We recently had the survey done on a 1982 CD36 we have an offer on. The report came back that there were 20 to 30 blisters, about the size of a dime, on the bottom and keel that would need monitoring. The surveyor suggested I "go sailing, just monitor the blisters." I guess I'm too fussy to do this... yet. Has anyone out there had blisters that they monitored over a long period of time? What happened? It seems to me that blisters are susceptible to getting larger, not smaller or staying the same size???? However, a "peel job" is going to cost around $10K so I don't know that I want to spend that kind of money. Has anyone done (or had a yard do) a permanent cure on blisters without peeling the whole bottom? How long since the job was done? Is there a permanent cure at all? Should I bite the bullet and pay for a "peel"? Help!!!
metalf00t@aol.com
CD36 Blisters
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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M.R. Bober
Re: CD36 Blisters--Prepare for a multitude of opinions
When we bought RESPITE, our survey reported some blistering. The surveyor recommended repairing them on an on-going basis and peeling only when we either got fed up with the maintainance or if the condition deteriorated. We have patched 20-40 dime sized blisters each of the past two years (no "repeats"). We will be hauling this week and expect a few more.
I await the responses of others.
Mitchell Bober
RESPITE
CD330
thebobers@erols.com
I await the responses of others.
Mitchell Bober
RESPITE
CD330
thebobers@erols.com
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Bob Pence
Re: CD36 Blisters
With only 20 or 30 dime size blisters, forget a peel. If you are out of the water; grind out each blister, coat with Interprotect 1001, fill with VC, fare out, apply two coats of Interprotect 2001. See your Interlux dealer, they have a good pamphlet on this. Blisters of real concern are usually midships just below the water line. Check to see if you have a tar emulsion or resin barrier coat underneath your bottom paint. Many CD36's have this. It is usually black in color.We recently had the survey done on a 1982 CD36 we have an offer on. The report came back that there were 20 to 30 blisters, about the size of a dime, on the bottom and keel that would need monitoring. The surveyor suggested I "go sailing, just monitor the blisters." I guess I'm too fussy to do this... yet. Has anyone out there had blisters that they monitored over a long period of time? What happened? It seems to me that blisters are susceptible to getting larger, not smaller or staying the same size???? However, a "peel job" is going to cost around $10K so I don't know that I want to spend that kind of money. Has anyone done (or had a yard do) a permanent cure on blisters without peeling the whole bottom? How long since the job was done? Is there a permanent cure at all? Should I bite the bullet and pay for a "peel"? Help!!!
sixpence@dmv.com
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Greg Kozlowski
Re: CD36 Blisters
Frank,
When I bought my 1979 CD36 last spring the survey indicated that she may have some blisters, though it really wasn't noticeable upon visual inspection. There were some small bubbled spots under the bottom paint and we all figured (including the surveyor) that it was either just in the bottom paint or in the barrier coat.
Only when I had the bottom paint ground off did it become evident that there was extensive blistering in the gelcoat through out the hull. In the end, I had the bottom peeled and will have her barrier coated. The peeling was not that expensive, in my case less than $1,500. However the mistake in my case was to also grind the bottom paint off which was an additional and unnecessary expense.
My advice, coming from hindsight, is that it is nearly impossible to tell to what extent blisters are present until all of the bottom paint is off, and if you are going to do that, then might as well bite the bullet and get her peeled. If you have the yard do the grinding, it is about the same price as peeling anyway. If you are going to do the grinding yourself, on the other hand, then perhaps it may be worth it to do that and she what she looks like before taking any other additional steps.
In my case, after grinding off the bottom paint, we attempted to wet-sandblast the affected gelcoat areas to save on the cost of peeling, but it was not effective. We were able to blast some of the gelcoat that was no longer bonding to the laminate, but weren't able to get at all of it. I considered the possibility of dry sandblasting it again, but in my opinion serious sandblasting on a glass hull will distort the shape, making the fairing job a nightmare.
Good luck,
Greg
koz@seijo.ac.jp
When I bought my 1979 CD36 last spring the survey indicated that she may have some blisters, though it really wasn't noticeable upon visual inspection. There were some small bubbled spots under the bottom paint and we all figured (including the surveyor) that it was either just in the bottom paint or in the barrier coat.
Only when I had the bottom paint ground off did it become evident that there was extensive blistering in the gelcoat through out the hull. In the end, I had the bottom peeled and will have her barrier coated. The peeling was not that expensive, in my case less than $1,500. However the mistake in my case was to also grind the bottom paint off which was an additional and unnecessary expense.
My advice, coming from hindsight, is that it is nearly impossible to tell to what extent blisters are present until all of the bottom paint is off, and if you are going to do that, then might as well bite the bullet and get her peeled. If you have the yard do the grinding, it is about the same price as peeling anyway. If you are going to do the grinding yourself, on the other hand, then perhaps it may be worth it to do that and she what she looks like before taking any other additional steps.
In my case, after grinding off the bottom paint, we attempted to wet-sandblast the affected gelcoat areas to save on the cost of peeling, but it was not effective. We were able to blast some of the gelcoat that was no longer bonding to the laminate, but weren't able to get at all of it. I considered the possibility of dry sandblasting it again, but in my opinion serious sandblasting on a glass hull will distort the shape, making the fairing job a nightmare.
Good luck,
Greg
koz@seijo.ac.jp
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Matt Cawthorne
Re: CD36 Blisters
Frank,
Count the blister job in when making an offer. If you let the job go you will be faced with the next customer having the same worries as you.
