I have a 93 Bayliner 2452. Last week after haul out and bottom cleaning I noticed for te first time a number of bubbles in the gelcoat (below the water line only). None of these bubbles/blisters are open and there are no signs of leakage. Has anyone else experienced this? If so, what should be done? ... Tony

Anthony wrote:

I have a 93 Bayliner 2452. Last week after haul out and bottom cleaning
I noticed for te first time a number of bubbles in the gelcoat (below
the water line only). None of these bubbles/blisters are open and there
are no signs of leakage. Has anyone else experienced this? If so, what
should be done? ... Tony


Well, there are some who would advise you to grind them out, fill them
in, paint the bottom and sell the boat without saying anything.

There are others who would say they're not important and lots of boats
suffer from blisters. Usually these folks are selling boats with blisters.

There are legit ways to repair these blisters, but, if you've got them,
you're likely to get more of them.

Here's a source of reasonable information:

http://www.wessex-resins.com/westsystem/wsosmosis.html




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I'd fix the damage and properly bottom paint. An undesirable job, but
if you don't do it they won't go away nor will they get better.


And if they're between the gelcoat and the skinout mat (as 99% of such blisters
are)
they are a cosmetic problem only. If you lose a lot of sleep worrying about how
your boat looks under the waterline, spend a few thousand to fix them.....but
there is a high probabilty that unless you peel the bottom and relaminate with
vinylester (which is what the newer Bayliners have used for several years) any
lesser fix will be temporary, at best.

Osmostic blisters are a separate problem from delamination. Delamination is
very serious, and could compromise the strength of your hull. What you are
describing sounds like osmotic, gelcoat blistering.

Old wives' tales:

1. Osmotic blisters are the first stage of delamination.

2. Blistering causes the laminates to soak up water until the fiberglass gets
"waterlogged."

Worst effect of blisters is the resale problem. In the Pacific NW, about 90% of
the FRP boats more than just several years old have a few blisters, most have
dozens, and some have many more. When these boats are surveyed, the surveyors
note the presence of the blisters and tap carefully around them to make sure
there isn't any delamination. 90-some percent of the time, there is not any
delam and the surveyors categorize the problem as cosmetic/non-structural.

Here's where the fun begins. The buyer will look at the survey and holler,
"Blisters? Well, let me tell you: I'm still going to buy the boat but I need a
big discount!" The seller will say, "Those blisters have been there for years
and they're no big deal......"
and the re-negotiations begin.

Most of the buyers who get an additional discount for blisters enjoy the
discount but do *not* spend the money to fix the boat. In a few years, when
it's their turn to sell the boat, they have done a philosophical 180 and will
be quick to tell their own prospective buyer that the blisters are
"no big deal, just cosmetic."

Good article on blisters, from a controversial source but I think he has this
fairly well understood:

http://www.yachtsurvey.com/BuyingBlisterBoat.htm

On Mon, 13 Oct 2003 16:22:25 +0000, Gould 0738 wrote:

I'd fix the damage and properly bottom paint. An undesirable job, but
if you don't do it they won't go away nor will they get better.


And if they're between the gelcoat and the skinout mat (as 99% of such blisters
are)
they are a cosmetic problem only. If you lose a lot of sleep worrying about how
your boat looks under the waterline, spend a few thousand to fix them.....but
there is a high probabilty that unless you peel the bottom and relaminate with
vinylester (which is what the newer Bayliners have used for several years) any
lesser fix will be temporary, at best.


When I bought Far Cove almost 15 years ago, I had professionals "fix"
the blister problem. A few years later, I was picking the goop out of the
drill-holes, and new blisters were appearing. Now, Far Cove has blisters.
Some have been there for almost 15 years. Can't say they're doing any
damage, although "fixing the blisters" IS on my List Of Things To Do (but
probably after replacing the engine, stancions and upholstery, re-seating the
windows, repainting the deck...)

Lloyd Sumpter
"Far Cove" Catalina 36 (1983)

Sounds like osmosis. You really should determine if that is the case.I
believe there will be water in the blisters if so. I worked on a C&C with
it using I believe an Intertlux system(was a friends boat). He had had the
hull soda blasted and then using a dremel tool ground out all the blisters.
They were then filled and faired off, ending in sealing the hull. Big job
but now the hull is beautiful. Good Luck Michael



"Gould 0738" wrote in message
...
I'd fix the damage and properly bottom paint. An undesirable job, but
if you don't do it they won't go away nor will they get better.


And if they're between the gelcoat and the skinout mat (as 99% of such
blisters
are)
they are a cosmetic problem only. If you lose a lot of sleep worrying
about how
your boat looks under the waterline, spend a few thousand to fix
them.....but
there is a high probabilty that unless you peel the bottom and relaminate
with
vinylester (which is what the newer Bayliners have used for several years)
any
lesser fix will be temporary, at best.

