Pearson 323 Blister Photo, Mixed Opinions

[a64pilot]

Minaret is the screen name of someone on this board that seems to know what he is talking about in things like this.
My take on it, is all boats in the age and price range your looking at will have problems, finding what they are is the key, only then you can make an informed decision. I don't worry so much about what I find, I worry about what I may have missed. You have to ask yourself why any bargain boat you find, is a bargain.
I think a lot of money has been made on blisters, and maybe if your talking to a real reputable yard, they only absolute guarantee a full peel, so they only quote and do that, or maybe they are there to make money?
I'm hoping that in 27 yrs (my boat here) that it finally got some areas of .25' blisters, it's either a very new thing, caused by the 2 yr old bottom job that had a barrier coat, maybe put on top of a wet hull, or at least the progression is essentially nil.

I'm surprised no one has asked what the "water" that came out when you popped one smelled like, I was under the impression that if it had a strong vinegar smell, that that was osmosis?

Was this a Northern boat until recently? Also I believe you can only see blisters or pox right when a boat is pulled, that often they just go away if left to dry on stands even for a short while, so how can you tell about a boat on the hard? I've not heard, never buy a boat that is on the hard?

I've heard from many that the small 'pox" like blisters that are segregated into areas, mine cover about 25% of the hull total are nothing to worry about and are an easy fix.
I sure hope so anyway.

[fatherchronica]

I bought a Lancer 36 out of the water with maybe a hundred blisters quarter sized and up to about 1 1/2 inches. I was in my mid forties had already had my first shoulder surgery and I sanded the hull to bare fiberglass, ground out the big ones. I put on a slightly thicker than recommended amount of West System, repainted and launched, all while working 40 hours a week and living 45 minutes away in 3 weeks. When I sold that boat 5 years later it was blister free. That was in the mid 90's, I was in construction, highly motivated and have a certain amount of skill doing manual labor things and had at that time a high tolerance to pain. Last year I bought a Cape George 36 that I and the surveyor saw several tiny blisters on. This spring I hauled her to repair a bob stay tang that had been yanked out trying to beat some weather and during the few days out of the water the bottom paint began falling off in sheets revealing a lot of tiny pox blisters. I didn't have sanding the hull in me anymore so I had it sand blasted further revealing what I think was about 3,000 tiny blisters. Everyone said, in person and in writing, that no epoxy would remain waterproof, and the hull blister free for more than 4 years. But we just couldn't leave it that way, and I kept thinking I would someday regret not fixing it properly when I was sitting somewhere in 3 kts of wind. I found an epoxy that said it was so waterproof that the only water that would enter the glass again would be through the bilge water. So this time my wife mixed for me and I used Progressive Epoxy for most of it and several layers of West System, because I didn't order enough mail order only, and ground shipment only Progressive brand epoxy. It came out awesome. With So-Cal prices and it taking a month it cost us including gas to drive there just under 6,000 bucks. It really kicked our asses at 61 and 57 years old. How it lasts remains to be seen. We are leaving in 10 days on what we call the four year plan and I hope at the end when we sell Mana that if there are any blisters they are so new and tiny that the surveyor doesn't see them.

[minaret]

Having looked closely at your pics, I would certainly agree with your yard manager, especially given that the PO did the bottom himself. Either he missed a bond window in the barrier coat, or the bottom was still wet when coated. Unfortunately, the latter is more likely. If this is the case, 15k and six months would be reasonable, with at least a five year warranty. Do not accept a two year. Ask the PO what the moisture meter readings were before coating. If he doesn't know or didn't use one, you can be fairly sure this is the problem. If he just missed a bond window, then it's just a bottom paint removal. But based on your pics, I think that unlikely. If you are considering purchasing followed by DIY, be well aware of what you are getting into. Passive drying often takes six months or longer, and successful active drying (Hotvac) is expensive and hard to find.

[Cheechako]

Blisters can be very disconcerting... I've lost many hours sleep over them! That looks pretty typical, is the boat on the hard? if so, would the owner let you dig one out to see how deep? Also would be nice for the surveyor to grind off the paint and measure the moisture below the paint.
If not too deep... one option is have the bottom completely sanded bare and let it dry out over winter...fill the deep ones and then epoxy coat. Seem similar last for years without issue after that. Of course the best fix is a peel but that is expensive and removes a lot of glass potentially requiring refairing.
But then... unless there is something telling you that you have to have that particular boat... move on...

[cofc]

Pretty sure I looked at that boat. Charleston SC, blue hull? If so I know he's had it for sale for a few years. He already re did the mast step, so that's nice. We didn't like what he did with the V berth and the wife thought it was "dingy." We wound up getting a different Pearson and are making our way down Florida to head to the Bahamas later this month. We love our 323 and it's been rock solid so far! Any questions about the model, let me know.

[Cadence]

I think if you like the boat. Grind the blisters fill and barrier coat out around them then check fore more next haul. I wouldn't leave them to wick. Haggle with the seller citing the high repair estimate.

[bmz]

Small blisters are primarily a cash cow for marinas. 99% of them will never go beyond mere cosmetics. Over 20 years ago I found a couple of dozen small blisters on my hull; I pop them and scrape them whenever I find them. Over the years I find fewer and fewer. My hull is as sound now as it was when I bought the boat 32 years ago. If you get a $5000 discount because of them, buy the boat; and consider yourself blessed.