Vinylester or Polyester?

A friend of mine who is in the process of purchasing a new boat is considering opting for Vinylester instead of Polyester resin in the construction for the obvious better qualities of the former.

Since this will come at a price, how can he check after the boat is delivered that indeed his boat was laid up with Vinylester?

Note that he does not have the possibility of being present whilst this work is ongoing.

Regards

 

It would be difficult to tell the difference with just a simple inspection, especially by someone that had no experience with resins. He would most likely need to hire someone to check for him during construction.

 

There is a subtle difference in smell. Grind until resin is exposed on specimens of each (PE and VE). If you can tell the difference use them to identify the new material.

Dino

 

I doubt whether he will have the option to build 2 specimen!

Why would the smell be different?

 

We don't know what size or kind of boat this is so randomly grinding into sections to see if it's vinylester or polyester might not be possible. Plus the person would have to know the difference in smell between the two products, which is unlikely.

I would think if you can't trust them enough to use the agreed-upon resin you couldn't trust them enough to build the boat

 

The smell of PE is different than VE. This is my personal observation based on repairing each when grinding away damaged and adjacent areas before laying up.

Find a piece of scrap VE and PE lay up. Grind, then smell. If you can pick up the difference like me, you can use them as odor indicators to detect if an unknown freshly ground sample is PE or VE.

Dino

 

Have a core sample drilled for your inspection and try to be there when they drill, so they can't substitute the appropriate size sample and say it's your boat.

 

If this is a large project, could the purchaser not appoint someone he trusts to be an agent for him? Then the agent could visit the yard during the layup process to ensure resins are as specified. Any half decent builder would be quite happy for an agent to visit. Only proviso is that the agent is sufficiently well versed in yacht construction that he/she understands what is going on at the yard.

Once the agent has visited or made a number of visits, he/she can report back to owner. A simple phone call may be enough or a documented report, depending on purchaser wishes.

It is important to understand the full lamination schedule as the builder will most likely use Polyester gelcoat and then a Vinylester layup with the reinforcing laminates.

 

There will be coupons produced when they make holes for the through-hull fittings. Make sure you are there when they make them. That will also give you a good sample of the lamination quality.

 

Ve.

Be aware that some builders may call a barrier coat of VE behind the gelcoat "vinyl ester construction".

Be sure you are getting what you pay for, 100% VE construction.

 

More usual build is Polyester gelcoat to then all Vinylester layup, as far as I am aware.

 

If you have ever laid up Vynilester, you wouldnt have to ask.

Burn the plastic seat of a Vynil office chair, and you will know what it smells like to layup a Vynilester hull.

The cured sandings will also stink the same.