penpal
Well-Known Member
Can anyone recommend a good Osmosis specialist? I have a couple of bubbles on the hull that need checking. I am based in Hythe, near Southampton.
OSMOSIS
- Thread starter penpal
- Start date
Dave_Snelson
Well-Known Member
Hi John - do yourself a small favour and maybe save some money.
You can test if the blisters that you have found are caused by osmosis or not by digging into the blister with your thumbnail. As the blister pops, immediately smell the fluid that come out on your thumb and if it smells of pickle vinigar, then its osmosis. You can make your decisions from there and also no rogue can charge you for treating osmosis that doesn't exist! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
You can test if the blisters that you have found are caused by osmosis or not by digging into the blister with your thumbnail. As the blister pops, immediately smell the fluid that come out on your thumb and if it smells of pickle vinigar, then its osmosis. You can make your decisions from there and also no rogue can charge you for treating osmosis that doesn't exist! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
ColinHuggins
N/A
My local yard Hayling Yacht Co are one of the established firms. They're here on Hayling obviously, and at the cheaper end of the market I believe but haven't used them myself. tel 02392 463592
Talbot
Well-Known Member
two bubbles - not a problem check, pop, wash out (several times) excavate, wash again, leave to dry thoroughly then fill with an epoxy filler. Anything more is a total waste of money unless the disease is widespread and delamination is happening.
IMHO osmosis is a boat yard licence to print money, and its really no worse than a bit of rust on a steel hull
IMHO osmosis is a boat yard licence to print money, and its really no worse than a bit of rust on a steel hull
omega2
Well-Known Member
Hear, Hear, do it yourself or get robbed. You have been given good advice.
material_girl
Active Member
I bought a boat 12 months ago with a patch of osmosis so have looked into this. I would say that a couple blisters (if it is osmosis) is not cost effective to have treated. I would take pictures or mark by some means where they are and monitor over a couple of seasons. You can have a go at the treatmeants suggested as I don't believe you will do any harm. Hope this is of help. Good luck. I got a quote for a patch a couple of metres square for £3k from a boatyard in Newark.
jcmmarine
Well-Known Member
Don't go to a specialist unless you want to give them your wallet. Treat a few GRP hull blisters as you would a rust blister on your metal gate, clean out, dry out, recoat.
Your problem has to be really serious to consider it beyond DIY and require recoating. Re-coating is mainly a reult of a sales survey.
If you cannot find someone local to give you an unbias second opinion me a pm and I will give you a ring.
Your problem has to be really serious to consider it beyond DIY and require recoating. Re-coating is mainly a reult of a sales survey.
If you cannot find someone local to give you an unbias second opinion me a pm and I will give you a ring.
penpal
Well-Known Member
Thanks for this information, i have around 4 bubbls on the hull above the water line, they have been there for many years, I had Ken down there from Hamble Yacht Care to fit a pump for me and he said they felt spongy, so suggested I get them looked at. The boat is 33 years old, when I lift her this year I will see if I can find someone to cot the out and make good. The only thing is how do you get the hull to look the same afterwards?
miket
Well-Known Member
I have owned a Freeman 32 Mk1 in the past and have now gone back to a Freeman 33.
The 32 had small osmotic bubbles all over the hull (below waterline) and I had the entire underwater area "peeled" and then treated with the International Paints gelshield system. It cost £3.5k 20 years ago and the finished articled was excellent.
I am having the 33 done for the 2nd time in it's life (1st 12 years ago) under the supervision of a trusted surveyor. It will cost significantly more!!
Others are right. No boat that I know of ever sank of Osmosis but when you come to sell any self respecting buyer will want the cost of the treatment taken from the sale price.
