We have received several questions about our blister repair, so we thought we would post a general response to the list. At survey, (March, 1999,) "Blue Moon" did not appear to have any blisters at all. The PO had recently applied several barrier coats, and fixed small "delaminations". We figured that we would have to deal with it sooner or later, so we chose later. We lived aboard in Miami, while working toward not working. The following haulout, (March, 2000) the bottom was still blister-free. In April, we went cruising full time. The next haulout, January, 2001, we found several hundred small blisters. We sucked all the blister info we could find out of the internet, including list archives, and especially David Pascoe's surveying site, www.yachtsurvey.com. We also talked to repair people at Washburn's and Zahniser's. Since we had no structural damage, we decided to spot-repair, paint, and cruise the NY Canals, Thousand Islands, and Rideau. When we hauled out this winter, we had decided that if the blisters were similar, we would bite the bullet, and repair them properly. They were as bad as they were in January, so here's what we are doing: We found a guy who seemed to have the proper tools and know-how, and he peeled all of the gelcoat off of the bottom. (First cut.) Then we attacked the chopmat, the place where blisters come from! We have removed it, (second cut), and will make the hull smooth next week. There is little or no drying time, because we have removed all of the wet stuff. After the hull is smooth, we will wash the boat with water, to dissolve any remaining blister junk. (Technical term) Then we will re-glass the hull with woven and epoxy resin, until we have replaced what we have removed. Following that, barrier coats (about 5) to 20 mil thickness. After that, 2 coats of Trinidad SR. After that, we're outta' here! (With our checkbook considerably lighter, and a boat with a bottom built like a brick **it house.) The PO, in applying barrier coat without removing gelcoat and chopmat, unknowingly made a perfect environment for blisters to reappear, trapping water between itself and the chopmat. The David Pascoe site has illustrations that will show this better than we can explain it. That's our saga--- we're expecting to be back in the water by January, and gone soon after! Bob and Vicki Schuerger "Blue Moon"--- OTH :-(

> We have received several questions about our blister repair, so we thought > we would post a general response to the list. Have followed your Blister saga with some interest and thought I would pass this along for what it is worth. Two of the boats I was involved with in the purchase process over the past several months, which includes the Vista I purchased had blister problems in the past. The first one, a Gulfstar 44 that I had contracted on had undergone a "peel" similar to what you are doing about ten years ago. The Vista was also "peeled" about five years ago. Neither boat had any blisters when hauled for survey recently. The Gulfstar has been in Florida waters the entire ten years and the Vista was in N.C. which I assume does have cooler water temps, but the encourging thing is that it appears that a proper blister repair can be successful, at least over the periods of time indicated in these two jobs. Like with everything, the future is uncertain. Good luck. Jim Alexander Vista 43