Well, now I am a little confused.

I just received the written survey report on the LRC via email and it is
much different than I had been led to believe the day of the survey.

With reference to the blisters it states:

"It was reported that the underbody has had the gel coat peeled and a
blister barrier coat applied a few years ago.  The underbody had
approximately +200 blisters.  A few of the blisters were opened and it was
found that the blisters were just beneath the barrier coat and not into the
laminates.  The blisters were 1/4" to 1/2" in size.  The barrier coat will
need to be stripped off, the hull dried and a new barrier coat re-applied
to stop further osmotic blistering."

This is much different than what I had been led to believe on the day of
the survey and does not appear to be as significant as I had at first
thought (I had thought the blisters were in the laminate)?  However, I was
certainly unaware that blisters could form under just a barrier
coat.    Anyone have experience with this?  This sounds more encouraging
and I am now wondering if this is the case cannot this be repaired without
the lengthy dry out time required for re-lamination?

Jim Alexander, Realtor
Boatless again (but not for long)
Port Charlotte, FL

Jim,

First, I would email Margery and find out if this is the surveyor whom she
knows. Second, I would call or meet with the surveyor and ask him about the
apparent contradiction. Was anyone else present when you debriefed him -
wife or your broker? I'm suggesting that you talk with Margery because I
would want to get a reference point on this surveyor. Lets say he stands by
the wording of his written report and suggests that his oral report was
misinterpreted. Regardless, your next step is to get an EXPERT who
guarantees his work and ask him to determine the nature of the problem and a
worst case quote. To me, and I've been directly involved with two blister
jobs on two different boats, the origin of the moisture, acids, salts -
depending on which theory you believe - is the question. If you apply
replacement layers of fiberglass with epoxy or polyester resin AND you
thoroughly saturate the layers, where does moisture come from and how does
it migrate? If a contractor is going to guarantee his work, he may peel off
the captain added layers and start all over again because the question that
I asked is very difficult to answer. The contractor will take moisture
readings all over the hull to include areas not covered by the "blister
job." You ask the man to "worst case" the job so that no matter what he
does, he's confident that he is very unlikely to exceed it (I don't think
that he can guarantee it.) For speed, he should use the heated vacuum method
used by Keith's contractor.

Niad has a Florida office, you ask them or their representative to do the
same thing as the blister contractor. As far as the engines and
transmissions go, members of this list have explained the costs involved.
Cylinders are $2000 each and if the crankshaft or bearings are involved,
firm quotes should be available from people who have done it before. Johnson
& Towers would be good for a quote and they won't low-ball it. If you had a
separate engine surveyor, he should also prepare a quote. Same for
generator. I'm assuming that fluids were neither regularly checked nor
replaced. With the exception of Bob Smith (lucky/careful devil) the other
LRC owners on the list have dealt with engine and transmission issues.

If the owner will sell the vessel for an amount which covers these worst
case estimates, I would consider buying the vessel, if I could afford the
time for the blister job. But you must recognize one thing, every item on
that vessel has been maintained or neglected by this damn captain for an
absentee owner. Therefore, everything is suspect. There are other systems
that are susceptible to failure and costly repairs. Regardless of the size
of the vessel, air conditioner pumps, controls, and compressors need to be
checked - on a cool day (if you have any) an A/C man/woman should check the
coolant pressure. Reverse cycle should be demonstrated if not done on
survey. Electronics really don't count unless they are of recent vintage.
The autopilot must work and/or cost out a replacement.

Much of the wiring is probably original and is probably OK subject to
complete inspection. Batteries might have to be replaced if you contemplate
offshore voyaging, especially if the battery charger is the original
ferroresonant model. I don't know if offshore includes the short distance to
Saint Thomas.

This isn't Joshua Slocum's Spray with a rusted alarm clock for a
chronometer. This vessel has systems and is not as complex as some modern
yachts. If you purchase it, a trip to North Carolina is in order to let some
old Hatteras hands go over this vessel at Carolina rates instead of Florida
rates.

BTW, surveys classify problems and remedies using the required immediacy of
the repair to rank them. I doubt that these blister can be classified as
structural and, therefore, their repair could be postponed as opposed to the
engines, transmissions, Niads, and generator.Get the full reduction in
selling price and fix the blisters when convenient - like when you find
someone who needs there home sat in for six months.

Best,
Ron Rogers

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Alexander" 89Vista43@comcast.net
|
| This is much different than what I had been led to believe on the day of
| the survey and does not appear to be as significant as I had at first
| thought (I had thought the blisters were in the laminate)?  However, I was
| certainly unaware that blisters could form under just a barrier
| coat.    Anyone have experience with this?  This sounds more encouraging
| and I am now wondering if this is the case cannot this be repaired without
| the lengthy dry out time required for re-lamination?

I put on a barrier coat 5 years ago.  Everything was fine in cold northern
waters, but this fall when I hauled, water had gotten under the barrier
coat.  Previously, I had aggressively sandblasted the entire bottom, hand
puttied it with epoxy, and hand sanded it fair before applying the Devoe
barrier coat.

The problem was the wax in the epoxy.  I had cleaned the hull with acetone
before applying the Devoe barrier coat and acetone "flashes off" too quick
so I didn't really get all the wax off.  Charge it to "operator error".

This fall, I hand scraped the bottom again, wearing out a number of 1/2"
chisels and 5 days of "sweat equity", but it was less messy than grinding
and I didn't want to compromise the epoxy layer which was fine.  I hand
sanded it again and this time REALLY made sure it was clean before
reapplying a Pettit barrier coat and repainting with Trinidad SR.

I don't know if this is similar to your situation, but given the
"professional captain", it might very well be the same error.  "Live and
learn!"

                                         Regards...

Phil Rosch
Old Harbor Consulting
M/V Curmudgeon MT-44TC
Currently moored in Boot Key Harbor, Marathon, FL.

Jim wrote:
With reference to the blisters it states:
"It was reported that the underbody has had the gel coat peeled <snip>

Jim,
It may just be semantics but Hatteras does not use gel coats. Did your
surveyor use a moisture meter?

Skooch Hatteras LRC 42
Worton Creek, MD
David