Pressure washer

My personal answer !

I was actually commenting on the Surveyors procedure and it was not clear in your first post about this that it was an addendum to you, not part of the report. That's fione - as an insurance company may hold you to exactly what he writes ! if IN the report.

The Hotvac process is good and I actually berth in the Marina that uses this process. I know the guys that do it ....

But to the re-lamination bit .... that is news that I have not heard before ... Gel-peeling / stripping / blasting should be re-built back to former levels to replace hull form. But are we talking same thing here ? Osmosis treatment is drying out and then replacing former Polyester gel with epoxide coating. That is NOT re-laminating ... as there is no laminate included in the process.... the layer removed and replaced is resin ... based gel.

Steam cleaning the hull after stripping is a very good way to remove un-cured resins / styrenes / acids etc. that are present. It 'pulls' out the offensive liquids etc. that give that characteristic vinegary smell etc.

On to air-drying ..... why double up ? The Hotvac is designed to PULL out the moisture - it was not developed as a second stage after air-drying. If you have any doubts etc. about this - visit and ask to observe the readings etc. checking of hulls during drying .... if its HYCo - they use a very sensitive meter - the Tramex for final drying out - same as I do, this gets right down to very very low levels, far lower than any other meter I've tried .....

I think that here we have a few points that have been confused with others ..... at the end of the day - you are the client, you are the decider and you have the right to have all explained completely, the process should be shown / demosntrated via anothers boat etc. etc.

Final point - HYCo are extremely busy on this and that indicates a good reputation and service - if not then no-one would use them. I have no connection with them - other than having a berth there - so this is independent comment.


Nigel ...
Bilge Keelers get up further ! I only came - cos they said there was FREE Guinness !
 
Lamp method ...

Many centres found that putting a boat straight to the heaters had its own problems .... open the ten and the hotb hull would suck in moisture .... also the water assists the hull to over-heat. BUT of course note that the heaters are powerful and 'eat' electric .... so air-drying is considerably cheaper !!

With all due respect - generally it should not take so long as 8 months ..... I would not accept such a time period and ask serious questions why etc. with the development of new techniques etc.


Nigel ...
Bilge Keelers get up further ! I only came - cos they said there was FREE Guinness !
 
Re: Lamp method ...

I take you point regarding new techniques. However, the time was not wasted whilst in the yard and we have spent a long time learning the ins and outs of the boat as well as doing many jobs that otherwise would have remained on the 'to do' list had we been out sailing!

Gavin
 
Good for you !

I NEVER get to finish all those jobs ..... boats stays in water normally and of course sun comes out - I'm off .... varnishing, greasing, servicing ... what are they ??

I fully understand and glad that someone actually got it all done ... but I bet there was 1 or 2 not done still !! How many times did you run up the kettle and sit in cockpit dreaming about thsoe sailing days to come instead of working ! - We all do it !!!!!


Nigel ...
Bilge Keelers get up further ! I only came - cos they said there was FREE Guinness !
 
New to cruising!

Ah, but being newbies perhaps easier cos we didn't really know what we were missing!! And, yes...still some things to do. From reading this forum for a while now, it seems you never get rid of the list completely - surely that's half the fun!

Gavin
 
Re: My personal answer !

> The Hotvac process is good

I agree, my own amateur intuition tells me that HotVac is the most significant event to happen in yacht osmosis treatment over the past 10 to 15 years. The British company that owns the technical process also deserves a pat on the back for its export achievements.

My concerns are with commercial pressures that could lead to abuse of the process. The profits of a HotVac centre are directly proportional to shed space throughput so there must be a temptation minimise the drying times and the suspicious 5 week turn-around quoted to me by one south coast specialist confirms this.

I also have a concern (again personal intuition) that the aggressive HotVac process could suck moisture out of the surface layers of laminate and give the illusion of a dry hull for a few days, but if left for a month the deeper moisture would permeate outwards.

Until HotVac treated yachts (from specific yards) have been proven over a 10 year period I think it best to let a hull air dry for many months and with final drying driven by HotVac.

Like another poster I have a 1 year general refit ahead of me with my new yacht so I can save money by opting for a 1 year air dry assisted by a green house effect from a polyethylene hull shirt.
 
Gives food for thought ... dreams etc. !!

I have never completed more than 25% of planned work !!!

Nigel ...
Bilge Keelers get up further ! I only came - cos they said there was FREE Guinness !
 
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