Hull Blisters?

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Apr 26, 2009
107
Catalina 309 #168 kentucky lake
How do the newer model sailboats by ther same MFG. resist hull blisters examples 1980 catalina/hunter etc. vs 2007 catalina/hunter etc.?

What is the best way to avoid blisters on a 2005+ sailboat kept in a southern fresh water lake year round?

Donny
 
Sep 25, 2008
2,288
C30 Event Horizon Port Aransas
IMHO, the best way to avoid blisters on newer boats is the same way to avoid them on older boats. Make sure the hull is dry and barrier coat it. Once they have a high moisture they are set up to start getting blisters.
 
Aug 16, 2006
281
Ericson 32 Oregon coast
I was told once that resins from the mid-1970s

into the 1980s was often inferior. Also, manufacturers used more production shortcuts as the boating industry began feeling the a decline in sales at that time.

I had a 1974 model boat and had it hauled out the second time at a really good boat yard. Mine had blistering that was pretty typical for that era. The owner pointed out the various options to repairing blisters. The better ones cost more. Then he added, "No boat ever sank from blisters".
 
Sep 29, 2008
1,976
Catalina 310 #185 Quantico
The cause of blistering is well known

I read an article years ago from a guy who had been the chief engineer of Pearson Yachts. He said the biggest cause of blisters was the production methods. When they first started building fiberglass yachts, they really did not understand the materials all that well. Many times they would start to lay-up a hull at 4pm, work until quitting time and then stop and finish the next day. Other times they would start at 0800 and finish laying up the hull that day. More often than not, the hull started at 4pm and finished over several days would exhibit blisters. What they found was that after spraying the gel coat into the hull, if when it was still tacky they sprayed the first layer of resin, then glass, then resin on and on until they were done - each time starting the next layer when the previous layer was nearly set, but still a little tacky it had much less blisters. In this way they found that the layers bonded together and made a better water resistant hull.

Very interesting article, and a really cheap fix for boat builders.
 
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