I have heard that the Interprotect 2000 product is only good for 10 years. Does anyone have a more refined view of this products life expectancy?
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Interlux
If I were you I would just ask the folks at Interlux. http://www.yachtpaint.com/usa/ I was led to believe I would have to remove the Interprotect 2000 from my boat because I wanted to use VC Offshore (It has ablative on it now) when I ask the right folks I was told no problem using any of the VC's on the interprotect 2000. Always helps to get first hand knowledge.
If I were you I would just ask the folks at Interlux. http://www.yachtpaint.com/usa/ I was led to believe I would have to remove the Interprotect 2000 from my boat because I wanted to use VC Offshore (It has ablative on it now) when I ask the right folks I was told no problem using any of the VC's on the interprotect 2000. Always helps to get first hand knowledge.
Probably a Conservative Estimate
I have been involved in estimating the lives of products. I believe it is pretty obvious they will not test it for 10 years. Generally they will do some testing and check for degradation. They then try to extrapolate out to a point. For example they might put the product in some extreme conditions such as overly warm brine. After agitating the brine for a year or few, they measure how thick a layer is gone or degraded. They have already established, probably by testing, how thick a layer is required to provide the required protection. They extrapolate it down to this minimum layer. They will have probably done the testing under conditions you will never encounter. I would guess that if they are estimating 10 years, it will last for several times that.
I have been involved in estimating the lives of products. I believe it is pretty obvious they will not test it for 10 years. Generally they will do some testing and check for degradation. They then try to extrapolate out to a point. For example they might put the product in some extreme conditions such as overly warm brine. After agitating the brine for a year or few, they measure how thick a layer is gone or degraded. They have already established, probably by testing, how thick a layer is required to provide the required protection. They extrapolate it down to this minimum layer. They will have probably done the testing under conditions you will never encounter. I would guess that if they are estimating 10 years, it will last for several times that.
17 Years and No Problem
Had 2000 put on when our boat was new in '88 and it's been 17 years now and never had a blister anywhere. On the other hand there may be some boats out there of the same age that have never had a blister and never put on a barrier coat but I don't know that. I do know a couple boats that sold last year that both had blisters and they took a real beating on the selling price. Also, I've had a PSS shaft seal since new too and since there seems to be some that feel that water from inside the boat can cause blisters, or may even be the cause of blisters, that may have been a reason why there hasn't been any either. Anyway, dry bilge and barrier coat, and maybe luck?, has resulted in a clean bill of health every year so far. If you're considering a new boat now is the time to do it. It's as cheap as it'll ever get. Once the bottom pain is on then it can get expensive unless you do the work yourself.
Had 2000 put on when our boat was new in '88 and it's been 17 years now and never had a blister anywhere. On the other hand there may be some boats out there of the same age that have never had a blister and never put on a barrier coat but I don't know that. I do know a couple boats that sold last year that both had blisters and they took a real beating on the selling price. Also, I've had a PSS shaft seal since new too and since there seems to be some that feel that water from inside the boat can cause blisters, or may even be the cause of blisters, that may have been a reason why there hasn't been any either. Anyway, dry bilge and barrier coat, and maybe luck?, has resulted in a clean bill of health every year so far. If you're considering a new boat now is the time to do it. It's as cheap as it'll ever get. Once the bottom pain is on then it can get expensive unless you do the work yourself.
Buying and moving a boat - blister concerns
What are thoughts on bottom protection in this situation? I am considering buying a boat that has lived in Michigan all its life. It is not now and has never been blistered. It has had regular bottom paint but no barrier coat. If I buy it, I will move it to the Tennessee River, which has summer water temps in the high 80's. Someone recommended to me that I barrier coat it before I ever even put it in the water here - that it might blister in the warmer water. To barrier coat, does the (new last month) bottom paint have to come off before the barrier coat is put on? Then that has to be followed by bottom paint again? Obviously this will add pretty significantly to the price of the boat, since I will have a yard do it rather than doing it myself. Since we don't really know the science of blisters fully, I'm just not sure what to do.
What are thoughts on bottom protection in this situation? I am considering buying a boat that has lived in Michigan all its life. It is not now and has never been blistered. It has had regular bottom paint but no barrier coat. If I buy it, I will move it to the Tennessee River, which has summer water temps in the high 80's. Someone recommended to me that I barrier coat it before I ever even put it in the water here - that it might blister in the warmer water. To barrier coat, does the (new last month) bottom paint have to come off before the barrier coat is put on? Then that has to be followed by bottom paint again? Obviously this will add pretty significantly to the price of the boat, since I will have a yard do it rather than doing it myself. Since we don't really know the science of blisters fully, I'm just not sure what to do.
Probably the best 'blister' site on the net....
Go to www.yachtsurvey.com/blisters.htm for a fairly good historical perspective based on todays standard vs. blisters. I used Interlux 2000 on a boat in the mid 80s (had gelcoat blisters), double coated to the mil thickness to then recommended thickness and that boat still doesnt have a 'zit'. The mil thickness recommendations of all barrier coat manufacturers have increased over the years; so, consider to apply even thicker than recommended. For a boat that didnt have blisters, I personally wouldnt add barrier coat, especially going from fresh water to fresh water. If were going from salt water to fresh water (the worst case), then Id have a laminate core sample analysed by a materials lab (for hydrolysis). If blisters later form, THEN do a 'proper' (gelcoat, etc. peel) repair and then barrier coat. Blisters are mostly HYPE with the 'cure' vigorously promoted by profit motive. Most DIY blister 'repairs' eventually fail, sometimes these failures render the hull unsalvageable and totally ruined for later sale. If it ain't broke dont fix it, as with blisters the 'repair' can be much worse than the symptoms. When was the FIRST time you've ever heard of a boat sinking because of blisters?
Go to www.yachtsurvey.com/blisters.htm for a fairly good historical perspective based on todays standard vs. blisters. I used Interlux 2000 on a boat in the mid 80s (had gelcoat blisters), double coated to the mil thickness to then recommended thickness and that boat still doesnt have a 'zit'. The mil thickness recommendations of all barrier coat manufacturers have increased over the years; so, consider to apply even thicker than recommended. For a boat that didnt have blisters, I personally wouldnt add barrier coat, especially going from fresh water to fresh water. If were going from salt water to fresh water (the worst case), then Id have a laminate core sample analysed by a materials lab (for hydrolysis). If blisters later form, THEN do a 'proper' (gelcoat, etc. peel) repair and then barrier coat. Blisters are mostly HYPE with the 'cure' vigorously promoted by profit motive. Most DIY blister 'repairs' eventually fail, sometimes these failures render the hull unsalvageable and totally ruined for later sale. If it ain't broke dont fix it, as with blisters the 'repair' can be much worse than the symptoms. When was the FIRST time you've ever heard of a boat sinking because of blisters?
Even new gelcoat absorbs water - use barrier coat
I had blisters where barrier coat did not reach (around waterline. Worte all of this up a few years ago - look in Chandlery section! ALW
I had blisters where barrier coat did not reach (around waterline. Worte all of this up a few years ago - look in Chandlery section! ALW
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