Blistered Bottom - Moderated Discussion Areas

  ContinuousWave
  Whaler
  Moderated Discussion Areas
  ContinuousWave: The Whaler GAM or General Area
  Blistered Bottom

search | FAQ | profile | register | author help

Author Topic:   Blistered Bottom

Blistered Bottom posted 08-04-2002 11:58 AM ET (US)
Let me say it is great to see so many whaler fans. I dreamed of one for years before getting my Montauk new in 87. After pulling it from the fresh water lake I lived on after it’s second season I had a bottom with over 500 chicken pox size blisters. My local whaler repairman told me it was definitely a case of a bad batch of gel coat. If any of you others had dealings with whaler at that time, they were in the process of going to new ownership, you might know what I faced. Whaler warranted the gel coat for one year and specifically stated that if your boat was to be in the water for an extended period of time that it must be bottom painted. After an extended frustrating experience with whaler they offered to have the blisters ground, the bottom epoxy faired and bottom painted. A hard pill to swallow, a beautiful boat with a bad bottom and a company not willing to admit that it made a bad boat, but they had their warranty to stand behind. Now that I have that off my chest here is what I need help dealing with. I let the bottom paint wear thin and I can see areas on the bottom with the gray epoxy fairing and also areas of the green fiberglass. I called the repair operation that is still in business and doing whaler repairs because I was alarmed to see the green fiberglass layer. Which was probably not completely epoxy faired from the beginning. They like whaler in 88 told me that the gel coat is just a cosmetic layer and just to rebottom paint and not to worry. This boat no longer sits in the water for more than a week a summer and besides that is only in for day outings. It does not seem to adsorb water or get heavy but I am still concerned that I have a lemon. I use Interlux csc bottom paint and when all is painted and hidden it looks good. But the fact of the matter is that my life long dream was a lemon produced by a company that did not make it right in my book and every time I look at it I worry about what I have.
Blistered Bottom

tuna1 posted 08-04-2002 08:27 PM ET (US)
BB
Sorry you had to learn the Hard Way that Whaler's are not all they appear to be,Your not in Kansas when you by a Whaler-No Yellow Brick Road to the Factory.If no further pox spots have developed and the bottom has not been damaged by any impact with anything-your ok.
Now just make sure every screw,bolt,ect into the hull is well sealed with a good tough sealant(3M 4200/5200 sealant) so no water can enter the hull,and all will be well. Sorry for your pain,and bad luck.
JFM posted 08-04-2002 09:38 PM ET (US)
BB,
I am working on a 1964 16'that has patches of blisters under the bottom paint.
The second owner of the boat painted the bottom in 1979 with white bottom paint.
I am using a DA air tool to remove the bottom paint and notice that the hull is solid with none of the blisters going into the glass at all. So I wouldn't be too worried about your boat.
I have read West System's "Blister Repair book and it recomends that after the blisters are repaired to apply 6-10 coats of barrier protection over all your repairs and the entire boat below the water line.
This boat has not been in the water for 5 years so the blisters are dry. The entire hull is solid and sound.
If you are still concerned about your blisters, I would recomend reading the West Sytem book on blisters. The next time you bottom paint you may want to barrier coat your bottom before you paint it.
Regards, Jay
newt posted 08-05-2002 12:41 PM ET (US)
Blistered Bottom,
I can tell you that the west epoxy - without fillers blended in - is translucent and will allow the color under it to show through.
Could it be that the green glass you are seeing is behind an untinted epoxy coat?
JFM posted 08-05-2002 04:14 PM ET (US)
West Systems barrier coat is a gray tint. The repairs should be a rusty maroon color.
Regards, Jay

Hop to:

Contact Us | RETURN to ContinuousWave Top Page

Powered by: Ultimate Bulletin Board, Freeware Version 2000
Purchase our Licensed Version- which adds many more features!
© Infopop Corporation (formerly Madrona Park, Inc.), 1998 - 2000.

Author	Topic: Blistered Bottom
Blistered Bottom	posted 08-04-2002 11:58 AM ET (US) Let me say it is great to see so many whaler fans. I dreamed of one for years before getting my Montauk new in 87. After pulling it from the fresh water lake I lived on after it’s second season I had a bottom with over 500 chicken pox size blisters. My local whaler repairman told me it was definitely a case of a bad batch of gel coat. If any of you others had dealings with whaler at that time, they were in the process of going to new ownership, you might know what I faced. Whaler warranted the gel coat for one year and specifically stated that if your boat was to be in the water for an extended period of time that it must be bottom painted. After an extended frustrating experience with whaler they offered to have the blisters ground, the bottom epoxy faired and bottom painted. A hard pill to swallow, a beautiful boat with a bad bottom and a company not willing to admit that it made a bad boat, but they had their warranty to stand behind. Now that I have that off my chest here is what I need help dealing with. I let the bottom paint wear thin and I can see areas on the bottom with the gray epoxy fairing and also areas of the green fiberglass. I called the repair operation that is still in business and doing whaler repairs because I was alarmed to see the green fiberglass layer. Which was probably not completely epoxy faired from the beginning. They like whaler in 88 told me that the gel coat is just a cosmetic layer and just to rebottom paint and not to worry. This boat no longer sits in the water for more than a week a summer and besides that is only in for day outings. It does not seem to adsorb water or get heavy but I am still concerned that I have a lemon. I use Interlux csc bottom paint and when all is painted and hidden it looks good. But the fact of the matter is that my life long dream was a lemon produced by a company that did not make it right in my book and every time I look at it I worry about what I have. Blistered Bottom
tuna1	posted 08-04-2002 08:27 PM ET (US) BB Sorry you had to learn the Hard Way that Whaler's are not all they appear to be,Your not in Kansas when you by a Whaler-No Yellow Brick Road to the Factory.If no further pox spots have developed and the bottom has not been damaged by any impact with anything-your ok. Now just make sure every screw,bolt,ect into the hull is well sealed with a good tough sealant(3M 4200/5200 sealant) so no water can enter the hull,and all will be well. Sorry for your pain,and bad luck.
JFM	posted 08-04-2002 09:38 PM ET (US) BB, I am working on a 1964 16'that has patches of blisters under the bottom paint. The second owner of the boat painted the bottom in 1979 with white bottom paint. I am using a DA air tool to remove the bottom paint and notice that the hull is solid with none of the blisters going into the glass at all. So I wouldn't be too worried about your boat. I have read West System's "Blister Repair book and it recomends that after the blisters are repaired to apply 6-10 coats of barrier protection over all your repairs and the entire boat below the water line. This boat has not been in the water for 5 years so the blisters are dry. The entire hull is solid and sound. If you are still concerned about your blisters, I would recomend reading the West Sytem book on blisters. The next time you bottom paint you may want to barrier coat your bottom before you paint it. Regards, Jay
newt	posted 08-05-2002 12:41 PM ET (US) Blistered Bottom, I can tell you that the west epoxy - without fillers blended in - is translucent and will allow the color under it to show through. Could it be that the green glass you are seeing is behind an untinted epoxy coat?
JFM	posted 08-05-2002 04:14 PM ET (US) West Systems barrier coat is a gray tint. The repairs should be a rusty maroon color. Regards, Jay