GRP Osmotic Blisters

[MikeP]

Thanks West, I was trying to place that odor...

[Steve Smith]

Do I smell a faint whiff of self-serving spam here? Sure sounds like promotion and advertising to me. I was wondering when he was going to get around to telling us the price.....

You can find comparable (indeed, LESS expensive) products at Jamestown or Port Supply (Yards may pay half to a third of Suggested Retail...what they charge you is another matter and may be Suggested Retail, or more. Even so, the competence of their labor should override that consideration.), and when you factor in my Suggested Retail being higher than the competitors, the inconvenience of doing business with Smith & Co. (we don't take credit cards) the discounts that Jamestown and Port Supply typically give and my added shipping costs, it's not a big part of my business and not something I heavily promote. My website doesn't even have a product page for it. I make it because I have made it since 35 years ago, and there's a continuing demand for it.

I gave its cost because I had that price to hand, and was not inclined to do comparison-shopping.

Most people buy these materials locally, through the existing distribution networks of the large paint manufacturers. I don't have a large distribution network for this product, and I have no interest in creating one. There are too many comparable products in the marketplace already. My epoxy paints are, for most people, too inconvenient and expensive to buy at any distance, and I recommend that anyone concerned with this issue just go to Jamestown, Port Supply, Fisheries Supply, etc.

The point is that ANYONE'S epoxy coatings, while more expensive than polyesters, I believe to be an insignificant part of a haul-out and bottom-job. Perhaps someone has an itemized yard bill to share?

[Finalee]

Thinking these commercials have no place here.

[bobk]

Thinking these commercials have no place here.

I agree, and I for one (PhD polymer chemist) strongly favor a good vinyl ester barrier coat.

Bob

[spartonboat1]

I agree, and I for one (PhD polymer chemist) strongly favor a good vinyl ester barrier coat.

Bob

Please speak briefly to the matter of the value of the barrier coats, esp. that of Interlux 2000 product series. How valuable is a decent barrier, under the bottom paint?

[krush]

Thinking these commercials have no place here.

I didn't think it was a commercial and it took me a while to figure out what ya'll were talking about.

He had information and a very valid point....the increase of using better materials may be marginal.


PS: you guys are grumps!

[MikeP]

Krush,

IMHO this was never an issue about a product, it was an issue of implying there is an inherent "danger" to Hatteras hulls because of blistering. At least, that's the issue I had. Since there is NO history of any Hatt hull EVER being compromised by blistering, the whole issue then seems to take on a bit of "scare" tactics since it was brought up by someone who sells products that can be used to repair blisters. THAT is the problem I have with it.

Is it "grumpy" or is it "cynical" due to "suspicion by experience?" I have come to believe that the constant process of learning that most things are not as they seem or as they are claimed to be is what makes people a bit cynical as they grow older. I will admit to being a member of that club.

[Genesis]

Agreed.

I'd like to see just one example of a Hatteras hull that has been compromised due to blistering, documented.

Just one please.

Lemme know when you find it.

[spindrift]

Regarding Price, I have no interest in the cost of materials as I would never attempt to do this job on my own. I can only share my past experience.

1) 52 foot, light osmosis job completed by Palmer Johnson, $10K. An epoxy barrier coat was required. Needed to have the bottom re-faired by Concordia within 4 months due to sloppy workmanship by PJ. Cost another $6k. I was not careful to monitor this one during the process. Learned my lesson.

2) 38 foot, heavy osmosis on one side the width of layer of cloth, required re-laminating two layers of cloth in the area plus full sand blasting. Barrier coat of both vinylester and epoxy resin, done by Hinckley, $18k

3) 43 foot, moderate osmosis throughout bottom, no re-laminating required
$16K job completed by Hinckley

4) 53 foot (arranged this for fellow club member) 80s 53MY, heavy/moderate osmosis throughout, $22k

I don't own a boat yard and have no skin in the game. I am only passing my experience at doing this along. Interestingly, I have stayed in touch with the owners who I sold my former boats to. No blistering reappeared. The key is to stay on top of the yard. Make sure they flush the bottom repeatedly with fresh water over several weeks as this removes the chemical by-products that occur from water penetrating the original gel coat. A qualified marine surveyor should monitor this process checking the final dry out with a moisture meter before the yard begins to refinish the bottom which will involve some fairing if you wait too long and the osmosis gets into the laminate. This entire process is explained in the Power and Motoryacht article.

I did contact the yard in Maryland mentioned in the article to get a quote for the 53MY I had under agreement. Was told to budget $20-25K which Tony Knowles advised sounded right. Dave Phipps had this job done on his former boat Laurentide. He advised me his job in Wisconsin cost in this range. Again the key on that job was that Dave monitored it carefully to ensure the hull was completely dry and free from the chemical by-products of osmosis.
SPIN

[SKYCHENEY]

Spin,
You have 4 examples of work being performed on Hatt hull(I assume they were all Hatts). The question then becomes, was this work really necessary?

I tend to agree with MikeP. Many people have spent alot of money for blister repairs on Hatteras hulls because most all of them have blisters. Now let's see the documentation of a serious failure. If someone feels better not seeing the blisters, then that's fine. Spend the money and fix it. But don't get scared into it thinking that you have to do it or your hull will become mush.