Catalina 36 mkii '99 - osmosis - help!!!

[Jim Woodall]

boatpoker,

Thanks for this link:
Osmosis testing in boats

I've enjoyed this thread and learned a great deal.

I think everyone should read the article in the link, it makes a lot of sense.

[andreshs1]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

Hell ... everybody has an opinion on "OSMOSIS" so I might as well throw mine in

Osmosis Testing

really good link!!

Thanks!

[minaret]

The link mentioned is not a bad short synopsis of the issue. I do, however, take issue with one statement.

"A new system of applying heat under vacuum holds some promise for drying hulls but for the most part it's still a gamble".



Our yard has been operating a custom built Hot Vac system for over a decade now. The technology is hardly new. We give a ten year warranty on bottom jobs, and have done zero warranty work on boats dried with this method. It works really well, most solid hulls can be gotten below ten percent relative in two weeks or less. It's the only method I've ever seen take a saturated hull all the way down to five, and I've used everything. I've also dried a lot of wet foam core in hull and decks with it. It works. There's a few pics of our rig on this old thread-


http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...tem-58007.html

[MikeinLA]

Having owned a 1986 Catalina 36 with horrible blisters, I would have to agree with Minaret. I had the bottom re-done at Channel Islands Boat Yard which is (was) owned by Frank Butler, owner of Catalina Yachts. The old timer who was in charge insisted on peeling the bottom and air-drying the hull. It took much longer than running heaters, but he also insisted that air-drying was the best method. The whole job took a couple months if I recall correctly. Not sure about the $20K someone quoted. In 1987 it was about $ 100/foot, but that included a discount provided by Frank Butler.

Mike

[andreshs1]

Hi all

Well, after a visit to the boat with the owners and the surveyor today we have good news!!

There is minor osmosis damage on the hull, and it all seems located to a 25 cm band on both saids of the hull, so yes, there are indeed a few blisters but nothing major.
The sellers agree on getting a few quotations and factoring the cost of the repairs (to my standards) into the asking price. I am planning on stripping that band on both sides and do the fix properly.

So on Monday we will have the sailing trials/survey and hopefully by Wednesday I will be a happy Catalania owner

More news to come on Tuesday

Thanks

[Whaubner]

Originally Posted by andreshs1

Hi guys

I dont have much choice, I live in Hong Kong, and believe it or not but there are no much sailing boats here for sale. Mostly because for most here sailors are poor people.... and there are gozillions of huge motor yachts.
there is also a serious shortage of moorings

You have many choices. Boats can be purchased and shipped all over the world. Depending on the cost of the repair, you may be close to shipping of a completely different boat.

[countertop]

Originally Posted by andreshs1

Hi All

I am looking for advice on a Catalina 36

Basically I am trying to buy a Catalina 36 mkii 1999, and today the surveyor came back with bad news.....(see below)

Lower Hull . An area around the hull below the waterline on both sides of the vessel is suffering from minor osmotic blistering.
The size of these blisters is fairly uniform being between 20 - 25 mm. in diameter and spread from bow to stern with gaps between blisters.
We opened one such blister up and removed the top layers of paint to reveal bare gel coating. We then punctured the blister and noted the acidic liquid
to have a Ph. content of 4, medium acid. as found from our test paper.
This is indicative that these blisters have had time to form and mature.
They will continue to increase in size and stature, as the internal pressure increases.

The Lead Keel.
The lead keel is overlaid with primers and fillers which have broken down over time and absorbed moisture. Unsightly more than damaging, the moisture
has ‘’bubbled’ and lifted these protective coatings away from the lead surfaces of the keel.
Not a difficult job, but all defective material to be removed from the keel
completely to bare polished lead.
Laid up with new primers and fillers as required and over-painted with quality antifouling paint.


So the question is for those with experience on this issue and hopefully Catalina owners

What do you advice??
This boat fits perfectly the needs of my family, but is this a deal breaker?

Regards
Andres

Sounds like good bargaining chips. Both are cosmetic more than anything. The keel is easily repaired with a haul out and some elbow grease. I'd probably ask the marina for a quote on doing it.

Blistering is not uncommon and sounds typical. And cosmetic.

How much are they asking for the boat?

[GordMay]

“... The Catalina 36 hull is built of a solid laminate with fiberglass and plastic resin. No balsa or foam core is used in the hull composite although newer models do use Coremat to build up laminate thickness economically. In 1995, Catalina began using vinylester rather than polyester resins in outer layers to mitigate osmotic blisters. The decks and cabin are a cored composite with either balsa wood and plywood core sandwiched between fiberglass laminates ...
... The most common problems on aging Catalina 36 models are damaged and leaking deck-to-hull joints, leaking windows and hatches and perhaps some degree of osmotic blistering.
The most serious problem I have seen is severe corrosion of the stainless steel steamhead fitting, to which the forestay attaches ...”

➥ BoatUS - Boat Reviews - Catalina 36

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by minaret

The link mentioned is not a bad short synopsis of the issue. I do, however, take issue with one statement.

"A new system of applying heat under vacuum holds some promise for drying hulls but for the most part it's still a gamble".



Our yard has been operating a custom built Hot Vac system for over a decade now. The technology is hardly new.


http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...tem-58007.html

It was new when I wrote the article, Guess my age is showing

[andreshs1]

hi all

just to confirm that we finally managed to get in the same place and time as the sellers and paid for the boat!!

So for now I am on that happy state when you get a new toy

thank you all for the advice

regards
Andres

[SimonV]

Just put my boat back in the water. This year < 60 gel coat blisters, a lot less than 2 years ago and going down by half as many each time. Although a couple where failed repairs from last time ( I think these where ones that I had not painted with raw epoxy prior to epoxy and filler) I still left some of the smaller pimple sized one for next time. Blisters are defiantly not the end of the world, but put there to scare the bejezuz out of the new buyer, and to remind the older owner that even glass boats need TLC.