Are Brand Name Builders using Epoxy now?

[Gunni]

Beneteau doesn't just recommend against barrier coating, they actually state that the sanding that the barrier coat manufacturers recommend before coating will void Beneteau's warranty.

Yeah well, you would have to take off the gel coat first to get to the barrier coat...which would pretty much be a bone-head amateur move (and an overzealous powersandin' rodeo). Beneteau posts that to prevent owners from doing stupid stuff. Overkill.

If you want something to stick to gelcoat, either bottom paint, or barrier coat you are going to need to de-wax it and rough up the gelcoat to provide some tooth. Otherwise, sometime soon you WILL be sanding /scraping off flaking bottom paint.

 

[Jackdaw]

CloudDriver,

C&C/Tartan made hundreds of epoxy resin boats, they probably still do. They had some problems about ten years ago that appeared to me to be early production problems with a new and unfamiliar resin. Those problems appear to be solved now. You can search the internet for more on this.

I would buy an epoxy resin boat over any of the poly or vinyl resin boats. Much stronger, lighter, less blister prone if done correctly.

Sort of true.

Tartan uses a vinylester/epoxy blend resin with standard E-glass mats. Its superiority to straight vinyl/e-glass hulls is a matter of some debate. Looks good in marketing materials however. Not to detract from the fact that current Tartans are very fine high-end boats.

Also, C&C was a brand of Tartan for a few years. The brand has been bought by a new builder; the current 41 (and 30) has nothing to do with the boats of older generations.

 

[mm2347]

Why would an expoy resin layup weigh less than poly or vinyester?

 

[Doug4bass]

I have read that earlier on in the switch they had some isolated instances but that those were tracked down to human error. So a 1999 boat with that issue is more isolated incident than the norm. But it sucks when you are that incident. Sorry to hear but it seems like you still had a positive opinion of Catalina over all. Fair winds, Jesse

I think it was a bad batch of gelcoat. More than just my boat. The fact that any error could cause blisters warrants a barrier coat in my mind. Thats just me. And you can't find a more fervent Catalina fan than myself. Partly because of the fact that they replaced my bottom free of charge after 12 years. That speaks volumes.