Catalina Hull Blistering Warranty

[KenKrawford]

Has anyone had the occasion to use Catalina's 5 years hull blistering warranty? What was your experience?

I've been watching 4 blisters about 1/2" diameter on my transom for the past several months. They are on the portion of the transom that sits just below the water. The rest of the hull and bottom are in great shape.

[Hans Grasman]

Ken,
You are on a lake and need to worry less about bottom paint. But was the original bottom paint on the stern covering all of the stern below the water line?
My hull #165 and several others in the lower hull numbers were not properly painted when first launched. My stern grew a weekly beard in SW Florida. At least 5 inches of the unpainted hull was under the water line.
I finished the 3rd bottom paint job in March no blisters.
Is this your first bottom job ?

[KenKrawford]

There was no bottom paint applied to the stern at all. At the time I was not aware that the stern sat in the water. Mine is only about 1 inch below water but that's where the blisters are. Right now my bottom paint is still in pretty good shape. Up here, we usually haul about every 5 years.
Right now Lake Lanier is so low that I couldn't haul if I wanted to. There's only about 4 ft of water in the well where the travel lift is located.

[Hans Grasman]

Ken,
You can fix it in the water. Place 2 large garbage containers on the bow and fill them with water.
Move all weight from your aft area to the bow. Your stern should now be at least 5 inches up.
Bring your boat to a shallow area of the lake and use a ladder on the stern or your own stern ladder. Or use a dinghy.
Start sanding the stern and fix the blisters. Paint the stern and remember that you are having the weight on the bow which will make it necessary to bring the paint line up a few inches.
Now I will tell you who suggested this to me nearly 5 years ago. Mr. Frank Butler !
BTW He was featured in Cruising Magazine I believe the June or May issue. He is quite a man who will leave a impressive legacy.
Have a good time fixing the boat !

[two_steppin]

Ken,

I have a pretty significant blistering problem on my 2005 350, which was in brackish water for only 2 years. I requested Catalina, via e-mail at their web site, for a copy of the warranty as mine is on my boat (I'm assuming) which is in drydock at a marina far from here for correction of the blistering problem. No response. My dealer is supposedly handling things with Catalina but I am not getting any documentation about who is paying for what and things keep shifting. I'm getting the impression that Catalina may be difficult to deal with on this problem. I'm giving my dealer a chance to provide me with some written facts about how Catalina is dealing with this warranty issue, and if not immediately forthcoming I will be dealing with Catalina firsthand.

Some of my blistering is on the transom, ABOVE the water line.

[KenKrawford]

I spoke directly with Frank Butler about the problem. He requested pictures. Here's what mine look like -



I'm on a lake outside Atlanta that is presently 16 feet below its normal level and as a result, boats with a draft like ours cannot be hauled at this time. Frank has advised me to get back to him when I'm ready to haul the boat.

If your dealer isn't very helpful, call Catalina directly. He's pretty easy to get a hold of.

[two_steppin]

Thanks Ken. I have a call into Frank even as I write this.

Norm

[two_steppin]

I'm reporting the conclusion of my blistering problem. First, Catalina (Frank) will ONLY honor its pro-rated 5 yr waranty, period! They will pay for the correction of the problem, but based on when you bought your boat. I strongly suggest that if you have a 2004/2005/ 0r 2006 year model and haven't ever pulled the boat, do so ASAP! In my opinion there definetly was a manufacturing problem regarding the gell coat. Frank doesn't seem to think that blistering gel coat is a manufacturing problem. I happen to think that if you use an inferior material, whether you know it or not, it's still a manufacturing problem. My bottom had to be completely peeled and have 14 coats of epoxy applied. The boat yard also painted the bottom of the stern to hide the repair work there. The yard, and my dealer, both said the bottom is now better than new and I should not have a blistering problem again. I believe them. I know that other 2005s have had this problem because the boat yard that repaired mine had to do the same procedure (with Catalina's blessing) on another 2005 just a month or so before mine.

[R.B.]

Good to hear that you got your bottom fixed. When we bought our boat new, we asked about having the bottom epoxied. Our dealer said it was not necessary and that we had the 5 year warranty in case there were problems. My wife and I, however decided to do preventative maintenance instead of repair work, so the 2 of us sanded and epoxied the new hull ourselves. So far so good.

[Dave Granata]

Norm,
Can you explain more about this? Since the warranty was prorated, how did that affect you? Did you have to split the cost or something? What hull number are you?
If you did have to pony up money and you feel comfortable answering, what was the damage?

THanks
Dave G

[two_steppin]

Dave,

I paid about 20% of the actual repair. Supposedly my dealer paid some also. In my opinon, the dealer didn't pay as much of the total cost as I was led to believe he would pay. Catalina paid about $8000 for the repairs. Catalina's warranty states that you must deliver the boat to the dealer's choice of repair facillity. This cost me extra because I didn't know I had a problem until the marina, which was close to my home port, pulled my boat for its first bottom painting. I had to pay that marina for hauling, wash down, and launching. My dealer wanted the boat done at a facillity near him because they had just finished the same repair to a sister ship a month before and he knew they were experieced in the methodolgy and had a rapport with Catalina (for what that is worth!). Legally, I was responsible for getting my boat there but the dealer agreed to take it there (a 3 day trip) if I would pick it up there and bring her home. Catalina is not responsible for any hauling or launching, bottom prep or painting expenses. Therefore, its hard to say what my costs were, versus Catalina, versus the dealer's. Also, I believe the yard actually did a better job than what Catalina wanted them to do -- Bless them!

I'm dissapointed in Catalina and have regrets that I bought one of their boats. I bought Catalina because I believed that they were a better built boat than their competitors. I'm not sure now. I certainly love the way she handles and sails. Bottom line: If you have blistering, it's gonna cost you! Also, anything a dealer tells you, get it in writing upfront.

[CaptainLarry2]

Within a year of purchase (2007) hull # 423 bottem paint flaked off in large pieces when the boat was hauled. Repainted, this when on several more years until we discovered thousands of very small blisters all over the hull causing the paint failure.
At this time we learned another boat in the yard hull#419 had discovered the same condition a year before me. The dealer had sanded off his gelcoat and replaced it. After a difficult discussion with Frank Butler at Catalina, the same procedure was done to my boat.

The following year the problem reoccurred on 419 and still under warrantee, Catalina partly paid to have the hulled peeled and gelcoat reapplied.
By the time I discovered the condition had returned and I was out of warrantee.

I understand there was a batch of defective gelcoat and that Catalina knew about the condition. The gelcoat "outgassed" and the blisters were no osmosis in nature I believe Catalina authorized only the minimum repair hoping the warrantee would expire before the cheap repair failed.

Anyone else had this experience? I am considering a legal remedy