[C38] Hull blistering - ouch!

[S Orton]

My 2 cent worth:  I was told that boats made in the mid 80's are very prone to blistering (mine is a late 84, hull #304).  The reason for this is Catalina changed their polyester cocktail to a fire resistant variety.  The early built boats don't have or have very little blistering and either do the later 80's boats.  You can put up with the blisters, just don't sand your hull below the WL.  But I wanted to race and the yard was charging $500-1000 extra to paint my hull- Oceanside, CA.  After a lite sanding, my hull would look like it had the measles!  After lots of investigation I went with Hull Tech, had the hull pealed, two coats of fiberglas using vinylester resin followed with an epoxie barrior coat and the normal antifouling paint.  I understand vinylester is the standard bottom material now for new boats.  This was done in early 2004 and I haven't had blister one since- I haul every other year, lightly sand once over with an 80 grit paper.  If there were blisters you would see them after sanding.  The other good news, the boat floats about 1 inch higher, the bad-it costs about $11000 total, then. 
Cheers, Steve O
Santa Susanna (304)
> From: larrypi at live.com
> To: listserve at catalina38.org
> Date: Tue, 3 May 2011 11:38:35 -0700
> Subject: Re: [C38] Hull blistering - ouch!
> 
> BTW just a note on bottoms and paint, as we have a racing bottom on Hassle
> the recommended paint sequence is every two years! I'm certain cruising
> bottoms last longer, it's the price you pay to race. LOL 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Best regards,
> 
> Larry Malmberg
> Team Hassle
> Aloha Class Trans Pac 2009 and 2011
> 
> In 2009 we hauled out in Marina Del Rey at Windward, the blisters were all
> over the place, I have photos if you would like to see them. Needless to
> say, Hassle was on stilts for over a month while the ground out blisters
> were dried out, repaired, new barrier coat and bottom paint. We did do a
> racing bottom too. The last haul out, a couple of months ago, not one
> blister at all, she's as smooth as, well you know. LOL
> 
> I do have to give credit to Thomas Lehtonen who was the yard manager at
> Windward in 09, he made me be patient explaining that if the bottom was not
> completely dry, the blisters that were ground out completely dry and work
> done it would be all for naught. He was correct too!!!!! My best advice is
> take her to a good boat yard, if they want to rush it don't use them, go
> someplace else!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Best regards,
> 
> Larry Malmberg
> Team Hassle
> 
> 
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