Blister opening?

[Mike Elmore]

All,Sorry for the repeated questions on this topic, but I am very mucha novice owner and am still a bit unclear on the exact procedure here.Just hauled my 1990 C28 for the winter here in Chicago and on initial hull inspection have 3 quarter sized blisters in a horizontal row on the starboard side of the rudder about 8 inches from the top of it.I definately have to paint the bottom in the spring. I should openthese blisters now to let them dry right? I've taken from this forum that a Dremel tool works well. Which cutting/sanding attachment should I use on it for the job? What should I be careful of during this process? I've never seena properly opened blister before. Should I just be very careful andcut down until I see a "pocket" where the moisture is? Will itbe filled with liquid or just moist air?I just want to know what to expect and look for before I go and cut myself an expensively fixed hole by accident. =)Thanks in advance!Mike ElmoreC28 #7 - Windward Hull

 

[Richard]

easy job to do

I used a drill, but a dremmel would work fine also. I recommend an attachment with a flat head. You do not want to grind the hole too deep. I recommend grinding till you find dry material (hopefully only 1/16 to 2/16th of an inch. It does need time to dry, but if you grind a bit deep this time is much less. Depends upon the thickness of your hull, etc.I am not sure I would open them and let them dry all winter. You are cutting through the gelcoat so you are opening the fiberglass to moisture all winter that way. You want a warm week to let it dry out before you seal them and then epoxy.Good luck. There are many resources on the net to explain how to do the repairs. I found instructions on the net by searching for boats and blisters.RichardP.S. Be glad you only have 3 on the rudder. On a boat from the early 80's you can expect 50+ on the hull! Something about the cheap process they use to make the hulls on mass produced boats...

 

[Melody Miller]

Ahh . . . . A Fellow Novice

Hi Mike:Don't be embarrassed about asking a lot of questions about a particular subject. I am a novice too, and had a real issue with reefing awhile back. Now I know (1) when to do it (when you first think about it) (2) why do it (because of efficiency, stability, and conserving the rigging) and (3) how to do it (each boat may be a little different.)The previous owner of my Catalina 27 had 2 bisters in 15 years. The boat was made in 1976, and the theory is that before the petroleum embargo (or whatever that was) the resins used to make the fiberglass were of higher quality than in the early 80's. May I suggest a good first book on maintenance is (catchy title here) "Maintenance" from the Time Life Library of boating. The reason I think it's a great first book is that its a good overview of standard boat maintenance and not real technical. If you observe you have a special problem, then get a technical book on that subject.I always remind myself, as a novice, that (1) I don't have to know about every problem that a boat can have, and (2) not every problem is going to happen to MY boat. Therefore I can read about everyone else's problem on the forum without then going out to my boat and thinking to myself "there must be a problem with this boat that I don't know about." That makes for a happier boat owner.Good Luck with Blister RepairMelody

 

[Mike s/v Chute the Breeze]

Tech info

Mike, If you want tech manual on the subject take a look at West System's book on blisters..West Marine has it for 2 or 3 bucks ,at least here in Michigan City store they carry it so I guess Chicago would also?? The good part is you don't have much of a problem..Mike