I'm afraid checking for blisters is not enough -- the hull can be wet
without any blisters showing. It is typical here (Boston, USA) to check
boats with a moisture meter after they have been hauled and the surface
dried. If there is any significant difference between the moisture reading
above and below the waterline, the hull should be dried and barrier coated.
With that said, Angus has left out some important information -- how old is
the boat and who built her? The osmosis problem began to be recognized as
serious in the eighties, so the later the boat and the better the
manufacturer, the less likely you have a problem, as there was a gradual
shift to the more resistant (and more expensive)vinylester resins.
Swee****er, our Swan 57, built 1982 was wet (no blisters) when we bought
her. While Nautor is a top quality manufacturer, 1982 was a little too
early and, also, she had spent eight years in the Caribbean. We stripped
the bottom paint, tented the bottom, and ran two dehumidifiers under her
while we were doing the refit. When she was dry, we applied an epoxy
barrier coat. This is a lot of work and your 26 footer may not be worth it.
And, no, it's not just sal****er. Water's the problem, not salt.
Questions to ask:
You say "the paint above the waterline is crazed." Is it paint or gelcoat?
Paint is unusual on a small glass boat and, unless she is very old, suggests
that there was something to cover up. If the gelcoat is crazed, there are
all sorts of potential problems.
As a very general rule, wood boats are better off stored in the water; glass
boats are better off stored on land. While you will probably have to pay
for land storage, you should decide if the boat is worth it. Aside from that
generality, as Butch suggests, a year out of the water is a good time to dry
the hull. (It may not be enough unless Canberra is drier than my image of
it -- you may have to go the route we went with Swee****er.) If a meter
shows she's wet, you might put a dark colored tarp over her down to the
ground on a good frame for the year and hope that the extra heat inside
helps the drying.
"It has sails, most standing rigging, but the mast blew down and the step
needs to be reinstated." Sails in what condition? If they've been in the
sun for five years, they're not sails any more. What standing rigging is
missing? $$$ there. There's a recent thread mentioning US$2,500 to replace
a mast step in a similar sized boat. Make a list of everything that needs
doing. A conservative list, piece by piece, Can you do it yourself? As a
very general rule (twice in one post -- remember that all generalizations
are false) if you can do good work yourself, you'll increase the value of
the boat more than you spend. If you do poor work yourself, you'll decrease
the value of the boat. If you have a yard do it (in developed economies),
you'll spend more than you increase the value of the boat.
Bottom line -- get someone local who is expert to take a look and see if
she's worth the trouble. Or try looking her sisters up using an advanced
search on yachtworld.com to get an idea of values.
This is a little disjointed -- my apologies...
--
Jim Woodward
www.mvFintry.com
..
"JDavis1277" wrote in message
...
Haul the boat, clean up the bottom and check for osmotic blisters. If any
are
present the hull will need to be completely dried. The year you are
overseas
would be an ideal period for the hull to dry, Upon your return you could
make
the blister repairs immediately thus saving a long wait after your return.
Seek professional advice before attempting any blister repair.
If there are no blisters you will not have wasted any time nor effort as
you
will have to haul the boat at some point in order to inspect it and to
apply
antifoulant.
Good luck.
Butch