Blisters

[Lazy1]

Hi,
I just got my boat this last summer and after having it out overnight one time I found small blisters about 1/4" in diameter above the bottom paint on the transom and on both sides in the cockpit area. They were all between the bottom paint and the actual waterline.
Would it be too much of a hack to just paint about a 4" stripe of this bottom paint above the the current bottom paint?

I would rather not do the entire bottom because the stripe would be pretty simple while it is trailered for Winter an the current bottom paint is pretty fresh looking. I know the stripe would not match the hull but maybe I could do a small stripe at the top to make it look "on purpose"

This is a 1986 so I would rather ignore it than spend a bunch of money to do it right.

 

[SG]

Could you take a few pictures of this. I think that it's unusual to have fiberglass blisters in the topsides ABOVE where the hull is being soaked in water. If the boot stripe is too low, that's a different story.

Some boat's at-rest boot strips have very different trim locations underway. For example our old Sabre 42's bow would drop down 4" or 5" under sail or motoring vs. "at rest" at anchor or at the dock.

Are your topsides gel coated or Awlgriped?

 

[Lazy1]

I am pretty confident that the waterline was a inch or two above the bottom paint in the rear. The blisters are due to submersion.
The pic shows the transom where some of the blisters were "popped". The depth is about fingernail thickness.

In the photo it looks like there were some popped blisters under the bottom paint and no blisters appeared below the paint line for me, just within about an inch above. The boat has been out of the water since Oct. 1 so the blisters have all dried out and returned to normal looking.

 

[SG]

Did you have moisture meter readings and discuss the options with a surveyor who knows what it all means?

You'll have to re-glass the "popped" blisters. Are those smaller blisters in the antifouling paint?

My guess, is that you should make sure your have a barrier coat under the antifouling; and, I'd look at having that extended up a bit.

How does the boat rest on her lines? The purpose of the boot stripe is to allow you keep the waterline cleaner; and, keep some bottom paints from deteriorating from UV and abrasion at the waterline.

 

[Lazy1]

I got the boat so cheap that I didn't bother with a survey. If I left this alone and got a few years out of it I would not feel robbed. Also it is a trailer queen so it does not spend that much time in the water over all, no moring or marina time unless I am camping over night.
Maybe a photo with perspective might help. I am not sure how I could fiberglass such a small spot. The largest is about 3/16"

 

[SG]

I'm not sure those are blisters, from the picture. You can have the "spots" patched, but you'll need to deal with UV problems if you use epoxy only. I would think you really need to replace it with some vinylester resin. I've not done that work myself.

Where is your "Driveway"?

 

[Lazy1]

Where is your "Driveway"?

Pittsburgh PA

 

[SG]

I'd suggest that you place a call and follow it up with an email (with the pics) to the West Epoxy guys.

It might be worth a call to Catalina with a "I've got a problem, I need your help. I love Catalina and have a little problem which isn't your fault, but I hope you can give me some advice...."

 

[Gene Neill]

I would say that doing nothing is also an option, based on your usage. Otherwise I'd probably use gel coat, slightly thickened. You'd be looking at about half a day's work, maybe less if aesthetics aren't important.

Painting over it with bottom paint won't help much, if at all.

 

[Whatfiero1]

A 4" stripe of bottom paint will make it disappear. out of sight out of mine thing. I think all boats blister eventually. My local Lowe's has a marine paint section and sells Rustoleum marine paint by the quart. But you'll have to fill those voids up before any paint will make it disappear

 

[Lazy1]

Thanks, My goal is to stop the osmosis more than hide the pock marks

 

[Lazy1]

This seems like useful info

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[Joe]

Those don't look like blisters to me. No one "pops" blisters without the intention of repairing them. The edges are too sharp... and even if they popped on their own (which is very unlikely) you'd be able to see fiberglass. It looks more like "flaking" where there's been an adhesion failure. Either follow Gene Neil's suggestion, or send the pictures to Catalina customer service for their comment.

 

[LeslieTroyer]

Looks like road rash to me.

 

[shemandr]

I think for a trailer sailor this is a minor annoyance. With your time frame an insignificant minor annoyance. Sail you boat have fun and forget about this.

 

[Grotto]

I had similar blisters, my fix was clean and bevel the gelcoat with a dremmel sander. Then fill with thickened epoxy and silica, about peanut butter thickness. MarineTec also works. Sand it down put a barrier coat on and repaint the boot stripe. If you don’t fix you run the risk of more gelcoat delaminating

 

[greg_m]

I can attest to the fact that those are in fact osmotic bilsters that lift the gelcoat sufficiently to crack a crescent moon shape! Ask me how I know this... or take a gander at my thread!

Use a dremel and a small rounded cutting or sanding tool bit to hollow out the rot and taper edges of "pit" leaving a nice soft edge and smooth hollow pit. Keep it neat and tidy for minimal effort later. Then, as Gene has recommend, use some good old gel coat to fill right back up. If done nicely it is really as good as it needs to be for purpose of use.

The bilsters were just so bad and widespread on my boat that I went the whole hog

 

[Johnb]

Pop the blisters and let them dry. Maybe help them along with a hairdryer. This was an annual event when I had my 23 foot trailer able. When thouroughly dry fill as above or if out of sight paint with epoxy. In 10 years I never had one come back.
They are not a structural issue and you are right, in a low value boat palliative care is appropriate. How I miss those cheap haul outs