Hull Blisters in 1985 Beneteau 37

[Skydiver1949]

I am buying this Beneteau 37 model and on the haul out, it was obvious that there was at least one quarter-sized blister per square foot on average and that some had been fixed a year ago and the others painted over or were new. There were few fixed and were of the larger size. Bottom job is one year old

The rest of the boat is in very good condition - not for just its age but for any boat. The interior is immaculate and shows care over the years

I realize that these blisters will have to be addressed but for the meantime, the survey says that this blister volume is normal for the model and year - beneteau 37.5 first, 1985.

Is this reasonably accurate? Thanks.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by Skydiver1949

I am buying this Beneteau 37 model and on the haul out, it was obvious that there was at least one quarter-sized blister per square foot on average and that some had been fixed a year ago and the others painted over or were new. There were few fixed and were of the larger size. Bottom job is one year old

The rest of the boat is in very good condition - not for just its age but for any boat. The interior is immaculate and shows care over the years

I realize that these blisters will have to be addressed but for the meantime, the survey says that this blister volume is normal for the model and year - beneteau 37.5 first, 1985.

Is this reasonably accurate? Thanks.

Well, it could very well be normal for that model and year of boat, but it is not normal for most boats. Particularly since these all appeared after a repair one year ago.

I would not want that boat, or another of that model/year if that is normal for it. The blisters are unlikely to be structural, but you will be fighting them the whole time you own it and won't have a good time selling it.

Mark

[Randyonr3]

something of interest on that year.. Your FIRST was built in France as was ours in the mid 80s.. was told that they had a problem with some due to them being laid up in "polyester" and not epoxy.. And this is just hearsay, but I was to understand that with many, ours included, the boat bottoms had a recal on them and Beneteau called for the bottoms to be pealed and an epoxy bottom replaced.. ours was one of these boats..
did a bottom job on it 9 years ago with an epoxy barrer coat and bottom paint.. pulled it last year and the bottom was still perfect, not a blister one..
Its hard to find an early First like you are looking at and If it were me, knowing about the boats, I'd work it out with the seller and put a new bottom on it..
If its a FIRST 38, its a nice boat.. much like the 42 and 456
We've had ours for about 10 years now and still looking forward to many more years of travel....

[Skydiver1949]

By a new bottom do you mean pealing and reglassing? That right now is 15 thousand dollar proposition. Thank you.

[bstreep]

We have blisters on our boat. However, not after just one year on a bottom paint. Is your paint hard or ablative?

If you have an ablative paint and decide to buy the boat, you should plan on regular blister repairs.

Our boat has a hard bottom, and with Interlux Ultra, a hard paint, we get about 2.5 years from a paint job. When the boat is pulled to be painted, we usually have some blisters - last time was about 100 (on a 47 foot boat). At 2 years, there were only a handful, so next time we'll try and paint at 2 years. These get ground, dried, filled, and painted. No, it doesn't stay out of the water for weeks to dry - just a few days.

Our surveyor, who is among the best, says that this really isn't a big deal. Obviously, your mileage may vary.

[colemj]

Bottom paint, no matter hard or ablative, has no bearing on blister occurrence. None at all. All bottom paints are water permeable and hard paints are more water permeable than ablatives. Blister occurrence is dependent on the chemical makeup of the gelcoat and resins used in the hull layup. Bottom paint does not, and cannot, influence this, nor can it act as a barrier coat for the layup.

Mark

[bstreep]

Originally Posted by colemj

Bottom paint, no matter hard or ablative, has no bearing on blister occurrence. None at all. All bottom paints are water permeable and hard paints are more water permeable than ablatives. Blister occurrence is dependent on the chemical makeup of the gelcoat and resins used in the hull layup. Bottom paint does not, and cannot, influence this, nor can it act as a barrier coat for the layup.

Mark

I'll buy this - therefore the need for a barrier coat.

However, I can tell you that ours, with a hard bottom, shows very few blisters at 2 years, at which point, we start getting them.

[Cheechako]

I would beware, I bought a boat with fewer than that by far. to make along story short within a year and a half I learned it had been "fixed" twice before and they were popping out again. The hull was totally saturated. How did I know it had been done twice before? I had it stripped to gel coat and there were numerous filled blisters. Some filled with one color and others with another. If it's a bad case, then the hull should be peeled and left to dry out. resurface with epoxy resin (not primer). You are probably talking $15000 depending on where you are. Why start with something that is going to come back to haunt you?

[Randyonr3]

Originally Posted by Skydiver1949

By a new bottom do you mean pealing and reglassing? That right now is 15 thousand dollar proposition. Thank you.

That very well could be, but on a boat as a first 38, I wouldnt think twice about it.. the owner should drop the cost or most of it to do the work.. now you have a quality boat with a perfect bottom..
If someone told me I needed a new bottom on ours, I wouldnt I wouldnty even think about it.. I like the boat that much.....

[Cheechako]

Well..... If the boat is layed up thick enough to start with, and IF the moisture isnt too deep ..... YES. But let's not forget about the time the boat is not being used .... could be months. Also, finding someone to do the job right..... I love it when you finally decide to "pay the price" to have someone else do the job right, then when you come down to the boat there's a $8.50 an hour newbie (who else in the yard wants to do that job? Not the good guys...) gouging up your botom... and on and on and on it goes.... arghhh, buy a boat with as few problems as possible and go sailing! Of ALL the boat issues I've dealt wth over the years, bottom problems were by far the ones that cost me the most sleep , no doubt about it....

[Skydiver1949]

As the propective buyer I would like to throw this out to the forum

If the survey was 56K, and the hull was considered "normal for this age and brand" with these issues and they had lowered the price 10K to 46K, and the nadaguide is now about 44K top bluebook, what would be a fair price reduction to request? Low blue is 39K Thank you.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by bstreep

I'll buy this - therefore the need for a barrier coat.

However, I can tell you that ours, with a hard bottom, shows very few blisters at 2 years, at which point, we start getting them.

You sure the blisters are not just between the bottom paint and the gelcoat? That happens, particularly when the paint builds up after several years, and they are not really blisters. They aren't anything to be concerned about at all.

Mark

[Skydiver1949]

I am only sure that they are blisters as there were some that were repaired a size as big as my palm, and none to well, either. Considering how nice the rest of the uppers were, I was a bit surprised.

One item I did not mention was that the keel had not one blister, it being cast iron - And I am not certain if it has just a gel coat or paint or glassed up.

[zeta]

Originally Posted by Skydiver1949

As the propective buyer I would like to throw this out to the forum

If the survey was 56K, and the hull was considered "normal for this age and brand" with these issues and they had lowered the price 10K to 46K, and the nadaguide is now about 44K top bluebook, what would be a fair price reduction to request? Low blue is 39K Thank you.

Buyers market, I'd try 50% on first offer. If you offend seller--so be it. Plenty of boats out there. Never fall in love with a boat until you make her yours.

[Skydiver1949]

It may be a buyers market for catalinas, but beneteaus are going for much more than they are bluebooking for - 10 to 20 k above, depending. But thank you. I have been serious been looking for a boat for three years. SO I am at least up on deals and costs and prices. But eveything is a surprise at times. Thank you.