Just a quickie for those who have been following, and taking sides on, our
bottom project.

Yesterday we had a steam cleaner (8GPM @ 3000psi @ 225°F) clean the bottom
of the boat.

Target was to assure that any diluted runoff from our removal of the acrylic
Poli-Glow from the topsides didn't adhere to the raw fiberglass which we'll
be adhering new glass patching in the deep spots, fairing with epoxy
material in all the rest, and then 30-mil epoxy barrier coating before
bottom paint.

Secondary target was to prove out our modus in removing blister potentials.
Recall that we had been advised to thoroughly wet the raw hull, with as much
pressure as could be mustered, frequently, and then PW off any resultant
exudant (and, of course, chase same with grinding). There were many places
in the beginning, getting fewer each time we did it.

So, we have now done the extreme of volume, pressure, and heat. Before
this, in the intervening month we were away from the boat, it was kept wet
very thoroughly as our topsides compounding was under way. We've seen no
weeps of solubles from any of the areas on the bottom, despite it having
been a month to accumulate the potential, and in the recent past as we
attacked the issue of uncatalyzed water-soluble materials in the original
layup.

Hoping of course, but not yet proven (until now) that such
Pressure-Volume-Heat process would both force high temp water into anything
which would accept it, and, then, of course, run out, more effectively than
just ambient temps, along with drying more quickly due to the elevated
temps, as well as expose any insecure bonding of layers at the points we'd
ground.

A day later, there isn't the first sign of a weep, and aside from some very
small (1/8" max length) feather edges of prior epoxy top-offs of blister
repairs which were blown up on the pressure, not the first lifting of any
laminates or surfaces, either. All the pressure has raised a very small
amount of what Lydia calls "baby bird" effect, that of slight protruding
hairs - but that will only serve to increase adhesion as we put on the
fairing compound and barrier coats.

So, I believe this reasonably proves the thesis that the way to dry out a
"wet" hull is to put water on it, the hotter the better. That we've had the
luxury of followup on the first attempts (which DID expose additional areas
needing attention), and to continue to keep it wet, for a couple of months
helps. However, it hardly needs the "couple of years in a shed" routine
which, in itself, if the thesis is correct (and it certainly appears so), is
actually non-productive to the desired end result (removal of as much as
possible of the WSMs in the layup).

That we've removed any reasonable level of available WSMs from the hull,
following up with not only epoxy fairing but a very thick barrier coat, we
feel, should put this blister issue to rest. Even if it doesn't, we're not
going there again in our lifetime :{))

L8R

Skip

--
Morgan 461 #2
SV Flying Pig KI4MPC
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