I have CD36 HULL #79 also produced in 1979. When I bought the boat about 6 years ago she had a number of small blisters. Patricia and I ground out, filled, faired, and barrier coated the hull with West system epoxy. In the six years since there has not been a single blister, except right at the waterline where we neglected to barrier coat. Use the search feature on this web site to find out all of the details of what we did. I am very happy with the West system. If I had it to do over again I would use their copper compound in the top coats and use less bottome paint in the future. It is a good boat. If you are willing to invest elbow grease, the entire barrier coat job will save many $ over the peel option.
Matt
mcawthor@bellatlantic.net
Count the blister job in when making an offer. If you let the job go you will be faced with the next customer having the same worries as you.
I have CD36 HULL #79 also produced in 1979. When I bought the boat about 6 years ago she had a number of small blisters. Patricia and I ground out, filled, faired, and barrier coated the hull with West system epoxy. In the six years since there has not been a single blister, except right at the waterline where we neglected to barrier coat. Use the search feature on this web site to find out all of the details of what we did. I am very happy with the West system. If I had it to do over again I would use their copper compound in the top coats and use less bottome paint in the future. It is a good boat. If you are willing to invest elbow grease, the entire barrier coat job will save many $ over the peel option.
Matt
We recently had the survey done on a 1982 CD36 we have an offer on. The report came back that there were 20 to 30 blisters, about the size of a dime, on the bottom and keel that would need monitoring. The surveyor suggested I "go sailing, just monitor the blisters." I guess I'm too fussy to do this... yet. Has anyone out there had blisters that they monitored over a long period of time? What happened? It seems to me that blisters are susceptible to getting larger, not smaller or staying the same size???? However, a "peel job" is going to cost around $10K so I don't know that I want to spend that kind of money. Has anyone done (or had a yard do) a permanent cure on blisters without peeling the whole bottom? How long since the job was done? Is there a permanent cure at all? Should I bite the bullet and pay for a "peel"? Help!!!
mcawthor@bellatlantic.net
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Jackie Upton
Re: CD36 Blisters
The most interesting articles I have found on this topic are posted on David Pascoe's page. He is a surveyor. the site is www.yachtsurvey.comWe recently had the survey done on a 1982 CD36 we have an offer on. The report came back that there were 20 to 30 blisters, about the size of a dime, on the bottom and keel that would need monitoring. The surveyor suggested I "go sailing, just monitor the blisters." I guess I'm too fussy to do this... yet. Has anyone out there had blisters that they monitored over a long period of time? What happened? It seems to me that blisters are susceptible to getting larger, not smaller or staying the same size???? However, a "peel job" is going to cost around $10K so I don't know that I want to spend that kind of money. Has anyone done (or had a yard do) a permanent cure on blisters without peeling the whole bottom? How long since the job was done? Is there a permanent cure at all? Should I bite the bullet and pay for a "peel"? Help!!!
gammy@eatel.net
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Richard Formica
Re: CD36 Blisters
Hi Frank,We recently had the survey done on a 1982 CD36 we have an offer on. The report came back that there were 20 to 30 blisters, about the size of a dime, on the bottom and keel that would need monitoring. The surveyor suggested I "go sailing, just monitor the blisters." I guess I'm too fussy to do this... yet. Has anyone out there had blisters that they monitored over a long period of time? What happened? It seems to me that blisters are susceptible to getting larger, not smaller or staying the same size???? However, a "peel job" is going to cost around $10K so I don't know that I want to spend that kind of money. Has anyone done (or had a yard do) a permanent cure on blisters without peeling the whole bottom? How long since the job was done? Is there a permanent cure at all? Should I bite the bullet and pay for a "peel"? Help!!!
I'll echo Matt's thoughts. I have a CD36 hull number 32 which lived in the Carribean before I brought her to Connecticut. When I stripped the bottom this fall I found one side had many(I didn't count) small(dime size or less) defects in the gel coat. I figured these to be blisters or a previously poorly done sand blasting. Regardless, I had the hull tested for moisture and was told it was dry, she has been out of the water quite a bit in the past year, and I could find only a few places with exposed laminate. I dealt with these been stripping off all of the paint, opening up the blisters, cleaning well(many wipes) with 202 solvent wash, sealing with Interlux 1000/1001 fairing with Interprotect and then barrier coating with 3000/3001. I go though all this because with the exception of my time I've spent only about 500 dollars.
I found Peel Away superior for stripping.
I used Interlux 3000 because in the colder, less perdictable weather of New England it is more flexible to use regarding repeat coat and I CAN be rolled on despite what the brochure says.
Use Defender Marine for supplies, think they are the cheapest. Example one gallon 3000/3001 78 dollars at West and 53 at defender.
We'll see how well the repair works.
Good Luck,
Richard
s/v Inerarity
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Dana Arenius
Re: CD36 Blisters
20-30 is not a bad number. Not worth stripping IMHO. I have worked with my CD26 blisters for some 15 years. No such thing as a "permanent" repair by the yard or anyone. Just ask them about their garrantee that they will not return. Never found anyone to give me one. I can tell that they will diminish in number with the proper spot repair when you pull. You will find that the laminate will probably not be affected. Only the mat layer between the laminate and the gel coat. It will be brown or purple depending on your boat year. I have cut away the gel coat to the point of dry, good looking gel coat/mat....i.e. no purple or wet. In general that's about a size of a quarter. I have never had to go into the laminate at all. I clean and dry the location with cetone. Then a painted layer of West Marine epoxy, then two part epoxy fill like Interlux 415 parts A and B or the Red Hand equal. Then sand the two part epoxy fair with the hull surface. One can paint on an additional layer of West over this. Then paint bottom. There are probably more than 20-30 that you can not see yet. It is an amount of work but really not that bad as compared to the pricing you get from the pros. Launch and then watch from year to year....I pull every 3 years.... really not a lot to lose sleep over or concern on the CDs.
darenius@aol.com
darenius@aol.com