Re: Floor/bilge

JBlumhorst@aol.com
Fri, 15 Jan 1999 12:09:44 EST


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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In a message dated 1/15/99 6:56:30 AM Pacific Standard Time,
JamesF@bayarchitects.com writes:

> My question is: How damaging is it to have that standing water
> on the unlined, lacking gel-coat, back of the hull? Is it going to
> soften up and weaken the hull?
>
> James Fauver
> P19 Southern Star
> Lake Conroe, Texas
>

That's a concern of mine too. That's why I started this topic.

The Gougeon Bros, manufacturers of the West Epoxy System, state in one of
their excellent booklets that polyester resin is not impereable to water.
Virtually ALL boats are constructed of polyester-resin fiberglass laminate,
not epoxy. Water that gets inside mixes with the water soluble materials in
the polyester laminate and creates an acidic fluid. The acidic mixture then
attackes the polyester laminate, breaking the the chemical polymer bonds that
hold the the laminate together by hydolysis. This permenately compromises the
strength of the laminate, according to Gougeon Bros. On many boats, the
first sign is blisters in the gelcoat, but you can have significant water
infiltration without blister.

What Gougeon Bros don't say it that this process usually results in gelcoat
blisters long before there is significant damage to the strength of the
laminate. There is an excellent website by a surveyor a
thttp://www.marinesurvey.com/yacht/WetLaminate.htm. His opinion is that it's
not likely to damage the intergrity of the hull unless it goes on for years
and years. However, he does make a strong point that damage to the laminate
is directly linked to poor quality layup (voids that weren't wetted down
properly, bad batches of resin that cured badly, improperly sealed inside
surfaces etc.)

The quality of the finish work on the fiberglass in my boat is pretty crummy.
Sharp edges everywhere and sloppy tabbing with edges that aren't stuck to the
hull don't give me alot of confidence in the quality of the workmanship. Her
hull is still very strong though, and I want to keep her that way. Thats why I
think it is VERY important to have a way to dry out the boat if you expect it
to last another 20-30 years. "Red Wing" should outlast me if I keep her dry
and out of the sun/UV.

Even though others have said I should just sail the boat the way it is, I'm
planning on fixing it. If it's too difficult to get the water out, I won't do
it. Right now it's too difficult. I want to get that problem licked before
the good wather sailing season starts again in Feb/April. Then I'll be able
to "just sail the boat" with peace of mind.

Judy B.

Judith Blumhorst, DC
P-19 Fleet Captain, Potter's Yachters
WWP-19 #266 "Red Wing"
SF Bay Area, CA