I've heard that blisters really don't happen from osmotic forces. That it really just has to do with the glass job that was done. Does anyone know whether a barrier coat is truly essential or just the boat product manufacturers marketing hype? If you believe strongly that it really does help and is beneficial, could you recommend a barrier coat to use?
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Ed Schenck
Very good question.
Especially when you see every new boat in the yard go in the water after a coat of primer and two coats of ??? And all in the same day. But I did not ask the question. I scraped and sanded my 1979 H37C down to bare gelcoat. Then I dremeled about 50 pencil eraser size blisters and filled. Then I covered her with 5 coats of Interlux 2000E. Cheap insurance I figured since I plan to keep and improve the boat. Cheap if you don't count my labor that is.
Especially when you see every new boat in the yard go in the water after a coat of primer and two coats of ??? And all in the same day. But I did not ask the question. I scraped and sanded my 1979 H37C down to bare gelcoat. Then I dremeled about 50 pencil eraser size blisters and filled. Then I covered her with 5 coats of Interlux 2000E. Cheap insurance I figured since I plan to keep and improve the boat. Cheap if you don't count my labor that is.
Don't think that it is hype!
All boats get blisters. I've seen Swans with blisters, Island Packets etc. They all get them. The problems with blisters was more obvious on boats made in the late 70's and 80's. The change is the formula for the resins is one of the blames. The mfg's have gone to new materials that are suppose to shield the water infiltration. They still get blisters. If there was a way for the mfg to prevent these I think that they would take every measure to do it being that they are paying for this through warranty claims. There is a website that has a lot of information about the subject which you should read. I personally feel like Ed. Put it on, it's not going to hurt. If they have a product that can prevent water from infiltrating your fiberglass you mite as well try it out. Even the mfg. recommend.
All boats get blisters. I've seen Swans with blisters, Island Packets etc. They all get them. The problems with blisters was more obvious on boats made in the late 70's and 80's. The change is the formula for the resins is one of the blames. The mfg's have gone to new materials that are suppose to shield the water infiltration. They still get blisters. If there was a way for the mfg to prevent these I think that they would take every measure to do it being that they are paying for this through warranty claims. There is a website that has a lot of information about the subject which you should read. I personally feel like Ed. Put it on, it's not going to hurt. If they have a product that can prevent water from infiltrating your fiberglass you mite as well try it out. Even the mfg. recommend.
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Alex
Indeed it starts at moulding stage..
.. where a small fault at almost each one of the stages involved ( including also temperature and humidity-DRY- controlled enviroment) , can start the 'seeds' for 'osmosis' , mostly years later. However , for this proccess to happen, water is needed . The barrier coat-correctly and tick enough applied- do just that .( altough , in small precentage it can happen from water in (uncoated) bilge too..). It is best done when boat new,but if hull sanded off to gealcoat, and PROPERLY dried , it helps in delaying the proccess.. In our hot , humid Mediteranean weather , where boats are kept in water year around , it is good practice , done by owners now almost always on new boats , for years. All big brands have good quality hard two parts undercoats epoxy barrier paints ( Tar ones unadvisable now for GRP); some done by multi layers ( 5-6) of relatively thin films -primer like-with few hours between coats,like International , other use specific paint for that ,on the primer,with thicker and fewer coats , but totaling to same quite thick film.
.. where a small fault at almost each one of the stages involved ( including also temperature and humidity-DRY- controlled enviroment) , can start the 'seeds' for 'osmosis' , mostly years later. However , for this proccess to happen, water is needed . The barrier coat-correctly and tick enough applied- do just that .( altough , in small precentage it can happen from water in (uncoated) bilge too..). It is best done when boat new,but if hull sanded off to gealcoat, and PROPERLY dried , it helps in delaying the proccess.. In our hot , humid Mediteranean weather , where boats are kept in water year around , it is good practice , done by owners now almost always on new boats , for years. All big brands have good quality hard two parts undercoats epoxy barrier paints ( Tar ones unadvisable now for GRP); some done by multi layers ( 5-6) of relatively thin films -primer like-with few hours between coats,like International , other use specific paint for that ,on the primer,with thicker and fewer coats , but totaling to same quite thick film.
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Steve Cook
I was told by Hunter that
On the larger boats (310-320 and up) that a barrier coat is applied at the factory. I was told this by Greg Emerson and Jim Bohart (ex-factory rep). Bohart told me to spend the money for a barrier coat on something really useful like (BEER)!!! Well, I don't drink so I bought a cool map GPS instead. My H310 is in the water for only 5-6 months of the year in N.E. Wisconsin and I did not apply a barrier coat. The boat is in the water now for her 3rd. season and no blisters as of yet. Steve, s/v The Odyssey (H310)
On the larger boats (310-320 and up) that a barrier coat is applied at the factory. I was told this by Greg Emerson and Jim Bohart (ex-factory rep). Bohart told me to spend the money for a barrier coat on something really useful like (BEER)!!! Well, I don't drink so I bought a cool map GPS instead. My H310 is in the water for only 5-6 months of the year in N.E. Wisconsin and I did not apply a barrier coat. The boat is in the water now for her 3rd. season and no blisters as of yet. Steve, s/v The Odyssey (H310)
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Jim McCue
I used skipsan
on my new boat in '85 I used skipsan. It is really aweful smelling stuff- but it has kept me blister free since. I just do a light sanding to rough up the old Micron CSC from last year and then run 2 coats of the mew stuff- this year I'm trying the biolux CSC cause while we don't get much in the way of barnacles, we do get alot of the slimy growth- which really slows down the boat. check out if Skipsan is still around. J. McCue
on my new boat in '85 I used skipsan. It is really aweful smelling stuff- but it has kept me blister free since. I just do a light sanding to rough up the old Micron CSC from last year and then run 2 coats of the mew stuff- this year I'm trying the biolux CSC cause while we don't get much in the way of barnacles, we do get alot of the slimy growth- which really slows down the boat. check out if Skipsan is still around. J. McCue
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Michael O'
Excellent Surveyor's Website - Blisters, etc.
