My CLC 17LT is two months old and has been paddled 65 miles in 9 outings since then. The boat is finished with the usual paint job that wraps up onto the edge of the deck. This week I stored the boat outside instead of in the garage because I needed the room to layout some paddles that I was repairing. Here in NJ it has rained for three days straight. The boat sat out in the rain with the deck up and a cockpit cover in place. Yesterday I put the boat on the car for today's paddle in Keyport NJ (yeah, no rain!) ( a nice paddle before work today, by the way) when I noticed that the area around the the hull to deck joint felt rough. Inspection in daylight today indicates the presence of numerous very tiny blisters in the paint, more numerous along the hull-to-deck joint, but some as for down as the keel.

The finishes were applied to the boat as follows: 1. The deck was varinish with Epiphanes varnish down to the hull-to-deck joints. 2. The boat was taped about 3/4 inch into the deck after using the CLC desinated scribing tool. 3. The hull and deck wrapover were painted with Petit Hi Build Primer, more than half of which was sanded off. 4. The hull and deck wrapover were painted with white Brightsides - 3 coats 5. Tape was removed.

Here is what I think happened, and I'd appreciate comments back as to whether or not you all think this is correct. My hypothesis is that the paint-after-varnish sequence left moisture absorbing Hi-Build exposed to the environment along the unfinished paint edge. The three days of rainy outside storage allowed moisture to enter under the Brightsides and migrated under the finish. The blisters are now occurring where the water is residing, which is trying to evaporate in the rising temperatures.

Looking over recent paint and varnish posts, it has become clear that the varnish should go on last, as it would have provided a seal over the edge of the paint on the deck. However, at the time I was finishing the boat, I never thought of this because it isn't mentioned in the painting instructions in LC's Shop Tips, and I do not recall, correct me if I am mistaken, that it is discussed in the Chesapeake manual. My thought, instead, was that I did not want to get messy varnish on the white paint.

At this point, it looks like I need to sand, revarnish, and repaint the enire boat this winter, unless there are other ideas. (Line 'em up, my Triple needs a coat as well.)

Lesson learned, paint, then varnish.

Steve C