Have a two year old Catalina which received dealer installed barier coat and bottom paint prior to new delivery. When pulling boat last fall (after second season of sailing) bottom was covered with blisters which dealer claimed were caused by water collecting between the barrier coat and gel coat (result of poor paint adhesion). Boat bottom was soda blasted this Spring to remove all paint and discovered that bottom is now dimpled like a golf ball. Most dimples are 1/4 inch diameter and 1/16-1/8 inch deep. Some of the dimples are larger (size of a quarter) and are much deeper, approaching the surface of the fiberglass hull. Soda Blaster says there is a problem with the gel coat and dealer says there was a problem with the soda blaster. From my perspective the dimples are consistent in size and location to the blisters which were noted last fall. Dealer wants to sand the dimples and fill the few that are especially deep and follow up with bottom paint only. No barrier coat this time.... Is this a reasonble procedure? Should something other than sanding be accomplished? Will I have a high likelyhood of future gel coat blsiters? Question for legal experts reading this... Since I have a large investment with significant problems NOT caused by me do I have grounds for legal recourse? There was no specific warranty tied to the dealer installed barrier coat and bottom paint application. I sure would appreciate some "unbiased" expert advise! THANKS!!!!
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have the barrier coat manufacturer look at it.
Have a regional representive of the manufacturer of the barrier coat look at it. They wont charge you and can tell you quickly whats going on. sounds like they painted the boat without proper prep to me but i aint looking at it.
Have a regional representive of the manufacturer of the barrier coat look at it. They wont charge you and can tell you quickly whats going on. sounds like they painted the boat without proper prep to me but i aint looking at it.
You've got
what appears to be a "problem boat." IMHO, your boat's ills were created at the time of manufacture, and were probably due to poor quality control when the resin was curing. I would skip dealing with your dealer who seems to want to blame the soda blaster and go directly to Frank Butler at Catalina. He often answers the phone himself. Im sorry to say that there probably will be no easy fix for a such a boat. If it were mine, I would have two choices: (1) sand it and then apply a coat of epoxy and then bottom paint; or (2) try to get the dealer to repair it and then sell it.
what appears to be a "problem boat." IMHO, your boat's ills were created at the time of manufacture, and were probably due to poor quality control when the resin was curing. I would skip dealing with your dealer who seems to want to blame the soda blaster and go directly to Frank Butler at Catalina. He often answers the phone himself. Im sorry to say that there probably will be no easy fix for a such a boat. If it were mine, I would have two choices: (1) sand it and then apply a coat of epoxy and then bottom paint; or (2) try to get the dealer to repair it and then sell it.
When to bought the boat
the botom was not preped right. Even still I don't know how you got blisters. Is this a new boat. If so call Catalina you have a hull warrenty with them. YES, you have to barrier coat the bottom again! What does the dealer think the boat will fix it self. You have a problem!
the botom was not preped right. Even still I don't know how you got blisters. Is this a new boat. If so call Catalina you have a hull warrenty with them. YES, you have to barrier coat the bottom again! What does the dealer think the boat will fix it self. You have a problem!
Probably Not Blisters
It's very doubtful that the problem is with gel coat blisters because it normally takes a few years. Two years is an unbelievabely short time. Maybe it just wasn't dewaxed properly or, since a barrier coat requres several layers, maybe it got dry between coats, wasn't sanded, and now it isn't sticking. Ed's recommendation is a good one - talk to a manufacturers rep and start keeping a good record of everything because you might need it. If you live inland in the mid west it's, unfortunately, probably going to be difficult to find knowledgeable people to talk to. On the coast there are boatyards with reasonably expert people one can talk to.
It's very doubtful that the problem is with gel coat blisters because it normally takes a few years. Two years is an unbelievabely short time. Maybe it just wasn't dewaxed properly or, since a barrier coat requres several layers, maybe it got dry between coats, wasn't sanded, and now it isn't sticking. Ed's recommendation is a good one - talk to a manufacturers rep and start keeping a good record of everything because you might need it. If you live inland in the mid west it's, unfortunately, probably going to be difficult to find knowledgeable people to talk to. On the coast there are boatyards with reasonably expert people one can talk to.
Probaby too thin a barrier coat application.....
go to yachtsurvey.com and read the 'volumes' of blister info. Like another poster stated be sure to contact the manufacturer of the barrier coat as you 'may' have a 'claim' with the entitiy that applied it, etc. However, in doing so make NO accusations that would put you into an adverserial situation, etc. The generation of blisters AFTER barrier coating is not that uncommon. My personal experience (from long ago) was that barrier HAS to be applied to (or more than) the recommended mil thickness or water/vapor migration will continue. If you compare the scheduled/recommended barrier thickness throughout the years (using the same materials) such thicknesses have greatly increased. When I reported blisters after a few years after applying TO the then current recommended thickness, the manufacturer supplied extra barrier at gratis ... of course I had to remove the bottom paint and begin again, etc. Also a possibility is that someone barrier coated a hull that wasnt sufficiently 'dried out' thus trapping the moisture ... a cause of many 'future' blisters. Also, read the section on 'moisture meters' in the yachtsurvey website ... as a moisture meter in the hands of an idiot ... .
go to yachtsurvey.com and read the 'volumes' of blister info. Like another poster stated be sure to contact the manufacturer of the barrier coat as you 'may' have a 'claim' with the entitiy that applied it, etc. However, in doing so make NO accusations that would put you into an adverserial situation, etc. The generation of blisters AFTER barrier coating is not that uncommon. My personal experience (from long ago) was that barrier HAS to be applied to (or more than) the recommended mil thickness or water/vapor migration will continue. If you compare the scheduled/recommended barrier thickness throughout the years (using the same materials) such thicknesses have greatly increased. When I reported blisters after a few years after applying TO the then current recommended thickness, the manufacturer supplied extra barrier at gratis ... of course I had to remove the bottom paint and begin again, etc. Also a possibility is that someone barrier coated a hull that wasnt sufficiently 'dried out' thus trapping the moisture ... a cause of many 'future' blisters. Also, read the section on 'moisture meters' in the yachtsurvey website ... as a moisture meter in the hands of an idiot ... .
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