Still looking for my Hatteras

[Felix]

Looking at a 1985 43" MY. On survey saw this. Surveyor stated that the boat had no delamination issues/or high moisture readings elswhere. Would love to have input on what repair would be needed as well as estimate of cost. Looks like the gelcoat is down to fiberglass fibers and is involving below the waterline on starboard side. I know that the Hatteras hull is solid fiberglass with balsa core ? above waterline. Appreciate any input.
Much appreciated
Felix

 

[SeaEric]

That looks like a build up of bottom paint. No big deal.

 

[zigzag930]

I don't think Hatteras yachts were gel-coated, always painted from what I've been told. Someone please confirm this.

 

[jim rosenthal]

Most have multiple layers of gelcoat, but on completion they were painted over the gelcoat. That is, primed and painted over the gelcoat. I think the first paint they used was Imron, but over the years they have used different two-part paints- AwlGrip at one point, I think AwlCraft at another, and recently Alexseal. The size of the spray booths they use to do this is, as you might expect, huge.

The boat in the photos just needs the bottom cleaned up with soda blasting or walnut shells. Then a barrier coat and bottom paint.

 

[krush]

In this rare case, I'd say trust your surveyor instead of your own eyes......

 

[Captain Ralph]

If there was a gel-coat, it was just for mold release than a finish. Hatts final finish were painted from the factory, always have been.
That bottom is years of paint flaking away and showing some glass. NBD.
But, I'm looking at a picture, your surveyor will tell you for sure.

 

[whoover]

My boat looked like that, years of bottom paint build up. I sanded down the transom last spring just to see what i was getting into and found nice smooth glass. I was preparing for a total bottom job this spring but the new owner can take care of it now. Brett Portzer just completed this job on a 43dc and has the marerials list, time and cost. I believe he soda blasted the old paint off.

Walt Hoover

 

[rsmith]

Bottom paint build up no big deal.
And yes they painted over the gelcote.
Very few had balsa cored hulls. ASFAIK it was used in only the hi performance convertible models starting in the mid 80’s

 

[Felix]

Thank you all for your input.
Much appreciated
Felix

 

[Felix]

Any idea of cost to repair?
Felix

 

[cww]

Any idea of cost to repair?
Felix

That's not something you 'have' to fix, it's not really 'broken.' It's just where some bottom paint wasn't properly applied and flaked off, and then somebody painted over it, which causes those large shallow divots in the paint. You can just paint over it again, no big deal. Or you can sand it off then paint over it. If you want to get really fancy you can media blast it. Or you can drop it in the water and use it, there's nothing wrong with the boat, it's just some sloppy bottom paint.

 

[jim rosenthal]

Also dry ice blasting works VERY well on that kind of buildup, with less to clean up. It is amazing.

 

[krush]

........... Or you can drop it in the water and use it, there's nothing wrong with the boat, it's just some sloppy bottom paint.

Best advice in the thread!

I use ablative paint and I just spray on a few coats every few years...it self polishes smooth for the judges. I alternate colors. Yes, I did say spray. With a Graco Truecoat 360 VSP Sprayer

 

[Captain Ralph]

Best advice in the thread!

I use ablative paint and I just spray on a few coats every few years...it self polishes smooth for the judges. I alternate colors. Yes, I did say spray. With a Graco Truecoat 360 VSP Sprayer

I thought all Hatt owners used ablative paint. Your all are so smart.

Even a $^& Bertram owner believes in many coats of ablative paint.
18 years after a hull cleaning and barrier coat, we just pressure wash well and apply a few more coats.
8 years later, we just have the barrier coat showing just under the boot, 3 years in fresh water helped.
Next month, were out for a pressure wash and many coats of fresh ablative.

 

[brettportzer]

There is definitely a significant layer of gelcoat beneath the paint on my boat.

In fact there are two, one is white and the next one down is black. The white is thicker.

That picture doesn't really show us much of anything, it looks like paint build up and some muck from the water.

You'll have to actually clean it up and take better pictures for anyone else to really have much opinion on what is happening there.

In my case, I had at least an 1/8" of bottom paint build up...

It was nearly an architectural feature!