[TAT]

I just wanted to introduce myself. As of yesterday I purchased a 1995 Mariah 192 Barchetta, one owner boat. I hope I made the right decision. the pictures looked great, when I physically saw the boat, there are blister spots on the hull, as well as rust holes on trailer. Blinded by my love of the water I purchased the boat. Its my first mariah, any suggestions regarding the blisters would be great (repair or not).

[mikeyt]

Welcome aboard. Buying with your heart or desire sometimes overules buying with your head but these aren't serious issues and that Mariah is a good solid first boat.The blisters are usually caused by water migrating thru the gelcoat & becoming trapped however this is a fairly easy repair. Here's a little 'cut & paste' from our friends at BoatSafe.com.

The first step is to open up the blisters to allow them to "bleed" the excess water. You may find areas where you can't actually see the blister but you do see water "weeping" from the gelcoat. Take a pocket knife to start the opening of each of the blisters and weeping areas and then grind down to solid laminate. Once you have opened these voids you will be rewarded with a very distinctive aroma which is generated from the foul residues. (Remember, water may also penetrate from the inside so make sure the bilges are dry.) Once all the blisters have been ground to solid laminate and the entire void exposed, allow the hull to dry for as long as possible. This may require a month or two or more. Older boats or boats in cold, damp conditions will take longer than newer boats or boats in hot, dry conditions.

Have a look at our "How To's" particularly this one by our Admin 'ShabahZ250' who did up an excellent & detailed guide on how to fix the hull damage. What might be more serious is the trailer rust depending on where it's located. Last thing you need is to be on the highway and hit a serious pothole or bump and watch the trailer come apart underneath the boat....

[TAT]

Mikey,

Thanks for the info, I will check out those other sites. The holes in the trailer are on the fenders. I plan on fixing them before the season starts. I am looking forward to the upcoming boating season. Thanks again for your help.

[Dredd]

Congrats on your purchase and welcome to the forums. Best of luck getting everything in order before season starts. I'm sure you won't have regrets.

[TAT]

Thanks for the welcome, Once I get things fixed I am sure I will be happy. Everything I have read about mariah boats has been positive. today, my four year old son asked if we could go out in the garage and clean the boat. Of course I said yes.