phase 1

[NILS]

I picked up a 1972 23 cc last august. best cc i've ever owned, no need for my 23 contender anymore. Because i want this to be my last cc for a very long time i decided to barrier coat the bottom as my first project. I just about have the bottom stripped 95% done. What i've encountered is hundreds of blisters in various shapes and sizes. Can someone offer advice as to, do all blisters have to be ground out, some of them are small and seem to be more of a crack. i've got some pictures for viewing pleasure,grinding the bottom was NO pleasure. Any help would be greatly appreciated .Also what tools work the best for grinding out the blisters, when i used my grinder i found i was taking more bottom then blister. Thanks again

[fredetzel]

I had the jell coat peeled off the bottom then sanded smooth then I applied about 10 - 15 coats of vinyl ester resin enough to bring the hull back to full thickness then primed and bottom painted. That has lasted 10 years and no blisters hope this helps
Fred

[NILS]

Thanks fredetzel for your advice. I had so many, that i wanted to make sure this didn't happen again. I spent a couple hours with a dremel opening the holes and removing cracked and fragile gel coat. I felt more like a dentist drilling out cavities . I'll most likely have to apply two filling due to some being pretty deep. Anyone have advice on the best filler. Going to let the hull dry out for at least a week. Heading to costa rica tomorrow for a little R&R . When i get back it's fill and barrier coat and move on to phase 2 Pilot house

[fat2nawilly]

what style pilot house are you going to build for her?

[NILS]

My pilot houes is going to be similar to the one i have on my 23 contender. I think we spoke a couple times at the ramp in chatham. I think you were running the never satisfied. If i'm correct you picked up the hell on reels and you did great job on your wheel house. My plan is to use the current console old and big, it's in great shape, and add to it. i've already built it but it's not on yet. On my condender i have sliding windows but on this wheel house i want all my windows to fold down or up. I'll fabricate those myself. Any word on the ramps in chatham will non residents still have some access. i' post picture of the wheel house next week

[GodsReel]

skin the bottom layer like fred said , that is the only way to do it, i have heard of people using a tool like a planer.

[Islandtrader]

Check out page 3 of my rebuild post about 1/3 of the way down. It explains what I did.

I would use an epoxy fairing compound like systems 3, then I would put a barrier coat over the entire bottom hull...like Petit Protect.

If the area around all the holes are solid I do not think you need to peel your entire hull.

[FishStretcher]

I have no experience with it (yet), but I just got off the phone with a Duratec dealer. I was looking for a polyester gel coat to epoxy primer, and they suggested their vinylester primer which is good for below waterline use. I ordered some, but haven't used it yet- P/N1794-006. It was just under $100/gallon. Josh at Express Composites was a big help there. Suggested spraying with a 2.3mm or bigger tip gun, or a pressure pot gun, in case that helps.

If you do strip the gel coat, then this stuff might be a good layer between the hull and new gel coat or paint? I have had the polyester based primer surfacer suggested here, but after what I heard today, maybe this is a good use for the vinylester?