For info on blisters, repairs, paint, barrier-coats, diesels, etc. check out the EXCELLENT website: www.yachtsurvey.com If you have "thin skin" about Hunters, though, don't read his survey report of a H28...... Otherwise, just excellent resource! Michael O'
For info on blisters, repairs, paint, barrier-coats, diesels, etc. check out the EXCELLENT website: www.yachtsurvey.com If you have "thin skin" about Hunters, though, don't read his survey report of a H28...... Otherwise, just excellent resource! Michael O'
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Miles
Great site...
Thanks Michael! www.yachtsurvey.com is certainly an interesting site. I think it should have a warning message not to go there if you are thinking about buying a boat! A few of those articles are enough to scare people away from boats forever. Good stuff though...
Thanks Michael! www.yachtsurvey.com is certainly an interesting site. I think it should have a warning message not to go there if you are thinking about buying a boat! A few of those articles are enough to scare people away from boats forever. Good stuff though...
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R.W.Landau
I agree with Steve
Jim, I am a firm believer in barrier coat. I know of a 45 footer that is going to have a gel coat shave because of gelcoat blisters that were not taken care of and the major portion of the gel coat delaminated. That estimate was $15,000. Remember that even if you do barrier coat, you want to keep a dry bilge. You can get blisters from the inside out. r.w.landau
Jim, I am a firm believer in barrier coat. I know of a 45 footer that is going to have a gel coat shave because of gelcoat blisters that were not taken care of and the major portion of the gel coat delaminated. That estimate was $15,000. Remember that even if you do barrier coat, you want to keep a dry bilge. You can get blisters from the inside out. r.w.landau
excellent surveyors web site?
Michael O'. Check this guy out in detail. The articles on blisters are informative but not necessarily autoritive. One of the articles mentions that if the mfg would spend an additional $10 a gallon on "high quality resin" that boats would not have blisters. I don't know how to break the news to these guys but our Hunter 31' 1985 was at the peak of the blister problem and we DO NOT HAVE blisters. There is not any mfg that is in business today that has not had problems with blisters. I find it had to believe that Swan were skimping on the cost of resin or their lay up methods. I also don't belive that Hunter was using the best quality products on the market. Check you some of his surveys. Specifically on Hunter sailboats and some of the lower end boats. This guy is trying to make a reputation for himself. I do not think he is trying to provide a service. Very opinionated without using science and facts. Don't get me wrong. The blister articles are very informative but one must reserve judgement until they read everything that he has published.
Michael O'. Check this guy out in detail. The articles on blisters are informative but not necessarily autoritive. One of the articles mentions that if the mfg would spend an additional $10 a gallon on "high quality resin" that boats would not have blisters. I don't know how to break the news to these guys but our Hunter 31' 1985 was at the peak of the blister problem and we DO NOT HAVE blisters. There is not any mfg that is in business today that has not had problems with blisters. I find it had to believe that Swan were skimping on the cost of resin or their lay up methods. I also don't belive that Hunter was using the best quality products on the market. Check you some of his surveys. Specifically on Hunter sailboats and some of the lower end boats. This guy is trying to make a reputation for himself. I do not think he is trying to provide a service. Very opinionated without using science and facts. Don't get me wrong. The blister articles are very informative but one must reserve judgement until they read everything that he has published.
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Michael O'
Steve- "Broad Brush" Agreement
Steve - I do agree with you regarding what appears to be the surveyor's effort to make a name for himself... but he also has sufficient experience to already have a name..... maybe a four-letter one for some folks! And I do agree about reading ANY article to be critical of the content. I think he gives some good info regarding motors, blisters, and all the "general" maintenance stuff. But his surveys (i.e. H28) are far too blue-water-pedantic for a poor lake sailer like me. And after all, who's going to propose taking a H28 around the world?!? I thought this might be a pretty good general resource for a lot of the HOW folks. A better one is Do-It-Yourself Boats (I think that's http://diy-boats.com) but to get the full package requires some significant cost to join the e-zine and purchase CD's. As always, I enjoy your comments! Michael O'
Steve - I do agree with you regarding what appears to be the surveyor's effort to make a name for himself... but he also has sufficient experience to already have a name..... maybe a four-letter one for some folks! And I do agree about reading ANY article to be critical of the content. I think he gives some good info regarding motors, blisters, and all the "general" maintenance stuff. But his surveys (i.e. H28) are far too blue-water-pedantic for a poor lake sailer like me. And after all, who's going to propose taking a H28 around the world?!? I thought this might be a pretty good general resource for a lot of the HOW folks. A better one is Do-It-Yourself Boats (I think that's http://diy-boats.com) but to get the full package requires some significant cost to join the e-zine and purchase CD's. As always, I enjoy your comments! Michael O'
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