Blister Advice

[FF]

The best way is to simply use a blowtorch, but for some reason yards these days don't like that process

Oak has a burn rate of 100, normal GRP has a burn rate of 500.

This is the reason boat yards are reluctant to blowtorch a boat.

For the USCG to carry more than 6,, FR (Fire Retardant) resin is required with a burn rate of 100 or less.

 

[Peter B]

My boat is 38 yrs old. It has some blisters, but they are the same now as they were when I bought it 11 yrs ago. I love my blisters. They are quite small - none are large - I gave them names. They are my children. Leave them alone I say.

 

[Blue Heron]

Lol Peter

 

[Codger2]

My boat is 38 yrs old. It has some blisters, but they are the same now as they were when I bought it 11 yrs ago. I love my blisters. They are quite small - none are large - I gave them names. They are my children. Leave them alone I say.

:lol:

 

[Deidra]

That really did make me "laugh out loud" ha... Well I can breath now. Just finished reading the survey. Approx. 75 blisters per side, all 1 - 3 inches.... I HATE blisters. To make the decision even harder, other than the teak decks (yes, we already had that figured in) and the blisters, the surveyor calles it in "above average condition, better than is usual for a boat of this age" How's that for a moral dilemma? Stinkin' boats!

 

[BruceK]

Deidra,I`ve done both decks and osmosis. That`s a lot of blisters, too many to name and love, a lot of repairs. Is there evidence of previous osmosis repair, if so factor that into your decision.
I had blister work done, later located the main PO, who told me he had too, maybe not done well enough, maybe not every fix is forever.
Did you get a quote? What`s the owner say about allowances? If you believe it and the decks are fixable, does the rest of the boat justify purchase at an adjusted price?

 

[Deidra]

Deidra,I`ve done both decks and osmosis. That`s a lot of blisters, too many to name and love, a lot of repairs. Is there evidence of previous osmosis repair, if so factor that into your decision.
I had blister work done, later located the main PO, who told me he had too, maybe not done well enough, maybe not every fix is forever.
Did you get a quote? What`s the owner say about allowances? If you believe it and the decks are fixable, does the rest of the boat justify purchase at an adjusted price?

After haulout the previous owner admitted that he had had blisters repaired before. We just got the written survey today. The surveyor's attitude seems to be that all Taiwanese boats of the 80's will have some blisters and a "blister maintenance program" is in order... I'm actually suprised. The main reason we went with this guy is that he's one hulluva critic. He ripped our sailboat apart when we had it surveyed and because of him we got a really great price. Again when we were selling the sailboat I got a little hot with him because the told a prospective buyer that it "hadn't surveyed well" previously (but he had no idea the blood, sweat, tears and dollars we had put in it since then) Ah well, I'm bamboozled and have to sleep on it.

 

[Blue Heron]

Blisters are only a problem if you can see em!

Get the boat etched and repainted.

Then enjoy it!

 

[BruceK]

Blisters are only a problem if you can see em!

Mostly that`s right, but I recently saw a sailboat likely to be a write off, osmosis had penetrated through the hull, the interior fitout was fixed so removing it to repair would have been a huge job.
When my boat was done some of ground dished areas were getting deep, the shipwright told me on rare occasions they have to grind right through inside and form up a repair.
I`m sure Deidra`s problems are manageable, nothing like that rare extreme case.

 

[Andy G]

[QUOTE=BruceK; "on rare occasions they have to grind right through inside and form up a repair."

Yikes,your not trying to scare us are you Bruce?

I tracked down the OO, not just the PO of our boat, and she told me that they had extensive work done at the Bobbin Head yard(the spiritual home of the IG's ) not long after they bought it in 1981.This consisted of a couple of months on the hard drying out etc.The full Monty, so to speak.

Below is a picture of our last haul out.

 

[Blue Heron]

Have it etched then make a determination.

 

[Deidra]

Guess I'm not the only one who gets emotional about blisters. Or should I say about money Well anyway, in our case we offered to stick with the agreed upon price but hold back an amount to help with repairs. Nothing to do now but wait... can't imagine what we'll do this weekend... I honestly don't remember what we did before we had a boat!

 

[Blue Heron]

That's the spirit

 

[BruceK]

Andy, I was trying to say osmosis can range from near cosmetic to serious. You`d like to think once it`s done, it`s done, but that seems not to always be.
The Yard that did mine expedited the drying process by carefully using a heat gun on blisters after initial grinding. It drew moisture,you`d see it appear,I did a lot of it myself. Time will tell how successful it is. Your experience says the long drying out on the hard method is not necessarily any better.

 

[Peter B]

That really did make me "laugh out loud" ha... Well I can breath now. Just finished reading the survey. Approx. 75 blisters per side, all 1 - 3 inches.... I HATE blisters. To make the decision even harder, other than the teak decks (yes, we already had that figured in) and the blisters, the surveyor calles it in "above average condition, better than is usual for a boat of this age" How's that for a moral dilemma? Stinkin' boats!

That might just be a few too many children...yeah...you'd forget their names...

 

[FF]

Some boats both US and overseas suffer really poor laminates.

Cheap resin and low skills in workers and not clean work conditions.

Do not think a boat which is coming apart can be repaired by a blister cover up.

 

[Deidra]

Well, for good or bad the deal is done. Just got the call from the broker, the sellers signed. They are not happy as they are selling the boat for about half of what they paid for it but boats are not a money MAKING proposition. Thanks to everyone who held my hand through the whole unnerving process. We were boatless for an entire two weeks. Now we can get back to complaining about cost and work that needs to be done.

Back shortly with more questions.