Osmostic blisters are a separate problem from delamination. Delamination
is
very serious, and could compromise the strength of your hull. What you are
describing sounds like osmotic, gelcoat blistering.

Old wives' tales:

1. Osmotic blisters are the first stage of delamination.

2. Blistering causes the laminates to soak up water until the fiberglass
gets
"waterlogged."

Worst effect of blisters is the resale problem. In the Pacific NW, about
90% of
the FRP boats more than just several years old have a few blisters, most
have
dozens, and some have many more. When these boats are surveyed, the
surveyors
note the presence of the blisters and tap carefully around them to make
sure
there isn't any delamination. 90-some percent of the time, there is not
any
delam and the surveyors categorize the problem as cosmetic/non-structural.

Here's where the fun begins. The buyer will look at the survey and holler,
"Blisters? Well, let me tell you: I'm still going to buy the boat but I
need a
big discount!" The seller will say, "Those blisters have been there for
years
and they're no big deal......"
and the re-negotiations begin.

Most of the buyers who get an additional discount for blisters enjoy the
discount but do *not* spend the money to fix the boat. In a few years,
when
it's their turn to sell the boat, they have done a philosophical 180 and
will
be quick to tell their own prospective buyer that the blisters are
"no big deal, just cosmetic."

Good article on blisters, from a controversial source but I think he has
this
fairly well understood:

http://www.yachtsurvey.com/BuyingBlisterBoat.htm

Sounds like osmosis. You really should determine if that is the case.I
believe there will be water in the blisters if so.

The liquid in most blisters isn't water.
When water penetrates the gel coat, (as it will do because gel coat is normally
porous), it reacts with any little microbits of dirt or etc that got settled on
the mold after the gelcoat was sprayed but before the skin out mat was laid in.
The chemical reaction forms a sort of solvent- particularly with a polyester
(vs vinlyester) layup. Next time you're popping a hull blister, hold some of
the contents up to your nose. Most typically, it will have a chemical
smell...almost reminiscent of Acetone.

The PM-II has a lot of little teeny blisters beneath the waterline. I just
waxed the bottom with a good wax and drove the damn boat. They don't seem
any worse after a 1/2 season.

-W

"Gould 0738" wrote in message
...
I'd fix the damage and properly bottom paint. An undesirable job, but
if you don't do it they won't go away nor will they get better.


And if they're between the gelcoat and the skinout mat (as 99% of such
blisters
are)
they are a cosmetic problem only. If you lose a lot of sleep worrying
about how
your boat looks under the waterline, spend a few thousand to fix
them.....but
there is a high probabilty that unless you peel the bottom and relaminate
with
vinylester (which is what the newer Bayliners have used for several years)
any
lesser fix will be temporary, at best.

Osmostic blisters are a separate problem from delamination. Delamination
is
very serious, and could compromise the strength of your hull. What you are
describing sounds like osmotic, gelcoat blistering.

Old wives' tales:

1. Osmotic blisters are the first stage of delamination.

2. Blistering causes the laminates to soak up water until the fiberglass
gets
"waterlogged."

Worst effect of blisters is the resale problem. In the Pacific NW, about
90% of
the FRP boats more than just several years old have a few blisters, most
have
dozens, and some have many more. When these boats are surveyed, the
surveyors
note the presence of the blisters and tap carefully around them to make
sure
there isn't any delamination. 90-some percent of the time, there is not
any
delam and the surveyors categorize the problem as cosmetic/non-structural.

Here's where the fun begins. The buyer will look at the survey and holler,
"Blisters? Well, let me tell you: I'm still going to buy the boat but I
need a
big discount!" The seller will say, "Those blisters have been there for
years
and they're no big deal......"
and the re-negotiations begin.

Most of the buyers who get an additional discount for blisters enjoy the
discount but do *not* spend the money to fix the boat. In a few years,
when
it's their turn to sell the boat, they have done a philosophical 180 and
will
be quick to tell their own prospective buyer that the blisters are
"no big deal, just cosmetic."

Good article on blisters, from a controversial source but I think he has
this
fairly well understood:

http://www.yachtsurvey.com/BuyingBlisterBoat.htm

The PM-II has a lot of little teeny blisters beneath the waterline. I just
waxed the bottom with a good wax and drove the damn boat. They don't seem
any worse after a 1/2 season.

When we bought our current boat in the early 90's, the surveyor pointed out the
blisters along the chine. "Better keep an eye on those!" he advised.

Been keeping an eye on 'em for over a decade. I thnk there might be four more
than when we bought the boat. :-)
A haulout or two ago, I had the yard guy grind and fill along the chine, and
that wiped out most of the blisters in that area.
So far, they haven't returned.