JWS Marine services is one of the leading osmosis repair centres on the South coast with a 3000sq foot undercover workshop at Southsea Marina. This enables us to reduce the cost for the customer and we also offer discount on marina cost related to the job.

 

Osmosis Prevention

Osmosis prevention should start when you buy a new boat.Up to 3 coats of epoxy coating can be added to a new hull and for best protection this should be done before the hull is out in the water. This will give a good start to the life of the boat. More and more new boats are now launching without this protective layer. For a professional protective fisnish the follwoing work should be undertaken:

1. Blast Hull

2. Blast Keel

3. Sand Hull

4. Spot fill hull

5. Corro-tech epoxy keel with 5 coats

6. Fill keel with 2 fills of epoxy filler

7. Sand keel

8. Apply new keel joint

9. Paint hull with 3 coats of epoxy primer prevention

10. Antifoul hull with 2 coats

 

Full Osmosis Treatments

Osmosis prevention for older boats is more complex. JWS Marine Services ensure that boats stand for a least 2 weeks as this allows the hull to dry out so when the moisture reading are taken from the hull the are more accurate. Accurate and regular readings are important to ensure the epoxy is not applied to a wet hull. Epoxy paint is a waterproof membrane that keeps moisture out but will keep moisture in too. Moisture entrapment can accelerate the osmosis process by up to 50%. If you need advice on osmosis prevention or treatment - just ask the experts at JWS.

 

Almost all glass fibre boats, whch are not protected, will develop some degree of osmotic symptoms at some point in their lives. JWS Marine Services is an approved International osmosis treatment centre and is able to treat any problems you might find. We are experienced in using a variety of products such as Blakes SFE 200, International Gel shield Plus, AMC ME100 epoxy coating to provide the best solution for each in individule problem. Once a boat has osmosis the full treatment consists of the total removal of gel coat. This is done by gel peeling this is done so the hull can dry out. We then use a specialist blasting company who sand balst the hull to expose the fibreglass blisters and any further blisters that have been missed by the peeling process. Washing the hull will increase the drying time by up to 50% than natural drying so at JWS we dont stop washing until the time comes to put the boat in the shed. 

 

JWS Marine Services uses the HotVac system to treat osmosis which consists of 4 large pads that are placed onto the hull, through which a controlled heat and vacuum is applied. This removes and absorbs water from the affected hull along with compounds which cause corrosion, weakening of the glass and resin bonds, delamination and blistering. At this point we can instructed a surveyor to monitur the application of the product that is chosen for the rest of the treatment. The treatment comprises of one layer of epoxy, 2 filling layers of under water filling epoxy, sand hull, 5 layers of epoxy then 2 coats of primer and 2 coats of antifoul then launch. As you can see we don't just put 4 layers on with JWS you get 6 layers of epoxy for the same cost as four, this give your boat abetter finish and in all the years JWS have poxied hulls, we have not had one come back or complaint.

The process of our Osmosis Treatment is as follows - Osmosis Treatment Video

1. Hull - Gel peel                      2. Hull & Keel(S) blast              3. Apply Corro-tech to keel(S) and fill

                                    

4. Hot Wash hull                      5. Tent hull & HotVac                6. Sand hull & 1 AMC epoxy coat 

   Hot wash Video                                                           

 

7. We fill and fair the hull between each coat

8. Remaining 5 coats of AMC epoxy.

              

     

As you can see from the last picture we finshied the treatment with a Copper Coat application.

There are some optional extras avalible with the Osmosis treatment -

Option 1: Extra Layer(S) of 292 tapered cloth

Option2: Surveyors oversight, this consist of 3 visits 1) Moisture readings following initial peel.

                                                                            2) Moisture reading prior to applcation.

                                                                            3) Final inspection and written report

We have a number of surveyors we use for this service but if you have a preferance we are happy to use your preferance.

 

 

More pictures of Osmosis treatment we have carried out can be found in our gallery in Osmosis Repair section.