Dear friends,

I have a question:
my boat has a high level of moisture in the hull but I don't see blisters.
Somebody saya that in this situation is better dont do any treatment, any
epoxy barrier coat, because it can be even more dangereuse.
Others say to apply a thick epoxy barrier to decrease the volume of water
coming in the grp.
I'm a bit confused. What is your opinion and suggestion?

Fair wind.

Yus

On May 5, 3:19 am, "yusuf" wrote:
Dear friends,

I have a question:
my boat has a high level of moisture in the hull but I don't see blisters.
Somebody saya that in this situation is better dont do any treatment, any
epoxy barrier coat, because it can be even more dangereuse.
Others say to apply a thick epoxy barrier to decrease the volume of water
coming in the grp.
I'm a bit confused. What is your opinion and suggestion?

Fair wind.

Yus

How old is it?

Lay it up for a year in a sealed, dehumidified hothouse with plastic
on the floor, then use a barrier coat. You will have a year of
heating / cooling and dehumidifying bills to pay and time to check
out all barrier coat options.

If you want it right away, use a fisherman's copper bottom and launch
it. No problems, no action. We don't fix what ain't broke, or
obviously breaking. A stitch in time may save nine.

My 40 year old fiberglass Tyler 29 sailed in fresh water has no
blisters, wintering ashore, using only flaking cheap co-op bottom
paint. Salt water mileage may vary. My 30 year old (then, 1990)
Hinterholler 28 had no real blisters, only a few tiny warts, don't
know where it was sailed, aside from Lake Ontario. I guess the 60's
were a good decade for polyester resin.

The epoxy sales club may now chime in.

Terry K

"yusuf" wrote

I have a question:
my boat has a high level of moisture in the hull but I don't see
blisters.
Somebody saya that in this situation is better dont do any treatment, any
epoxy barrier coat, because it can be even more dangereuse.
Others say to apply a thick epoxy barrier to decrease the volume of water
coming in the grp.
I'm a bit confused. What is your opinion and suggestion?

Fair wind.

Yus,
I see you are posting from Italy, so presumably you are in salt water?

You say you have high moisture content. Is that determined by using a
moisture meter? If so, these have been known to give misleading numbers.
Sometimes metals such as cobalt used to promote curing of the resin can
cause the meters to read high. Antifouling paint can also cause misleading
numbers.

If you are using a meter, take readings on the hull well above the waterline
at various places around the hull. Then take readings below the waterline at
regular intervals so you get a map of the moisture readings.

If the readings above and below the waterline are about the same, then you
likely do not have a problem.

If the below waterline figures are significantly higher, you may have a
problem or it may be the antifouling causing the higher readings. Sand the
paint off in say a 30x30cm area. Tape on a piece of clear plastic film being
sure that it is sealed around the edges. Leave this for a day and overnight.
Assuming nights are colder than days, you will see a lot of condensation on
the film if the hull is saturated with water. If you see no condensation, or
very little then your hull should be OK.

Puting an epoxy barrier in place is a good idea on any boat and especially
on new boats. But, you should strip off the antifouling and again check for
any bubbles. You may want to even sand or off the gelcoat but then most
important, leave the hull to dry in a dry climate (natural or otherwise).
Maybe you ahve colder areas where you could winter the boat ashore? Then
recheck moisture in Spring and if satisfied it is dry, coat with epoxy using
manufacturers instructions for filling bubbles and priming and then at least
4 coats of something like Interprotect .

If you have no bubble at present, give her a coat of A/F and get through
this season. Blisters won't sink your boat!

Terry K wrote:
My 30 year old (then, 1990)
Hinterholler 28 had no real blisters, only a few tiny warts, don't
know where it was sailed, aside from Lake Ontario. I guess the 60's
were a good decade for polyester resin.

What hull no. was your HR28? Do you still have it?
Cheers

On May 5, 12:57 pm, the_bmac wrote:
Terry K wrote:
My 30 year old (then, 1990)
Hinterholler 28 had no real blisters, only a few tiny warts, don't
know where it was sailed, aside from Lake Ontario. I guess the 60's
were a good decade for polyester resin.

What hull no. was your HR28? Do you still have it?
Cheers

I do not have the info hull number easily at hand. I belive it was
made in 1967. It was previously sold to one Mr. Henery Ford for "One
dollar and other valuable consideration." It had a Lloyds mariner 2
cylinder 2 stroke gas engine, and a hull half an inch thick in spots.
I refitted the rotton shaft log myself, my first major repair to any
boat. Registered as 50E65707.

On 1 april 1990, at Aylmer, Quebec, near Ottawa, vandals burned my
HR28 to the scuppers, lighting fires on several other boats, having
lived or partied in five or six other boats over winter. The mast
fell on two other boats. I had just finished redoing the head and
dinette, and built a wheel steering out of plumbing scraps, making it
a most comfortable weekender. Parizeau insurance wrote it off, and
after a year of arguements, paid me 14,000 on an 18,500 survey value.
I got to pick the ruins for the unhurt engine and other "souveniers".
The hull was only overheated behind the head, there being much
woodwork in the vanity, with some visible damage to the exterior paint
at that point. The hull was othewrwise unhurt. They disposed of it. I
felt it could have been re-topped, who knows?

I still have the engine in a shipping crate.
It was one tough boat.

I have pictures, if you like.

Terry K

Terry K wrote:
On May 5, 12:57 pm, the_bmac wrote:
Terry K wrote:
My 30 year old (then, 1990)
Hinterholler 28 had no real blisters, only a few tiny warts, don't
know where it was sailed, aside from Lake Ontario. I guess the 60's
were a good decade for polyester resin.
What hull no. was your HR28? Do you still have it?
Cheers

I do not have the info hull number easily at hand. I belive it was
made in 1967. It was previously sold to one Mr. Henery Ford for "One
dollar and other valuable consideration." It had a Lloyds mariner 2
cylinder 2 stroke gas engine, and a hull half an inch thick in spots.
I refitted the rotton shaft log myself, my first major repair to any
boat. Registered as 50E65707.

On 1 april 1990, at Aylmer, Quebec, near Ottawa, vandals burned my
HR28 to the scuppers, lighting fires on several other boats, having
lived or partied in five or six other boats over winter. The mast
fell on two other boats. I had just finished redoing the head and
dinette, and built a wheel steering out of plumbing scraps, making it
a most comfortable weekender. Parizeau insurance wrote it off, and
after a year of arguements, paid me 14,000 on an 18,500 survey value.
I got to pick the ruins for the unhurt engine and other "souveniers".
The hull was only overheated behind the head, there being much
woodwork in the vanity, with some visible damage to the exterior paint
at that point. The hull was othewrwise unhurt. They disposed of it. I
felt it could have been re-topped, who knows?

I still have the engine in a shipping crate.
It was one tough boat.

I have pictures, if you like.

Very sorry to hear it went that way and some things just don't change. I just read online in the
Toronto Star about a fire at the Burlington Yacht Club this am that has destroyed a number of
sailboats. You are correct, the boats are tough. Ours is hull #25, built in 1966. Have you seen
this site?
http://www.clic.net/~dcooper/hinterhoeller/mainfr.html

Maybe some reminders of good memories in there for you.
Cheers