Valiant Blister History?

[VIEXILE]

Got the fire retardant resin mixture deal. Question is whether the resultant blisters, apparently affecting "most" Valiants in years circa ''76 to - don''t remember - see VOG website - are fundamentally cosmetic or could represent a serious structural flaw in the laminate (or potential future flaw). Do these hulls get wet osmotically as a result of the "possible" relationship of the fire retardant to increased blister problems? Do they get "dry" to the point of structural problems? Are there serious voids behind the blisters? I''ve been convinced to just say no to the Taiwan boats, although many are gorgeous and sound, and would like to investigate the Valiant 40 a little further. Seems to have the beef, handling and room that we need. Could I, knowing pretty much what I''m doing, grind, dry, fill and epoxy a "typically blistered" Valiant without spending a zillion on a "peel"? Are the deck blisters I''ve heard about a huge problem or generally readily repairable? Osmosis I can gauge and deal with. This sounds like migration, pooling and disappation of a chemical that wasn''t compatible with the resin in the laminate. Please explain or point to someone who can. Sailing Maine next week for a couple. Then back to the VI grind for the summer. KW

[Jeff_H]

As I understand it the problem was with the fire retardant resins. The standsard cure that is supposed to work is to do a peel to a solid layer and to build the hull back out with cloth and vinylester resins (or epoxy resins). It is a big job because it also affects decks and topsides requiring a major peel job and a lot of glass work. Left undone it can become structural. ( I have seen a Valiant in Florida that had more holes than hull where they had sand blasted away bad glass. Most cases are not supposed to be that extreme but I have seen a Valiant Esprit 37 that had terrible problems with blisters at the deck and cabin and these would have been structural if not corrected.
There is a Valiant site that has a lot of info on this stuff but my bookmark is no longer valid. You might also try Bob Perry, <robertp@abac.com> who designed the Vailant.
Jeff

[Headman]

Any vessel with extensive large blisters or overlapping small blisters, ie, they are in different laminate layers, should be considered suspect in regards to structural strenght. Peeling, glassing, fairing, and sealing of surface blisters is a relatively mindless proceedure, but when they go deeper into the structural laminates, layup of the new glass must be in accordance with the designers specifications as to type of glass and direction in which it is applied. Always remember that secondary bonding of fiberglass layers is weaker than original, continues layups. That is why an epoxy resin should be used. By the time you grind, dry, fill and fair, seal, and bottom paint a forty foot boat with extensive blistering by yourself, well, I hope you started when you were young.
Tom S.

[Lord Nelson]

Jeff H.: We have a Valiant 40 for sale that has been remanufactuted at the Valiant factory and in Deal, MD. The work was done 7 years ago and in that time only twelve small blisters have returned. We sailer 25,000 miles in all kinds of weather in 13 countries and never experienced a problem with the Valiant. We are selling her because we have moved to a trawler. Want to turn the boat over to someone else to experience this wonderful way of life without spending their entire cruising savings for a vessel.
Garry and Carol
Yellow Rose
V40 134