Valiant 40 Blister Boat purchase

jviss · Aug 19, 2018

toliver said:
this boat is being offered at a discounted price because blisters, some soft deck spots and other issues.

Do you want a project or a boat?

Gunni · Aug 19, 2018

Yes, I would probably have the hull peeled and laid up with vinylester and / or epoxy by a competent composite tradesman. Those boats have good bones. Done right, and maintained correctly you will be done with the issue. What are they offering by way of a discounted price?

dlochner · Aug 20, 2018

toliver said:
(apparently Valiant blisters are different than the "normal" type of blisters due to utilizing "bad resin material" in certain production years) Many say to "peel back" hull completely...really?, is this necessary? Won't the blisters still come back after a period of time?
and "Yes" this boat is being offered at a discounted price because blisters, some soft deck spots and other issues.

I'm a little confused by the "bad resin material" and how are the blisters different? The larger blisters need to be dissected to see how deep the damage is. If the damage is deep and into the underlying glass structure. With that said, for large areas the hull peeled and new glass and resin, along with a proper barrier coat.

The soft decks are also a concern. How extensive are the soft areas?

Valiant 40's have a good pedigree, if the price is right and you have enough money to pay for the repairs or enough time to do them, then this might be a good deal.

If you want to see what you might be getting into, take a look at Mads' YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/user/madsdahlke

Don S/V ILLusion · Aug 20, 2018

The seller should have added the word "yet" to his claim "they don't affect the structural integrity". And probably the words" I hope" too.

This isn't a DIY project. The hull needs to first be peeled and then allowed to thoroughly dry for a prolonged period before any repair can begin. It's not just money but time and money should be factored into your purchase decision.

sailnoproblem · Aug 20, 2018

I guess it depends on the discounted price. Will that allow for the repair, and be near your purchase budget? Soft decks are a problem to, but the boat is 40 years old so you are going to find several problem areas.

capta · Aug 20, 2018

A 40-foot boat in good condition can be a lot of maintenance if it is used a lot. Imagine the hidden problems this boat may have if it has been uncared for, for an extended period. It might be a year or more, depending on your finances, before you could take her sailing once you've begun work on her.
You didn't mention your intended use for this boat, and I imagine that would have some import to your decision to purchase a serious project boat. If this is the one on Yachtworld for 30k, from the pictures it appears there are a lot more problems than a bit of soft deck and the blisters on the bottom.
Perhaps your best bet, if you are really interested in this boat, is to find a very well qualified surveyor with a lot of experience surveying neglected boats, and have a survey done. Though he may not be able to find all the problems with this boat, he could probably give you a pretty good idea of the depth of the repairs necessary.
Good luck.

jssailem · Aug 20, 2018

toliver said:
Should I worry over lots o Blisters on a 1979 Valiant 40

On what @capta says.
I bought a 1974 boat. I found one that was sound and at a price that allowed for it’s age. While it took me 4 months to get the engine reliable, and another 4 months to remove and refit the mast and all the wires and running rigging. Then when I took here out of the water to do the bottom and repair crash damage from a fishing boat doing 25 knots in the fog I found blisters....

Fortunately while on the hard from January to end of March I was able to get them ground, filled, faired, and the bottom painted. Have owned the boat from Feb 2015, to today. I’ve sailed/motored her for 2200 nautical miles in the Pacific NW waters while completeing the repair projects and upgrades. It is a labor of love. I have invested over 3 times what I paid for her. Wouldn’t trade a moment of the experience for a motor home.

If you have to have her “peeled” that is going to be 6 months maybe longer in the yard. It is not just the work time but the wait and drying time needed to address a serious blister issue.

You have to decide is this what you want to do.

dlochner · Aug 20, 2018

West System has excellent tech support and instructions for the DIY and professional. Here's what they have to say about blisters and blister repair: https://www.westsystem.com/wp-content/uploads/Gelcoat-Blisters-Diagnosis-Repair-and-Prevention.pdf

jssailem · Aug 20, 2018

toliver said:
in time affect the structural integrity?

