[C320-list] Question abouts Blisters on Early Models

[SCHWARTZ]

Ahoy....I have # 245.....up in New York in Long Island sound for six months a year....I have only had one bump to clean up....your issue has me concerned....will take a closer look this fall haul out....but I suspect warmer, moist climate, and in water year round is biggest factor....Joe

> On June 15, 2020 at 8:16 AM Larry Frank <WindSwept at stx.rr.com mailto:WindSwept at stx.rr.com > wrote:
> 
> 
>     Tony,
> 
>     I have hull 246 (1995) and have owned her since new. I have a lot of experience with blisters on this hull. I keep her in warm Gulf of Mexico waters year around and pull here every 2-3 years for a hard bottom paint job. The first time I pulled her out in 1997-1998 I had one blister which was maybe the diameter of a golf or tennis ball. This was ground out and filled with cloth and vinylester fiberglass. In subsequent years the number of blisters increased to 12-15 per haulout. Always repaired the same way for a few hundred dollars total. Maybe this was approaching 1,000. After talking to the yard manager and a few surveyors this was the recommended course of action. No one seemed too concerned and no one recommended that the gelcoat be peeled. Two years ago I was faced with a problem that there was too much old bottom paint and it began to fall off. So when she came out I had all of the old bottom paint soda blasted off and new barrier coat applied. This was not cheap either, but I had many unrelated items done and do not recall how much the cost for this part of the job was. I have had her out of the water for two quick hauls since then to swap props and so far have not noticed blistering like I was experiencing before. My understanding is the my C320 was manufactured with polyester resin and had a gray barrier coat as she came out of the Catalina factory. The gray barrier coat was still there after soda blasting except where the blisters had been repaired. I almost wonder if the repair to blister areas just led to more blistering in those repaired areas in subsequent years.
> 
>     Larry
>     WindSwept C320 #246
> 
>     On 6/14/20, 11:07 AM, "c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com on behalf of amshd2 at aol.com mailto:amshd2 at aol.com " <c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com on behalf of amshd2 at aol.com mailto:amshd2 at aol.com > wrote:
> 
>     All
>     I have a earley model 320 a 94 Hull # 30. She stay in the water and comes out every 2 years for new bottom paint.
>     Last uear she came out and we found a couple of blisters. This winter she came out for some unscheduled maintenance and we found 3 more blisters. A moisture mter should a evelated level of mositure throughout the hull and the yard recommened a full peeling.
>     Up until now I never heard of a peeling. From what I have learned so far it sounds like it takes the hull down to the fiberglass. Thus allows the glass to dry and then put down a new barrier coat.
>     It is not a cheap process.
>     Has anyone had this done? Thanks ahead of time
>     Tony
> 
>