BLISTERS ON HULL

[GARY WEEKLY]

I have had an inquery from a future 26x owner if any one has ever had blisters on their 26x? i keep mine in the water and i have seen none on my yearly haul outs how about the rest of you?

[Don B]

I am told it is a problem, We had ours coated to protect against blisters than bottom paint over that.

I did not want to take the chance,

I think blisters are worse under certain water conditions. I think if you do a search you will find other discussions telling you what conditions are prime for blisters.

Also I think water in the bilge mixed with different temp of the water in the slip can pull water into the hull thru Osmosis and temp differential but don't hold me to this.

From what I have learned the Mac has a more pourous surface that lets the water infiltrate leading to blisters.

I had a fibreglass Starcraft in a slip on the Mohawk in Albany for several summers with no problems with blisters and the only think I had on the boat was bottom wax, But maybe the Starcraft Gel coat is less pourous.

I found one small blister on my Mac when I bought it. It looked like the hull scraped something and at the end of the scrape mark a blister was forming. I took care of it with some Gel Coat repair before the boat was bottom painted.

The one thing I do know is that if you do have a serious case of blisters it is not easy to resolve. I have heard you have to open them up and let the hull dry out first.

AND!!! It is not just a problem with Macs.

-Don B

[mark,97x]

hull 0903,no blisters,just gouges and scrapes,and yes lots of fun

[Janusch]

Have a 99x and at the begining of last year notice that I had some baby acne happening. Talk to the owner of the marina, I was storing the boat at and he said the problem was not to bad. He suggested I put on bottom paint to pervent more damage. I did that and the blisters have remained the same. I was told for someone to fix the problem for me it would cost between $1,000 - $2,000, or I could do it myself for about $400 but very labor intensive, plus you have to take it to a yard so you can work on it.

God Speed
Dave

[kmclemore]

FYI, this book is the bible on blisters, their causes and remedies.

Osmosis & Glassfibre Yacht Construction by Tony Staton-Bevan

It's full of pictures and details, from both a manufacturing and repair point of view. I highly recommend it.

Happy sails (and no blisters...)
Kevin McLemore