The buyer nor the surveyor saw the bubbles last spring, so we do not know if
the bubbles have developed since then (or why) or if they were overlooked by
the surveyor. The surveyor was hired to closely inspect the boat for
potential problems that could otherwise be overlooked by the buyer (the
buyer knew she did not know enough about boats to recognize this type of
problem). Now that she is getting more familiar with the details of the
boat (such applying the bottom wax herself), she is seeing more and asking
more. The bubbles might not even be an issue until the "expert" (the
surveyor) re-inspects the boat. The questions I am asking are merely to
help her (and myself) understand if and how bubbles can start to form, or
were they potentially ovelooked (raising the question of the value of
getting a survey done).


"Rosalie B." wrote in message
news
"Mark" wrote:

A friend purchased a small cruiser last spring and had it surveyed.
While
getting ready for this spring's launch and applying anitfouling wax she
noticed bubbles in the gelcoat. Contacting the person who did the
survey,
they said they would have a look at it again on the 20th of May with her
regular mechanic. In the meantime....

1) The surveyor said the bubbles in the gelcoat were not visible last
spring
and did not show up with sounding, and that maybe there was an electrical

Did the buyer see the bubbles? Were they there during the survey? If
not why not? If the buyer did not see the bubbles, why would the
surveyor have seen them?

problem at our marina that affected the hull (causing the bubbles to
form).
She responded and said not other boats at the marina were affected. Could
this phenomenon occur, or what are other typical causes of bubbles to form
in the gelcoat?

2) Is there any recourse against the surveyor if the bubbles were missed
during the survey. (I believe the surveyor is from the Kingston or
Belleville area)?

Mark (the rail, canopy, & lifeline hook guy)
www.ripnet.com/vtf/prod03.htm

We had bubbles in our gelcoat at the survey - the surveyor pointed
them out to us. Have never seen them since. Bob has concluded that
they were just water bubbles under the paint.