Epoxy from New?

[Novice]

We are going to get our boat in March, and I'm currently wondering whether it is worth getting the dealer to epoxy the hull before anti-fouling it. Are modern gel coat resins sufficiently impermeable to render this unneccesary? What does the team think?

Jon

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[davidwf]

Faced same decision last year, after taking advice I decided not to. Reasons being :-
1) The gel Coat used on boat is NPG, very resistant to osmosis
2) In order to paint on the epoxy the NPG gel coat would have to be abraded, which seemed a negative step
and
3) I felt that the boat needed time to fully cure and trapping in the various styrenes etc with a layer of epoxy would probably do it more harm than good.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[poggy]

Hi,

I think it depends on how long you intend to keep the boat, a modern boat shouldn't suffer from it for quite a few years.

The cost would be the decision maker for me, it could help it sell later on. What boat are you getting ?.

Poggy

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Guest]

Most boats nowadys are laid up with better resins than in the past .... very few suffer like previous.

BUT it is always better to be sure than not ..... but then again - its expensive done properly and really only comes into its own many years later. It could be a good selling point IF you keep the boat long enough ..... but if you keep it a few years and then move on ..... its still early days for it.

Terrible non-answer really .... BUT one thing for certain ..... if you are going to do it - make sure it is done BEFORE it ever goes near water .....



<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ...
Bilge Keelers get up further ! I came - cos they said was FREE Guinness !
/forums/images/icons/cool.gif<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by nigel_luther on 03/01/2004 20:35 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[VicMallows]

Just for info, epoxied mine (Sadler 29) from new 1985 with Hempels (solvent based) epoxy. (the water based ones didn't exist then). The boat would have been built with the older type resins. Conditions at the time were not exactly ideal.................It's the last time I recall any decent snow here!...even broke a wrist climbing the ladder when fitting the boat out. To date, there is absolutely no sign of osmosis outside (there's some in the shower tray!).


Vic (Sundash)

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Novice]

The boat is a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 32. Obviously it will be antifouled as part of the commissioning. I wouold have thought that coating with epoxy first would only take an extra day.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[samuel]

In July this year I took delivery of a new Hanse 315.
I asked the dealer if it could come in time for our yacht club regetta weeek & he said that if it could be delivered it in time for him to epoxy the hull he would meet the delivery date.
I asked why he should be doing the epoxying & he said that it took several days to do this process so some manufacturers find their yards clogged at this stage & cannot get boats out of the way for storage of the new ones.
As a result it is quite normal for the dealer to apply the final 2 coats of epoxy just prior to delivery. In addition thedealer would often do other jobs to finish off the boat ( Electrics, radio, GPS etc ). This, he said, explained the high charge of pre delivery.
The boat was delivered to Windemere & I went to see it 2 days later. They were at that stage applying the antifouling. I have often wondered if I was being spun a yarn or whether this is true. If so 2 days does not seem to be a long period to do the job so why does the manufacturer not do it ?
Did the dealer apply the epoxy as he was supposed to?
The boat was stored outside in the rain so was the epoxy applied in the correct conditions ie dry.
Will I have a problem in a few years time when there will be no chance of challenging the dealer ?
Has anyone else had this experience?
I noticed you are getting a Jeneau . It may be worth asking what the procedure is. You could end up paying for a coat of epoxy when it is already in the deal. Jeneau ,I believe, have a very high delivery cost ( Was it about £ 6000 ) The Hanse was about £ 1500
Incidently the antifouling was useless as when the boat was taken out of the water in October the weed was 2 inches long in places & I could not get more than 4 Knots on a reach in strong wind. Under motor the speed had dropped by half a knot. So I am not particularly confident in the dealer !!!


<hr width=100% size=1>Justisla

 

[ccscott49]

Dont trust the manufacturer to usethe best resins available,especially on a cheaper?? boat, get it epoxied now, before it goes in the water, at least two coats, which will take two-three days. IMHO

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[KipH]

Interesting point about the "new" resins not being available in 1985. Anyone know at what date these became generally available? I guess there must have been fairly lengthy transitional period while the various manufacturers caught on to the newer osmosis resistant resins.

<hr width=100% size=1>