Viper bottom coat bubbling

[digitish]

I have an 81 Viper that I am hoping to get back in the water this weekend. I was checking out the hull to make sure its still in good shape and safe a noticed a few things.

1) Bubbles in bottom coat.
2) Cracks in bottom coat.
3) Paint/Fiberglass coming off center stringer (?), near drain plug.

Attached are some pics. What do you think...is the boat okay to use this weekend or do I need a new bottom coat & some other work first? Hoping to do some skiing & tubing. Thanks in advance. This is our first motor boat.

[flatbackcanoe]

I understand that bubbling on the bottom means water has gotten into the wood, its rotted.
Cracks allow water in as well.
Boat would probably be ok for a weekend, as long as its not tearing up the lake.
Nothing over 30 ;)
if its not important, start restoring the boat.
remove and replace the floor, core, stringers, transom.

[digitish]

It seems like the bubbles are just in the under coat paint. If I pop them I can see the next layer of paint below.

[transomstand]

The boat is unsafe and should not be run. It needs a full resto.

[FMP]

Seriously , tear it all out, fix it right and then ask.

[olboatman]

The bubbles are osmatic blistering ( water gettin thru the gelcoat and stoppin at the mat) and usually means the gelcoat needs to be sealed. That is done by spraying new gelcoat or paint over the old. As transomstand said that my be the least of your worries!!! Time to get at it!!!! JMO Gary

[Karsten]

I would say you have some work ahead of you just like I do with my CVX-20....Wet Wood seems to have this thing about spreading somehow to all the wood in the boat. As for this weekend, myself I would pass and not put friends, family or myself at risk.

Karsten

[digitish]

Thanks again. Any recommendations from someone in Massachusetts to do such a job? Don't think I have the time or skills to pull this off.

[RussF]

White mountain Fiberglass in Rumney,NH......just a little north of Plymouth.........603-254-4478

[digitish]

You guys are the experts here & I really appreciate your advice. I just got this boat last year & it was in great shape, no bubbles. We used it a lot last summer with no issues. I guess the bubbles/pimples developed over the winter.

Have you guys seen this article...
http://www.yachtsurvey.com/BuyingBlisterBoat.htm

Here are a few more pics. Is there a chance that the pimples/bubbles didn't destroy the wood core? Is there any way to tell without taking out the floor? Can I take it easy tubing & skiing then redo the core in the fall/winter? I am not looking to break any speed records. That said safety has to come first. I just hate to miss the short season here in new england.
344563344562344564344565

[Karsten]

1st off get rid of the rollers and either get a trailer with Bunks or convert the one you have. Before you tear the floor up drill some test holes and see what comes out of the stringers....I would bet it is wet or rotten wood. You posted pic's of exposed wood...wet exposed wood is like a STD.....one piece give the all the rest of the wood moisture and over time all the wood has been wet including the transom and that is not a good thing.

If this is a Hydrostream Viper it should have a Cork Core that would also be soaked and will need to be replaced.

Best advise I could give you is to get ready to learn some new skills on boat resto and how to DIY....other wise you will be paying big bucks for someone else to do it.

It looks like the boat has spent way to much time in the water for a painted hull, Hence all the bubbling.

So you need to ask yourself how much you like the boat and what you want to pour into it to make it right....or start looking for a new boat in the $5000 plus range it will take to fix what you have.

Karsten

[RONNIE]

cork???

[olboatman]

cork???

Maybe he ment balsa?:confused: Gary

[specboatops]

From one of the last pics it looks like you have kept the boat in the water for extended periods of time ?

[digitish]

Yes, we kept the boat in the lake over the summer, maybe 3 months.

[digitish]

Can someone explain or point me towards an explanation of how to drill test holes? Thanks.

[1BadAction]

I wouldn't even waste my time drilling holes, the wood in that boat is worm food. Decide to either #1, tear it completely down to zero and rebuild it. Or #2 part it out as a project boat.

[afr]

thats a mess what jim said ^^^^^

[Karsten]

Maybe he ment balsa?:confused: Gary

Yes, sorry.....Should be End Cut Balsa. I have 5 sheets of it out in the shed.

Karsten

[Sonik]

I know for certain someone has been into that boat at some point as they were not built with a single stringer up the keel like that one picture. It should have 2 stringers running up to the dashboard or so along the outside edges of the pad. The advice above as far as safety is spot on as I'm sure the entire hull is wet and rotten. Slow speeds don't guarantee you wont end up swimming at some point if it decided to come apart. Sorry to kick you again while you're down but the reality is it needs serious attention.

[Karsten]

Here you go.

https://sacramento.craigslist.org/boa/5587692936.html

Then start the resto on the Viper and take your time.

