can use an epoxy barrier coat to help slow the ingress of water and maybe prevent further blistering in other areas. One advantage to sandblasting would be that the keel could be done at the same time then faired with epoxy and coated with the epoxy barrier coat prior to bottom paint.
Another option is to simply leave it alone. In uncored hulls like our Catalina's there is rarely any long-term structural damage to the base laminates. The blisters exist only in the gel coat and the first mat layer on the outside of the hull. You could remove the bottom paint by blasting with baking soda or walnut shells. Fill in the blisters that are cracked open and usually will be bleeding water. And then epoxy the hull after it has dried and the blisters that are not open have leveled out. Dave

Edited by - Dave Laux on 01/18/2005 09:49:24

ronrryan
Admiral

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USA
561 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2005 : 10:13:37

You don't mention what size the blisters are. Many on this site are more knowledgeable about blisters than I; having said that, my impression is that small blisters (size of dime, maybe up to quarter) pose no problem, whilst large ones (half a buck and UP) may indicate real serious stuff. The smaller ones most folks dig out, dry out, and fill with your choice of epoxy goop. Good luck, ron srsk Orion SW FL

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chancewane
Deckhand

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USA
17 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2005 : 11:24:08

Thanks Ron and Dave. The blisters are of the smaller size; nickel and dime sizes. What product would I use to fair these out? They looked to me to be just under the bottom paint, but I will know more when I haul out again of course. What are methods for removal of the bottom paint? I probably can't afford the sandblast; I'll check local prices for this. I'm planning on a week off in May to do this.

Chance

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2005 : 12:16:10

I spent almost $3000 soda blasting, dealing with pea to dime sized blisters, barrier coating and painting last winter. The boat is no faster, the bottom got just as dirty and I now have too much money in a very old boat. Be careful! Thinking about it another year might not be a bad idea.

Edited by - on

chancewane
Deckhand

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USA
17 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2005 : 12:58:02

Gee, thanks for the encouragement Frank!

I forgot to mention in my list of improvements, the 'new" used outboard and bracket. Got rid of the Johnson 9.9 2 cycle and broken Fulton bracket in favor of the 9.9 Honda 4 cycle and better (double)
Fulton bracket.

I couldn't spend $3K on a bottom; but I do want to take good care of the boat.....

I was thinking $500. to do it.

Chance

Edited by - on

SJ
Navigator

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USA
198 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2005 : 13:32:47

You can almostget away with $500.00 to do the bottom right as long as you do it yourself. First do not use your 4" grinder on the hull...That would be bad especially when it decides to run on you. They tend to leave very large gouges in the glass. USe a stripper to get the paint off. Peel Away works great. It might take a few applications but well worth the sweat. Take it down as far as you can then with your grinder..very gently...start to gring out the blisters....Take you first instainct and stop when you think you've gone far enough. Then finish up with some serious grit sand paper to get the rest. Fill and fair with West. wash everything down with 209 and the apply your barrier coat. Paint with a good bottom paint then burnish for a quick bottom. Gonna be over $500 but not quite $750. Good luck, and plan on about at least 50 hours of work.

Edited by - on

SJ
Navigator

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USA
198 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2005 : 13:34:14

excuse the spelling errors as I can not spell my way out of a paper bag!!!!

Edited by - on

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2005 : 14:13:01

Chance,

Don't know if you'll need it but a great tool for working on blisters, spider cracks in the jell coat, etc, is a Dremel tool. I bought one to repair holes in the hull from a lightning strike. It works just like a dentist drill - drill, fill, and sand.

Al
GALLIVANT #5801

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ronrryan
Admiral

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USA
561 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2005 : 22:28:57

As a filler you can use Marinetex, but it is pretty expensive if you have a lot of surface to do, also it sets up fairly quickly so you might be obliged to work in batches. Many folks mix their own epoxy goop or slurry using West, System 3 or other epoxy products. If you are not familiar with epoxy use, it pays to get the publications from West and/or System 3, plus maybe a sample kit, and experiment a little bit to become familiar with the stuff. Be careful to use disposable gloves, masks, and other precautions with epoxy (I have a finger which peels every now and then when it feels like it, probably attributable to sloppy past habits in using solvents, epoxy, etc) but don't be afraid to try doing stuff, you will soon become sufficiently proficient to do much good for your boat. Best of luck, keep firmly in mind that evrything will look beautiful from ten feet away, dont sweat the small stuff, ron srsk Orion SW FL

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2005 : 23:01:19

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by ronrryan
 ...keep firmly in mind that evrything will look beautiful from ten feet away, dont sweat the small stuff...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Below the waterline it looks good from one foot away when she's in the water! If your "blisters" are really just under the bottom paint, then they're not really blisters--they're just bottom paint that needs to be removed. If you find they're under the gelcoat, that's only a little more serious. The serious type that are between the laminations can be tough to detect by eye without removing the paint--even then, the best detector is a moisture meter.

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