Is my hull really blistering????

[Ludicrous40]

Sanding the bottom today….thought it was my final prep before paint……….
So is this "blistering"? I've read how it doesn't happen with Parkers (mine is a 2003). They extend from bow to stern along the starboard side of the keel. No where else on the hull…….assuming "yes"…..now what?????

 

[Angus]

I just bought a new Parker pilot house, had the bottom painted as well. I would love to see what anyone who has had experince with this says becuase I heard the same thing about blistering.

 

[DaleH]

I don't see any depth/projection to them ...

Who painted the bottom? And what did they do to prep the hull?

To me the spots look like a solvent got sprayed onto the hull that prevented the paint from adhering in those spots. Wax is used so the frp hull can be pulled from the mold and that wax MUST be removed prior to painting. Maybe those are wax spots ... :?:

 

[Photoguy]

Hard to say from your photo but when I had my sailboat (1980's) that stayed in the water year round, it had blisters. They were almost like half- 'bubbles' on the surface. IOW, you could feel them.

 

[TWOBOATER]

If they really are blisters you should be able to crack them open with a pointed knife and usually see a purplish liquid inside. It's prbably over-sprayed gelcoat from a repair after it was removed from the mold. New boats often need small repairs when they're pulled from the molds.

 

[Harpoon]

They look like "fish-eyes" in the bottom paint.

 

[Ludicrous40]

Having a surveyor look at it Thursday. Basically using him as a consultant, not a full survey.

He's going to inspect, check moisture levels, and hopefully determine the cause. Assuming it is dry, then I get to repair, apply barrier, then ablative.....and hopefully never visit this issue again...

 

[Brent]

Did you ask Eric at Parker. He might know

 

[Ludicrous40]

Didn't speak with Eric directly, but did have a short dialog with the Parker technical department on email. I got a "blisters can be caused by so many things" response, which is true. In fairness to them, it would be pretty difficult to diagnose remotely given that the boat has been out of their hands for 11 years....I'll post how the "survey" goes, and then the repair...

 

[Brent]

I dont know but m2cw, blistering would cover the most or all of hull in the water and yours is partial

 

[Ludicrous40]

From what I've recently learned blisters wouldn't necessarily be everywhere if caused by hull damaged, or improperly repaired hull damage.

At this point I "think" it was blisters, and was caused by over sanding, and/or a deep gash in the keel that wasn't repaired, and was simply painted over with ablative. Prior owner was a hack.....

But, we'll see what I learn before the week is out. IMO it makes sense to have it evaluated by someone that does this stuff for a living. I don't want to be "re-sealing" next year......

 

[DaleH]

I think we're seeing blisters on boats stored 'wet' on bunk trailers ...

 

[Sully]

I think we're seeing blisters on boats stored 'wet' on bunk trailers ...

I don't understand "stored 'wet' on bunk trailers " ?

 

[DaleH]

Gelcoat is porous, trailer gets wet, boat goes on trailer, hull sits on wet bunk, doesn't dry out per se ... where does the moisture migrate to? ... the hull ...

All pictures I have seen of alleged or suspect blisters recently have been in a narrow pattern running from bow to stern. Just a susposition.

 

[TWOBOATER]

here's a different theory. At some point that boat sat in the water with little or no bottom paint in that area and it and got barnacled up. later on someone took the barnacles of but left the little "seats" on the hull and painted over them. Now, you've sanded the seats off and your seeing gelcoat that was never coated with primer or paint, so they look like blisters.

 

[bean]

I agree marine growth left on with no bottom paint. Etched the hull thus blisters. I had some like this on my old Mako from former owner.

" Bean "

 

[Bryan 2530]

here's a different theory. At some point that boat sat in the water with little or no bottom paint in that area and it and got barnacled up. later on someone took the barnacles of but left the little "seats" on the hull and painted over them. Now, you've sanded the seats off and your seeing gelcoat that was never coated with primer or paint, so they look like blisters.

Nah, those are definitely blisters the question is whether or not they are in the original gelcoat, or in a repair that was done later. Won't know till you strip off the bottom paint.
I would get down there with some water and 220 wet sand paper and clear off an area starting at the keel up about 12-18" or so and look for a seam from a repair.

If you are stripping the hull anyway, then barrier coat it and be done. If not, you have a decision to make.

 

[Ludicrous40]

If you look closely you can see cracks in some of them, but I'd be happy to learn that they weren't blisters. Either way I'm looking forward to putting this one behind me.

I do have a bunk trailer, but the bunks have something similar to starboard over the carpet. It might be that "plastic wood" that they use on home exteriors. Not sure if this surface is any better than carpet, but I would think it's dryer.

Surveyor/consultant coming tomorrow. Using that as an excuse to stay home and work on the boat all day…..

 

[Bryan 2530]

If you look closely you can see cracks in some of them, but I'd be happy to learn that they weren't blisters.

They are, the cracks are the liquid in side trying to come out.....

Why waste money on a surveyor, either fill and paint or barrier coat, your choice.

 

[Ludicrous40]

It's going to cost me $200.00 for the consult. Since I'm paying more for the barrier coat, it's a no brainer to have the input, and to have him check the moisture level before it's sealed up….. If I just repair, seal, and then have blisters in the fall, I'll have wasted huge amounts of cash on barrier and ablative….

but I here ya, I just want to be done.