atlanta pelicans....donuts??

atlporsche · 04-02-2004, 10:33 AM

anyone in for donuts tomorrow morning...I'll be there with the bimmer...

the porscharu engine is mounted...gotta build the cradle and do some wiring.

sjd

Sunroof · 04-02-2004, 11:55 AM

I keep telling myself that I would show up at that place one saturday, but something always comes up!!!

I transferred my sailboat from Allatoona to Lanier and found a nasty case of "osmotic blistering" on the hull. Saturdays are now dedicated to boat yard work! Anyone Atlanta P-heads ever fix hull blistering? I sure could use a tip or two.......

Bob
73.5T
1984 Hunter 25.5 Sailboat

mtelliott · 04-02-2004, 11:58 AM

How do you keep the humidity down so that you can properly dry out the wood once you pop the blister?

rattlsnak · rattlsnak's Garage

Bob, ahh, the perils of boat ownership...

Osmotic Blistering is a condition found in most fiberglass boats. Blistering occurs when water penetrates through the gel coat and mixes with water soluble materials found in the fiberglass layers beneath it. The seawater then becomes a solution that will try to equalize with the seawater outside the boat. As the solution has now grown molecularly, it cannot back out of the passage it entered, it builds up pressure as it tries to escape and then it explodes, resulting in blister domes which appear on the outside of the hull.

The repair procedure is as follows, first remove all of the anti-fouling paint, gel coat and any damaged fiberglass by peeling or grinding the underwater body. The underwater body is then scrubbed with a solution of TSP and water to remove any stray contaminates. Next, the boat is tented off tight around the bottom and a dehumidifier is run in the tent to keep the air as dry as possible. Once the hull bottom has dried to an acceptable level, an epoxy barrier coating system may be applied. The drying process may take from 2 weeks to 12 months.

Epoxy barrier coatings have proven to be very effective in repair and prevention of blistering. Epoxy is very dense and tight making it non-conductive to water penetration. In cases of severe blistering, an additional layer of fiberglass cloth may be applied with the epoxy coatings to replace any fiberglass removed during peeling and grinding and to add strength to the total system.

Osmotic blistering usually starts as a nuisance/cosmetic problem. However, blistering left untreated can cause a very serious condition resulting in de-lamination of the fiberglass hull bottom, very extensive as well as expensive repairs or in extreme cases, total loss of the affected boat.

Jim Richards · 12:07 PM

Bob, I had a couple of real small ones on my J/22 (used to keep it at LLSC on L. Lanier). I just ground them out, let 'em dry for a couple of days, and then epoxied them (West-Systems). I ended up fairing / expoying my whole hull below the waterline since it was mostly used for racing. I think you should find a guide on fiberglass repairs (including blisters) published by West-Systems, either at West Marine or BOAT U.S. in Atlanta.

Sure wish I could come down to Atlanta for donuts and another mountain drive.

The weather here in NoVA should suck this weekend.

typ550 · 04-02-2004, 02:04 PM

steveo - see you there.

atlporsche · 04-02-2004, 03:50 PM

cool...check the 912 page for more pics...

I've been busy...I got both longitudinals cut to appromimate size to start building the cradle...

everything fits in the engine bay so well...it's almost uncanny. even the stock intake plumbing needs no modification...it fits in the recess just above the shockmount arch.

sjd

MBAtarga · 04:32 PM

I'm planning on Road Atlanta. It's a PCA racing weekend - I'll be an observer...

Bob, I might be able to assist with some elbow grease. I don't have this particular repair experience, but I do know how to operate a sander...

atlporsche · 04-02-2004, 04:34 PM

might see you up there then...not sure what I'm doing tomorrow. I might weld... I might go up to carolina rod shop...not really sure. after donuts of course.

sjd