1986 Hunter 23, sanded down to bare gelcoat. No blistering at all. Barrier coat prior to paint, or don't bother? Any replies of experience appreciated.
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R.W. Landau
coat it!
Dan, If you are sanded and ready,I would coat it. I would do atleast 3 coats to the top of the waterline strip. You have no blisters now and hopefully the barrier coat would keep it that way. I wish that more owners would think about the future. You will probably sell this boat at some point in time and hopefully the new owner will have looked at a number of boats with bad bottoms and scoop yours up. I am currently looking for a used boat and this is the biggest downfall. People buy boats at the max. of their budget and never maintain them as they should. A good used boat is hard to find. A well maintained boat will also hold it's value better. sorry I got carried away. r.w.landau
Dan, If you are sanded and ready,I would coat it. I would do atleast 3 coats to the top of the waterline strip. You have no blisters now and hopefully the barrier coat would keep it that way. I wish that more owners would think about the future. You will probably sell this boat at some point in time and hopefully the new owner will have looked at a number of boats with bad bottoms and scoop yours up. I am currently looking for a used boat and this is the biggest downfall. People buy boats at the max. of their budget and never maintain them as they should. A good used boat is hard to find. A well maintained boat will also hold it's value better. sorry I got carried away. r.w.landau
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Don Evans
Its Like An Insurance Policy
You may never have to rely on its protection, but it might be worth having in case. Your half-way done anyways at this point. An investment of a couple of hundred dollars for a good barrier product and a weekend of work could pay dividends 10 more years done the road. I also sail in fresh, colder waters 6 months of the year, conditions that are supposed to minimize the formation of blisters, but I think it was worth the investment. Besides, what is one question you might ask of a seller? Has the bottom been blister protected? It increases the value of the boat, especially an older one IMHO. Don
You may never have to rely on its protection, but it might be worth having in case. Your half-way done anyways at this point. An investment of a couple of hundred dollars for a good barrier product and a weekend of work could pay dividends 10 more years done the road. I also sail in fresh, colder waters 6 months of the year, conditions that are supposed to minimize the formation of blisters, but I think it was worth the investment. Besides, what is one question you might ask of a seller? Has the bottom been blister protected? It increases the value of the boat, especially an older one IMHO. Don
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steven f.
it'll never get easier than now
If you've already done the sanding than coat it, it will never get easier to do it than right now. I live by the might-as-well rules, might as well do it while you can.
If you've already done the sanding than coat it, it will never get easier to do it than right now. I live by the might-as-well rules, might as well do it while you can.
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Thomas Ehmke
It's unanimous!!
Dan, I barrier-coated my boat last Spring. If you don't do it now, it'll be harder to convince yourself to strip it again in a couple of years to do it. For peace of mind, protection and resale value, go the extra mile now. You won't regret it. It took me longer than a weekend to get the proper number of coats on the hull. If you can't keep on painting with the minimum dry time between coats, it's necessary to sand between coats. I was only able to work one or two days a week (on weekends) so it took me a couple of weeks or so to get it done. Another reason to do it now is that it gets harder to crawl around under the hull when you get a little older and with good planning now, you can reduce the aches and pains in a few years. Tom
Dan, I barrier-coated my boat last Spring. If you don't do it now, it'll be harder to convince yourself to strip it again in a couple of years to do it. For peace of mind, protection and resale value, go the extra mile now. You won't regret it. It took me longer than a weekend to get the proper number of coats on the hull. If you can't keep on painting with the minimum dry time between coats, it's necessary to sand between coats. I was only able to work one or two days a week (on weekends) so it took me a couple of weeks or so to get it done. Another reason to do it now is that it gets harder to crawl around under the hull when you get a little older and with good planning now, you can reduce the aches and pains in a few years. Tom
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Bill
Why wasts money?
Not long ago somebody posted a web site re: osmosis. Essentialy it was pretty adament that a boat of your age, which rests in cold water, and perhaps even taken out of the water part of the year, will not suffer from blisters. Pretty good article , wish I had kept the web site. It renforced my own observations about blisters which is that they are a result of the lay up process and not water working its way into the fiberglass. It is an internal process working its way out. Given the fact that it is a 23 footer the barier coat would not be expensive, but I wouldn't do it if the hull is blister free.
Not long ago somebody posted a web site re: osmosis. Essentialy it was pretty adament that a boat of your age, which rests in cold water, and perhaps even taken out of the water part of the year, will not suffer from blisters. Pretty good article , wish I had kept the web site. It renforced my own observations about blisters which is that they are a result of the lay up process and not water working its way into the fiberglass. It is an internal process working its way out. Given the fact that it is a 23 footer the barier coat would not be expensive, but I wouldn't do it if the hull is blister free.
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Bill
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Tim Schaaf
No Choice
Actually, you have no choice! By sanding down to the gelcoat, you have probably already sanded away a little of it. And, most of the gelcoat's ability to seal out water on the molecular level is in the outer 5%. Lots of boats get blisters when their owners, meaning well, sand the gelcoat to apply paint. AT this point, you are not dealing with the same gelcoat barrier you started with, so, IMHO you ought to go ahead with the barrier coat. You will wind up with more protection than you started with, and your boat and you will thank yourself for it down the road.
Actually, you have no choice! By sanding down to the gelcoat, you have probably already sanded away a little of it. And, most of the gelcoat's ability to seal out water on the molecular level is in the outer 5%. Lots of boats get blisters when their owners, meaning well, sand the gelcoat to apply paint. AT this point, you are not dealing with the same gelcoat barrier you started with, so, IMHO you ought to go ahead with the barrier coat. You will wind up with more protection than you started with, and your boat and you will thank yourself for it down the road.
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