Michael, this reply may be too late but I stripped my unknown bottom paint off my M-17 last fall with Pettit remover. http://www.petitprod.com/fileshare/product_pds/1905105.pdf which worked very well. Softened the layers into a goo that was then scraped off. Then sand to get rid of the residue. I noticed small cracks in the shape of a finger nail all over one side. What I would consider blisters although all were very small delaminations. There was a layer of barrier coat already on the boat probably to attempt to fix the blisters I found. All were on the starboard side, and most all were very small (finger nail size) and fairly close together. If you email me off list I can send some photos. I took a putty knife and broke them open, put in two part epoxy (fairing stuff would be better but I had none on hand) and sanded smooth. Then more barrier coat. Then bottom paint. I am now working on my rusty cratered center board which instead of pulling and blasting I am going to wire wheel, patch and paint so that I do not lose the spring sailing season. I lost the fall doing the bottom job last year! I am going to use barrier coat, fairing compound and bottom paint on the portion of the board that the barnacles favor. Found a bunch up in the center board trunk as well but I will need to pull the board to really get at the inside of the trunk. Good luck!
Robbin M-17 hull #056 Michael Ray Wisely wrote: > Dear Montgomery Group, > > I have recently bought a 1984 M-17 (Hull #384, Does anyone know this boat?) > which my 5 year old daughter Olivia has named "MEG" and we will call "THE > MEG". > > We put her in the water right after we got her and were really surprised by > her stability, comfort and performance. I did a lot of research for a boat > that we could trailer that would also be safe on the wild and challenging > San Francisco Bay and feel like I made the right choice. Really a great > sailing boat, excellent upwind and on a reach, a "real" boat in a tiny > package. > That being said, We (My wife Wendy and I) are really particular about care > and maintenance and creating a ship-shape vessel so I am turning to you for > advice. > > The boat is in good shape, but in need of all the fittings re-bedded, > buffing out, the CB treatment/pin replacement, etc., electrical > refit...trailer bunk boards, bottom coating,etc,etc,etc... pretty much a > going over of most systems. > > My wife and I lived on and took care of a 44 classic woody for 12 years in > the 80's and 90's, so we are not newbie's, but the glass, gelcoat stuff is a > little foreign to me. I'm fairy proficient with west systems and process > oriented applications and prep work, however, I am short on knowledge about > fiberglass other than what I've read. > > We need some direction on a series of issues and will continue to read post > historical and otherwise until I figure it out. > > Our first priority will be stripping the bottom. It has a paint on it now, > but I have no idea what kind. I'm pretty sure it's not ablative as I am > familiar with that type. > > The paint is off in spots about the size of a pencil eraser in a shotgun > blast type pattern. If I look close it looks like the areas where the paint > has come off are raised slightly, but not exactly round in shape. > My first feeling was...oh no, the pox. But I have seen gelcoat blisters in > other boats and they are usually not this small or close together. So I am > confused. > Maybe they are nothing, but I wanted to ask if anyone else had experienced > this. > > I need to get this paint off...Sand the hull and do the epoxy barrier system > as I want to put it in salt water for 6 months out of the year and not worry > about osmosis. > I've heard several of you write about the interlux system, but none have > said if you can put it right over the gelcoat. > > > Finally...Here are my first 4 (or so) questions. > > > 1. Has anyone experienced the rough hull that I describe above? > > 2. The straight dope on removing any type of bottom paint without hurting > the gelcoat. > > 3. Do I need to worry about blisters on a Monty? If so, How do you prep > for the interlux barrier coat process?...do you rough up the gelcoat and > apply it directly over (the gelcoat)? ...OR? > > 4. Is Boatlife still the best bedding compound/caulk for bedding wood > handrails, and other fittings? Or is their something better out there these > days. > > > I will stop at these questions right now as I've gone on way too long as it > is. > Thank you for sticking with me...(if you have) and we would appreciate any > experienced advice you may have. (notice that I said "experienced"...that > should tell you that we have been boaters for many years and have spent many > hours on a dock and in a yard) > > Sincere thanks for your time and wisdom...and there will be more questions > to come as we dig in to make this Monty shine. > > Thanks, > > Michael Ray, Wendy, and Olivia of "Meg" > San Francisco Bay, CA > > > > > _______________________________________________ > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats > > > _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats
