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Re: T&T: Blister repair

From: John Blackburn (no email)
Date: Wed Aug 01 2007 - 14:25:42 EDT

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     To give you a price point, during our pre-purchase survey we found that
    our 44 DeFever was completely covered with blisters ranging in size from
    a dine to half the size of my little finger nail. It looked like it had
    measles. Osprey Marine Composites in Herrington Harbor North (on the
    Chesapeake) completely peeled the bottom, added a layer of fiberglass,
    barrier coated, faired and bottom paint for $16k four years ago. We had
    the price before we closed and had an accommodation from the PO.

    I would recommend Osprey for any work of this sort.

    John Blackburn
    44 DeFever "Yak Rack"
    Deale, MD

     wrote:

      In a message dated 8/1/07 12:00:56 AM, Darren writes:

        My surveyor tells me that I have approx 60 small (less than golf ball)
        blisters on either side of purchase vessel. After a long talk my father suggests
        walking from deal as this is a painful repair process. I know I can repair
        but it will be messy and cost in materials and hauling. I am planning on going
        ahead, but only if this is factored into final price.

      Blister repair is a simple but messy process. It is labor and time intensive.
      That's why boatyards charge so much. The material cost is almost trivial. My
      wife and I have repaired boats with as many as 300 blisters, some the size of
      dinner plates. Before you undertake such a project, get the West blister
      repair manual and see if you want to do the job.
      
      As far as your immediate decision, have the boatyard give you an estimate for
      blister repair. Then knock the estimate off the asking price and see of the
      present owner will go for it.
      
      If he accepts the deal, here is the drill. For spot repair of the 60
      blisters, block up the boat in a location where it can sit undisturbed for a few
      weeks. Mark every blister with a magic marker. Drill a 1/8 hole in the center of
      each blister, using a collar around the drill so you don't penetrate the hull. A
      nasty brown liquid will probably squirt out. Then get a grinder and grind
      away the surface of each blister with 36 grit paper until you are down to intact
      fiberglass. Be carefull, don't grind through the hull. When you are finished,
      wash the cavities with several changes of water, then go away for several
      weeks to let the fiberglass dry out. Better to move the boat to Arizona but that
      is usually impractical. When dry, paint each cavity with epoxy resin to seal
      the fiberglass. Cut a number of discs out of 10 oz. fiberglass cloth in varying
      sizes ranging from the diameter of the largest blisters, decreasing in size by
      half inch increments. Now for the real work.
      
      Wet each blister cavity with epoxy resin. Before the resin sets place a small
      fiberglass disc in the hole of each cavity. Then go around the boat wetting
      each cavity again and place the next larger size disc in the blister site.
      Continue the process until each blister site is built up to the level of the
      surrounding fiberglass. Let the epoxy cure then sand the repairs flush with the
      hull. Fair with epoxy fairing compound. Put on bottom paint and go boating.
      
      If you are worried that the boat may continue to blister you will have to
      remove all the bottom paint. Then sand the surface thoroughly, apply sufficient
      layers of barrier coat to impede water penetration, then reapply bottom paint.
      This is a much bigger job. In that case, listen to your father.
      
      Larry Z

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