Bottom Paint and Blisters

[ShamsB]

I just had my boat pull out for a bottom paint and discovered some blisters. The boat yard that is doing the work recommended that they repair them. They said that a few of them are down to the fiberglass but not deep enough to wear they would need to re-fiberglass anything, but they would like to grind them all the way down and put epoxy over the areas. The worst ones are on the keel and rudder. They said that they could just paint over them but they wouldn't guarantee the work. Also there are a few on the hull of the boat but those are just in the paint and wouldn't need special attention. I am new to this and would like to hear peoples opinions about what I should do. Its going to be about $900 for the bottom paint and they are saying $1400 more for the blister work. Please help I am going to call tomorrow morning with the go/no-go. My only worry is that they are like the car mechanic and want to sell more work than is necessary.

Thanks for your help
Shams

[deniseO30]

photos would help with the size and age of boat. You most likely won't sink if you don't fix them. $2300 is a big chunk of change! AND.. they will find a way to charge you even more.. how about haul out and put in?
If you can hold off til next season and find the means to do it yourself you will save close to $2000. unless you strip and barrier coat the whole bottom; paint and epoxies; may total about 500 for a 30ish boat.

[jimrafford]

I'm in the process of the same project. Done this several times before on previous boats. You didn't mention how long the boat was going to be out of the water. It needs to dry before epoxy coating can be done. If this is a short haul pass on the repair. Do you have a barrier coat? If not the hull should be stripped and barrier coated. If not whaterver the yard does will just fall off. Photos would be helpful.
Jim

[CharlieCobra]

We do this for a living. You do know that nothing sticks well or long to epoxy right? Fillers, polyester resins, paint, nothing. If you don't want to be chasing this again nexct year, strip the boat and apply a barrier coat. How old is the boat? How many blisters? I can't comment on somebody elses rates for a job without knowing the scope and will only do it in a PM. We don't have enough information to help ya out much....

[seaduced8104]

Blisters are one thing boat rash is another. About 7 years ago I bought a 33 foot boat that supposedly had blisters for about 10K less than the going price which is what the yard told the owner it would cost to fix. I went over every inch of the hull with at non-penetrating tramax meter and found the hull to be dry. The surveyor found no water intrusion either. I bought the boat and when I stripped it there areas with small surface gelcoat blisters or muh like a rash appearance. The boat sat for the winter drying out, I barrier coated with interprotect (4 coats) and painted with VC Offshore. I have not had any problems or aparant blisters yet. I did a lot of research on line and came to the conclusion that boat rash as opposed to blisters dime size or larger was not of any consequence. If the hull is sound with little to no water intrusion I would feel comfortable with barrier coat and paint.

Regards and good luck

Captain Michael

[CharlieCobra]

There's a boat in the yard we bid on that has what I would call Gelcoat pops in it. They aren't blisters, just spots where the Gel popped and left little craters. No moisture or delamination at all. Strange but fairly easy fix.

[ShamsB]

The guy at the yard was a bit of a salesmen and talked me into 11 hours of work on the rudder and keel. This would be to repair the large blisters that he said would get much worse over the next year. There are blisters on the hull but they are very small and they are going to just paint over them. I'm putting on 2 coats of Pettit Trinidad SR paint. He said it will be good for about 3-5 years.

Shams