Yes.
Here are the links I used to help me with my decision.

The most thorough info I found was from Dave Pascoe...Boat Hull Blisters : Failed Blister Repairs by David Pascoe, Marine Surveyor
Practical Boat owner was helpful... DIY Osmosis Repair - Practical Boat Owner
and the standard most read work... Gelcoat Blister Repair - BoatUS Magazine

West Systems produced a detailed "How to". https://www.westsystem.com/wp-content/uploads/Gelcoat-Blisters-Diagnosis-Repair-and-Prevention.pdf
And archives of projects at https://epoxyworks.com/?s=blisters

These should get you started building the knowledge needed to address the issue and decide what will make you happy.

SG · Aug 20, 2018

As noted above:
(apparently Valiant blisters are different than the "normal" type of blisters due to utilizing "bad resin material" in certain production years) Many say to "peel back" hull completely...really?, is this necessary? Won't the blisters still come back after a period of time?

and "Yes" this boat is being offered at a discounted price because blisters, some soft deck spots and other issues.

That Valiant blisters were no better (and probably worse) than "normal" or incidental blisters in my opinion. (You can call Osmotech in Annapolis and speak with them. They were the original peeler in Annapolis from years ago.) The soft deck would worry me because the extent of the problem and solution is less determinant.

A Valiant with a "bad resin problem" is a long time from a problem discovered? It's been decades since that was discovered and appeared. Who was doing what and when to that boat since the 1980's?

I used to LUST over a Valiant 40 when they first came out. Over the years, I've come to realize that, while the design in the late 1970's was amazing as an round-the-world, ocean going boat for its time, I'm not sure it's a fun boat. The "value" proposition of time and money to invest for a project boat seem questionable to me.

Having said this...

TOliver:

What are you planning on doing with this boat?
Why do you like it?
What other options do you have?
What sort of crew do you have?
What does the investment of time and money mean to you?

capta · Aug 21, 2018

There are several places, Trinidad, Grenada, St. Martin, St. Thomas, Panama, Honolulu, that I call ports of broken dreams. They are usually the end of rather long passages or cruises and the boat owners have come to the realization that the lifestyle is not for them. So, generally good, well-equipped boats are put on the market by people desperate for enough money to begin their lives ashore again. If you can catch one before it has sat too long, you can get a pretty good deal.

rardiH36 · Aug 21, 2018

toliver:

I have been following your thread since the beginning. Forum member responses have been consistent with my understanding about how to deal with serious blisters. Plus I've learned a few new considerations as I observed the discussion.

But my primary reason for jumping into the thread now ... even that you conveyed that you decided not to continue with the purchase ... is that you came back to inform us of your decision. Thank you!

Great to know that you took the responses on board.

Rather that many join the Forum to ask just one guestion. And then after members spend a considerable amount of time to post an expert response, the original poster disappears without any further acknowledgement or update or even a thank you.

highportsail · Aug 21, 2018

You can peel it and re glass but they will come back

Mark Maulden · Aug 21, 2018

“You can peel it and re glass but they will come back“

Why?

highportsail · Aug 22, 2018

I know of a v 40 that had blisters on the deck and I mean everywhere! They peeled it re gelcoated the deck. It blistered back with in 5 years. It’s the fire retardant that uniflite put in mold

dlochner · Aug 22, 2018

highportsail said:
I know of a v 40 that had blisters on the deck and I mean everywhere! They peeled it re gelcoated the deck. It blistered back with in 5 years. It’s the fire retardant that uniflite put in mold

If it blistered on the deck, then indeed, it is not the typical blistering due to osmosis. Sounds like the fire retardant prevented the gelcoat from properly curing and adhering to the underlying glass. A little research shows that this is a known problem in early Valiants built by Uniflite in Washington. Here's one article that mentions it:

http://www.goodoldboat.com/reader_services/articles/blister.php