We have a 27 ft.; 75. We have quite a number of blisters, have always just painted them over. We're planning on selling the boat and world like to compile a thread of opions. Current reading makes it sound as if you have to strip off all the gel coat and completly start over. Is this true or can these blisters be treated on an individual basis?
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joe phibbs
...it depends:
Like all repairs, there are cheap and then practical and high quality answers. Are you going to sell the boat as-is? Or are you going to do the work/have it done before you tranfer the title? If you are going to do or contract the work and price is not the #1 consideration, sand down the surface to the fiberglass gelcoat. then the fun begins. Boat US and others are clear and patient in explaining the process. Plan on applying, waiting 6 to 12 hours and applying, waiting another 6 to 12 hours and doing it all again. and again. Then you get to put more antifouling paint on. Sandblasting is another option. You can contract out whatever portion you dont feel comfortable with. In Chesapeake Bay area, price for the whole job could go as high as $1500 to $2000, plus 'time on the hill', as Cobbs' Marina says. Would it be worth it? Sit back and watch what the experts will say on your posting.
Like all repairs, there are cheap and then practical and high quality answers. Are you going to sell the boat as-is? Or are you going to do the work/have it done before you tranfer the title? If you are going to do or contract the work and price is not the #1 consideration, sand down the surface to the fiberglass gelcoat. then the fun begins. Boat US and others are clear and patient in explaining the process. Plan on applying, waiting 6 to 12 hours and applying, waiting another 6 to 12 hours and doing it all again. and again. Then you get to put more antifouling paint on. Sandblasting is another option. You can contract out whatever portion you dont feel comfortable with. In Chesapeake Bay area, price for the whole job could go as high as $1500 to $2000, plus 'time on the hill', as Cobbs' Marina says. Would it be worth it? Sit back and watch what the experts will say on your posting.
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Gil C., the Wanderin' One
I had that too, real bad!
There were blisters on top of blisters on the bottom of the '77 H27 I used to have. I used West system to repair them. First sanded for a couple of months with a belt sander, then applied 5 coats of West system. I think they recommended 3 coats. Anyway, that was about 15 years ago. I sold the boat to a fellow YC member who still has it, and the job is holding up great. Worth the effort to do-it-yourself.
There were blisters on top of blisters on the bottom of the '77 H27 I used to have. I used West system to repair them. First sanded for a couple of months with a belt sander, then applied 5 coats of West system. I think they recommended 3 coats. Anyway, that was about 15 years ago. I sold the boat to a fellow YC member who still has it, and the job is holding up great. Worth the effort to do-it-yourself.
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David
blisters
The other responses did not mention that after you sand you should clean out and dry the blister areas then fill with an epoxy compound before applying the barrier coats.
The other responses did not mention that after you sand you should clean out and dry the blister areas then fill with an epoxy compound before applying the barrier coats.
quite a number?
Phil: How many and how large are these blisters. Many times they can just be opened with a dremmel tool, rinsed with fresh water, allowed to dry and then filled. I would recommend that you find a yard to address this before you sell the boat so there is no question about the bottom condition. Most potential buyers are either have you repair the bottom or deduct the price of a complete bottom job (probably very expensive quote) from your asking price. We have a yard that does this for about $25/blister for a spotty blister problem (not a bad deal if you have a dozen or two blisters).
Phil: How many and how large are these blisters. Many times they can just be opened with a dremmel tool, rinsed with fresh water, allowed to dry and then filled. I would recommend that you find a yard to address this before you sell the boat so there is no question about the bottom condition. Most potential buyers are either have you repair the bottom or deduct the price of a complete bottom job (probably very expensive quote) from your asking price. We have a yard that does this for about $25/blister for a spotty blister problem (not a bad deal if you have a dozen or two blisters).
Use Imron...
.. not gelcoat. There are versions of epoxy paint now where you can just roller it on. Build it up nice and thick and take it down with a sander. Sands more easily than gelcoat-- by far. Best thing is you can pick a new color. (Someone out there has a gorgeous navy-blue H-27.) My cousin Dave- one of the best painters and fibreglass finishers in the country, probably-- just advised me to do this on my (1974) boat. 'What, are you gonna try to match old gelcoat?' I said, 'Yeah, why not?' He said, '[expletive deleted].' That made up my mind. Unless you have moderate- to expert-level experience with gelcoat, epoxy pait like Imron or Awlgrip is the way to go. Good luck. JC 2
.. not gelcoat. There are versions of epoxy paint now where you can just roller it on. Build it up nice and thick and take it down with a sander. Sands more easily than gelcoat-- by far. Best thing is you can pick a new color. (Someone out there has a gorgeous navy-blue H-27.) My cousin Dave- one of the best painters and fibreglass finishers in the country, probably-- just advised me to do this on my (1974) boat. 'What, are you gonna try to match old gelcoat?' I said, 'Yeah, why not?' He said, '[expletive deleted].' That made up my mind. Unless you have moderate- to expert-level experience with gelcoat, epoxy pait like Imron or Awlgrip is the way to go. Good luck. JC 2
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Ed Schenck
Blister repair.
Not sure why JC-II is writing about Imron paint. Are your blisters on the bottom of the boat? Maybe he thought you were writing about blisters above the waterline. The number and size is critical as the others have indicated. Less than 100 or so then dremmel, dry, and fill. Then a couple of coats of anti-fouling. This assumes that you have not noticed increased numbers over the seasons. If they have increased in number from year to year then a barrier-coat is in order. It is really expensive to have someone else do it and really hard work to do it yourself(I did my 37-footer myself). I agree with whomever wrote that you should sell "as is".
Not sure why JC-II is writing about Imron paint. Are your blisters on the bottom of the boat? Maybe he thought you were writing about blisters above the waterline. The number and size is critical as the others have indicated. Less than 100 or so then dremmel, dry, and fill. Then a couple of coats of anti-fouling. This assumes that you have not noticed increased numbers over the seasons. If they have increased in number from year to year then a barrier-coat is in order. It is really expensive to have someone else do it and really hard work to do it yourself(I did my 37-footer myself). I agree with whomever wrote that you should sell "as is".
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Phil Pendleton
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