Blisters

[Mike O'B]

I recently purchased a 1981 Hunter 25. It has some blisters below the waterline but not many. Can I leave the boat in the water until November when I will have the time to haul it out or am I doing further damage to the boat by leaving it in the water so long. The boat is in fresh water in Atlanta, GA.

 

[LaDonna Bubak - CatalinaOwners]

You're fine

Blisters are not generally major problems and if you're on fresh water and only have a few, count yourself lucky! You're gonna have to fix 'em whether they're the size of a dime or the size of a nickel, so that little amount of time shouldn't be a problem. LaDonna

 

[Jim WIllis]

All about blisters?

If you go to the Gelcoat and Plastics Forum that I host, you will find Fiberglass Trilogy III some general info on blisters - what causes them and how to treat them.I wrote this hoping for some comment but you all seem to be down here on this forum!Jim Willis

 

[Wanderer138]

You should be fine, but...

Be prepared to find more (and bigger) blisters than you had anticipated. I thought I had a relatively minor problem until I looked more closely. I ended up grinding away more fiberglass, and using more filler and barrier coat than I had expected.Don't forget to check the rudder blade when looking for water damage. Mine was chipped and delaminated in a few places. BTW, my boat was built in 1988 and it has been in warm fresh water for most of the last five to six years (I've owned it for two). I hope you have less trouble than I did.PeterH23 "Raven"

 

[MR .MCGOO]

IF SHE A FLOAT LEVE HE BE

LEVE HER BE BUT TRY NOT TO SAIL HER .IT WILL FORCE WATER DEEPER IN TO HER. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT HER HAD DAMAGE? I ONLY FOUND OUT AFTER I DIB SOME BOTTOM PAINTING AND FOUND MORE THAN I BARGANED FOR. I PATCHED HER MY SELF BUT KNOW SHE WILL HAVE TO HAVE IT DONE RIGHT BY PROS SOON. AND THEN PAINT HER MY SELF TO DEFRAY THE COST. GOOD LUCK!-I POPED SOME THAT HAD WATER IN THEM AND SOME WERE DRY SOME WERE SMALL (A DIME) AND SOME A SILVER DOLLOR! SO WATCH OUT ONCE YOU START IT MAY BE TWO WEEKS JUST TO GET HER PREPED AND DRY THEN GETTING IT(EXOPX COMP.) TO STICK UP-SIDE DOWN THEN SAND AND PAINT AN OTHER WEEK... DID I SAY GOOD LUCK!