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

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