I have 3 boats in various conditions....1971 Schuster Tahiti with a 150 Merc OptiMax ready to go, 1978 21ft. Taylor Stiletto working on getting it redone, would be float able if I put the interior back in it and a 1978 Glastron Carlson CVX-20 needing everything your boat does.

Karsten

[1BadAction]

Sorry to kick you again while you're down but the reality is it needs serious attention.
Nah I think we're all saying what needs to be said, stressing the importance of not running it like it is without being dicks.

Kicking him while he's down would be me saying what I REALLY think about hydrostreams after being bit by 2 of em. :eek: lol

[digitish]

Thanks again for the advice. I am going to work with someone to open up floor and redo the core & bottom paint. This is a family boat for us to get out on the lake. I am not looking to break any speed records so I don't mind adding some weight if it will make the core last longer or be more durable. I also nee to be able to leave the boat in the water over the summer at a dock. Is it a problem to leave these boats in the water for some reason? Would pressure treated wood be better than balsa or is there some other alternative that is more durable?

[transomstand]

NO pressure treated:nonod:

Balsa is extremely "durable" if properly sealed. Areas of my core are 30+ years old.

[digitish]

I am hoping to get started on this ASAP. Can someone please tell me what materials I will need for strings, epoxy, glass, resin, etc. I am hoping to bang this out in a week with the help of someone who has rebuilt many boats but not Hydrostreams.

[digitish]

Can anyone point me to a place I can buy the materials near Boston, MA? Thanks.

[transomstand]

http://www.mertons.com/

They got it all

[digitish]

Well, you guys were right. Core was rotten, pic attached.

I am trying to get this done quickly, hopefully on the water in a week or so. Does anyone by chance have a list of what is needed for this?
Here is what I am thinking...
1) Two half inch 2' x 4' Balsa core sheets.
2) 1 Gallon resin & 1/2 Gallon hardener.
3) Marine plywood for stringers 3/4 inch.
4) 17 oz biaxial sheet 10 yards? 50" wide.

344784

[digitish]

What is the best bottom paint if I plan on leaving the boat in the water for 3 months in the summer.

[olboatman]

What is the best bottom paint if I plan on leaving the boat in the water for 3 months in the summer.

I would not use bottom paint....When I left my boats in fresh water I used a bottom wax coating that stopped algae etc. You cover the bottom to above the water line and DO NOT buff it. Went on very fast and I think it was made by Mary Kate. It lasted about 3 months. Gary

[1BadAction]

Well, you guys were right. Core was rotten, pic attached.

I am trying to get this done quickly, hopefully on the water in a week or so. Does anyone by chance have a list of what is needed for this?
Here is what I am thinking...
1) Two half inch 2' x 4' Balsa core sheets.
2) 1 Gallon resin & 1/2 Gallon hardener.
3) Marine plywood for stringers 3/4 inch.
4) 17 oz biaxial sheet 10 yards? 50" wide.


You're probably going to need about double that amount of resin, if not more. Search around on here and you'll find materials lists for both poly/vinylester and epoxy, along with extensive how to type threads.

Don't rush the core, you want to be sure it's bedded in properly or you'll just end up doing this again. I also recommend a layer of glass under the core to increase the skin thickness. In the process of grinding and cleaning you're going to sand some away and it's already too thin and dry, IMO.


http://www.mertons.com/

They got it all

Yep, and a helluva nice guy that will go out of his way to help with questions about products. I've been impressed every time I order.

[Riverratt]

I would give Joe a call at Mertons and tell him what you are doing. He will be able to let you know what you need. He was very helpful when I was doing my daughters boat.

[digitish]

Thanks again for the help and suggestions. I ended up going to Jamestown Distributors in RI to get the Balsa, 17oz Biaxial and Total Boat resin & hardener.

Has anyone put in a ski pylon like this on a Viper?
http://www.westcoastoffshore.ca/SKI-POLE-KIT-P391.aspx
The boat currently has a tripod version mounted just behind the front seats. Kind of tight if more than 2 people in the boat.

Also planning on using Okoume for stringers and floor. Should I use 1/2 or 3/4?

[W2F a V-King]

If you don't mind some grunt work, and getting a bit itchy :eek: ... DIY.

There are countless threads to read about guys like you that have never done a repair like this before, and finished them successfully...There are also plenty of knowledgeable people on this forum that will be really helpful. :thumbsup:

You could not be in a better place to do your project than reading right here.

Also some great threads over on http://hydrostreamforums.com/


James

[hsbob]

after you get it dry and down to solid structure, then start with at least one coat of glass using "epoxy" [some say vynl ester will work but ????]. standard polyester resin will not bond correctly to old resin.

i always add small rids molded over 1" pl pipe from the transom as far forward as practical.