Freemans are notoroius for Osmosis, especially if kept in fresh water as mine have been. It would be interesting to know how long yours has been on the coast (in salt water)? The best time to detect Osmotic blisters is when the boat is still wet from being lifted. Once the hull dries (underwater sections) it is much more difficult to detect. You will also find with a Freeman of this vintage that it is beneficial to have the boat lifted and stored ashore for as much of the winter as you can bear. Believe me, the Osmosis will dry out when out of the water.
I had both mine done because it made me feel better. I am sure it was coincidental but I also seemed to have the fastest Freeman 32 I knew of (cruised 14kts, max' fully loaded 17kts. best ever 19kts). I was told once that after treatment for Osmosis there can be a material reduction in the weight of the boat. I am quite happy to believe that it may have been the yard trying to convince me to have the treatment done!!
The 32 had small osmotic bubbles all over the hull (below waterline) and I had the entire underwater area "peeled" and then treated with the International Paints gelshield system. It cost £3.5k 20 years ago and the finished articled was excellent.
I am having the 33 done for the 2nd time in it's life (1st 12 years ago) under the supervision of a trusted surveyor. It will cost significantly more!!
Others are right. No boat that I know of ever sank of Osmosis but when you come to sell any self respecting buyer will want the cost of the treatment taken from the sale price.
Freemans are notoroius for Osmosis, especially if kept in fresh water as mine have been. It would be interesting to know how long yours has been on the coast (in salt water)? The best time to detect Osmotic blisters is when the boat is still wet from being lifted. Once the hull dries (underwater sections) it is much more difficult to detect. You will also find with a Freeman of this vintage that it is beneficial to have the boat lifted and stored ashore for as much of the winter as you can bear. Believe me, the Osmosis will dry out when out of the water.
I had both mine done because it made me feel better. I am sure it was coincidental but I also seemed to have the fastest Freeman 32 I knew of (cruised 14kts, max' fully loaded 17kts. best ever 19kts). I was told once that after treatment for Osmosis there can be a material reduction in the weight of the boat. I am quite happy to believe that it may have been the yard trying to convince me to have the treatment done!!
penpal
Well-Known Member
It was noce to hear from a fellow Freeman owner. My Freeman 32 has been at Hythe, Southampton for about 6 years. Before that it was at Bray. I was under the impression that Freemans hardly ever got Osmosis due to their construction materials. do you think I should get a surveyor to look at it on the day of lifting?
miket
Well-Known Member
I am afraid the converse is true.
They have a terrible reputation for Osmosis. How many boats do you know that get Osmosis ABOVE the waterline?
The other thing to check is springy decks. If you get water (eg,around a stachion base) in the foam layer between inner and outer it breaks the bond between foam and deck and shows as a springy area. It can be rectified but better to keep all deck fittings waterproof.
Surveyor? Personally, if you can't see it yourself whilst the hull is still wet from the lift you probably don't have a problem, but unless it has already been done before, I would be surprised if it hasn't. If it does and its not bad, try and get into the habit of laying the boat up ashore during the winter (Oct to March) this definitely helps to stem the spread of Osmosis.
Do you know the name of the boat when at Bray?
Also try the website of Sheridan Marine at Moulsford. Andrew Corless is not everyone's cup of tea but he does know Freemans and there is some useful info' on the site.
They have a terrible reputation for Osmosis. How many boats do you know that get Osmosis ABOVE the waterline?
The other thing to check is springy decks. If you get water (eg,around a stachion base) in the foam layer between inner and outer it breaks the bond between foam and deck and shows as a springy area. It can be rectified but better to keep all deck fittings waterproof.
Surveyor? Personally, if you can't see it yourself whilst the hull is still wet from the lift you probably don't have a problem, but unless it has already been done before, I would be surprised if it hasn't. If it does and its not bad, try and get into the habit of laying the boat up ashore during the winter (Oct to March) this definitely helps to stem the spread of Osmosis.
Do you know the name of the boat when at Bray?
Also try the website of Sheridan Marine at Moulsford. Andrew Corless is not everyone's cup of tea but he does know Freemans and there is some useful info' on the site.
