What To Do About Polyestermites

By Don Baker, JN


Not many years ago the entire boating industry and every boater learned
about a new problem with fiberglass boats, osmotic blisters. A walk through
a boatyard will reveal that the problem is still with us, but boatyards have
learned to deal with this expensive problem. At least, a cure was found,
and boat builders seem to have developed resins and application methods that
have substantially, although not completely, reduced the problem in new
boats.

And now the Environmental Protection Agency has alerted boaters to a new and
equally expensive problem with the gelcoat on fiberglass boats. Like the
Zebra Mussels that first invaded the Great Lakes and killed off oysters and
clams and completely fouled water intakes on boats, we are now alerted to
the problem of polyestermites. They were first noted in the Bahamas, and
then a few were detected in Florida. It is assumed that they were
transported to Florida by boats spending the winter in the Bahamas and then
returning to Florida in the spring.

Like the Zebra Mussels, they were not native to U.S. waters, but with today's
mobile society, critters in one part of the world are easily transported to
another. If the environment is hostile the transported species soon die
off. The EPA has been tracking the spread of Zebra Mussels for the past
several years to see just how far the infestation will spread. There is not
much they can do about them at this time, but ocean scientists are still
searching for a method to control them.

Nothing has been written in the boating press at this point about
Polyestermites. However, this spring their infestation was noted as far
north as Rhode Island. Scientist had thought that Polyestermites could not
survive in the colder northern waters, but the New Jersey Department of
Environmental Protection has now issued an alert for New Jersey boaters. An
obscure article in the Federal Register has not received much attention by
the press, but you can be certain that the pages of our boating magazines
will soon carry large, bold headlines about this new problem for boaters.

So what the heck are Polyestermites, and what is the problem. They are
small barnacle size snail-like creatures that attach themselves to bottoms
of boats, pilings and bulkheads. They seem to have an affinity for boats,
however, because most are now made of fiberglass.

Other than their slimy appearance, they do no damage to pilings and
bulkheads. Fiberglass boats, however, are another matter. Polyestermites
are not deterred by anti fouling paints, and, in fact, they seem to thrive
on it. They eat their way through bottom paint, and then have gelcoat for
desert. They seem to secrete a substance that dissolves gelcoat into a
paste that is then consumed. What is left are areas about the size of a
dime where the gelcoat is completely gone leaving the fiberglass and resin
exposed to salt water. Interestingly, Polyestermites can not survive in
fresh water, but most of us operate our boats in salt water.

The Federal EPA has prepared a twenty-page booklet fully explaining
Polyestermites, and the procedure for their detection and repair of their
damage. It also discusses preventive measures we can take to prevent their
damage.

Whereas New Jersey is just now being invaded by Polyestermites, it is
something with which we boaters will have to deal. The EPA says this
booklet will be placed on its web site, but that probably will not occur
until winter. In the meantime, we can obtain copies from the EPA in
Washington. If you would like to have a copy of the free booklet, you may
order one through my e-mail address, , or by leaving your
name on my answering machine at the number listed in the roster.

Once the gelcoat is consumed and the fiberglass and resin exposed to the
water, the water begins to degrade the fiberglass resulting in expensive
repair. Repair is similar to that for osmotic blisters. The gelcoat has to
be taken down to the fiberglass, and several coats of special resin that
these pests seem to abhor has to be applied, and the bottom then painted
with antifouling paint. Whereas the antifouling paint itself will still be
attacked by Polyestermites, they can not penetrate into the fiberglass. And
since most of us haul our boats during winter, other than pockmarks in the
paint, no further damage is done.

www.rbps.org

On Aug 13, 10:47 pm, "Captain Crunch" wrote:
What To Do About Polyestermites

By Don Baker, JN

Not many years ago the entire boating industry and every boater learned
about a new problem with fiberglass boats, osmotic blisters. A walk through
a boatyard will reveal that the problem is still with us, but boatyards have
learned to deal with this expensive problem. At least, a cure was found,
and boat builders seem to have developed resins and application methods that
have substantially, although not completely, reduced the problem in new
boats.

And now the Environmental Protection Agency has alerted boaters to a new and
equally expensive problem with the gelcoat on fiberglass boats. Like the
Zebra Mussels that first invaded the Great Lakes and killed off oysters and
clams and completely fouled water intakes on boats, we are now alerted to
the problem of polyestermites. They were first noted in the Bahamas, and
then a few were detected in Florida. It is assumed that they were
transported to Florida by boats spending the winter in the Bahamas and then
returning to Florida in the spring.

Like the Zebra Mussels, they were not native to U.S. waters, but with today's
mobile society, critters in one part of the world are easily transported to
another. If the environment is hostile the transported species soon die
off. The EPA has been tracking the spread of Zebra Mussels for the past
several years to see just how far the infestation will spread. There is not
much they can do about them at this time, but ocean scientists are still
searching for a method to control them.

Nothing has been written in the boating press at this point about
Polyestermites. However, this spring their infestation was noted as far
north as Rhode Island. Scientist had thought that Polyestermites could not
survive in the colder northern waters, but the New Jersey Department of
Environmental Protection has now issued an alert for New Jersey boaters. An
obscure article in the Federal Register has not received much attention by
the press, but you can be certain that the pages of our boating magazines
will soon carry large, bold headlines about this new problem for boaters.

So what the heck are Polyestermites, and what is the problem. They are
small barnacle size snail-like creatures that attach themselves to bottoms
of boats, pilings and bulkheads. They seem to have an affinity for boats,
however, because most are now made of fiberglass.

Other than their slimy appearance, they do no damage to pilings and
bulkheads. Fiberglass boats, however, are another matter. Polyestermites
are not deterred by anti fouling paints, and, in fact, they seem to thrive
on it. They eat their way through bottom paint, and then have gelcoat for
desert. They seem to secrete a substance that dissolves gelcoat into a
paste that is then consumed. What is left are areas about the size of a
dime where the gelcoat is completely gone leaving the fiberglass and resin
exposed to salt water. Interestingly, Polyestermites can not survive in
fresh water, but most of us operate our boats in salt water.

The Federal EPA has prepared a twenty-page booklet fully explaining
Polyestermites, and the procedure for their detection and repair of their
damage. It also discusses preventive measures we can take to prevent their
damage.

Whereas New Jersey is just now being invaded by Polyestermites, it is
something with which we boaters will have to deal. The EPA says this
booklet will be placed on its web site, but that probably will not occur
until winter. In the meantime, we can obtain copies from the EPA in
Washington. If you would like to have a copy of the free booklet, you may
order one through my e-mail address, , or by leaving your
name on my answering machine at the number listed in the roster.

Once the gelcoat is consumed and the fiberglass and resin exposed to the
water, the water begins to degrade the fiberglass resulting in expensive
repair. Repair is similar to that for osmotic blisters. The gelcoat has to
be taken down to the fiberglass, and several coats of special resin that
these pests seem to abhor has to be applied, and the bottom then painted
with antifouling paint. Whereas the antifouling paint itself will still be
attacked by Polyestermites, they can not penetrate into the fiberglass. And
since most of us haul our boats during winter, other than pockmarks in the
paint, no further damage is done.

www.rbps.org



OK, I have just filed a patent on the use of "Polyestermites" to
remove gelocoat from osmotically blistered boats.