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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

BLISTERS

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La Dolce Vita
1st Mate

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USA
86 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/23/2003 : 09:37:18

Yesterday our C25 was hauled out & blocked for the winter season. I was giving a quick inspection to the hull & noticed what I think are blisters. On the gelcoat at the very stern right above the boot stripe on both the port & starboard sides there are about a hundred tiny bumps. Unless you look really close you wouldn't even see them. The best way to describe the size is that it reminds me of prickley heat. Maybe a smidge bigger than the size of this *.

Before I get really upset about this I need to know if I should be upset.What causes blisters & if these are blisters can they be left alone? If not,what would it entail to fix them?

I again appreciate any input I can get on this subject.I did a search on this forum but the dialogue was only about bottom blisters.

Ed - La Dolce Vita ( 84 SR/SK )

Ed "La Dolce Vita"

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5902 Posts

Response Posted - 10/23/2003 : 10:13:29

It doesn't sound as if those are the kind of blisters that give sailors nightmares. From your description, they are probably little superficial blisters in the gelcoat that are caused by cleaners that contain acids that have been used to clean the waterline. My boat has them, and they haven't caused a problem or deteriorated noticeably.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 10/23/2003 : 11:32:18

Truth be told, it is rare that blisters really matter. We all just freak over them and fix them.

Edited by - on

Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

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1595 Posts

Response Posted - 10/23/2003 : 17:18:21

I am presently in the process of repairing blisters on my present boat. They are 1" to 1 1/2" in diamiter and depth is through the first ply or lay up that was put in the mold. They were and are no big deal. Sounds like what you have is gel coat blisters. If they are as small as you say then leave them alone. The story on blisters is about the same as the theory as to how the universe started. Seems no one realy knows for sure. After several years of reading here is what I beleve. Early 70 to mid 80s glycol was added to the resin to make it less flamable. Glycol atracts water. Fiberglass acts like a straw. Layups have air bubbles creating a void. The glycol atracts water from the hull it collects and is transmited along the glass fiber to where ever there is a spot (Void or Bubble) for it to collect. Since water is more compressable that glass resin it pools up in the void and creates a blister. If you find a fair size on be carefull when you pop it the fluid is under pressure and is acid like. Fiberglass hulls will absorb water through the gel coat and glass. There are only two types of boats. Those with blisters and those that will have them eventualy.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 10/23/2003 : 23:10:36

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Douglas
 I am presently in the process of repairing blisters on my present boat.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I am sorry to hear that Triska est malade. Many of us envy you for having such a wondeful boat. I hope it goes well with few suprises.

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Steve Kostanich
1st Mate

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88 Posts

Response Posted - 10/24/2003 : 23:04:16

How could you get gel coat blisters ABOVE the water line. They occur from continous immersion. Don't know exactly what you have, but I doubt it is the classic gel coat blister we here so much about.

Steve Kostanich C-25 Equinox 1119 sr/sk

Edited by - on

Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

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1595 Posts

Response Posted - 10/25/2003 : 01:11:30

At or near the waterline. moisture will wic along the glass fiber even above the waterline. Thanks for the kind words with regards to Triska. I did not realy need to tear into the blisters but she was comming out anyway so Ill make her a little better by taking care of most of them.

If you look close to the left side of the picture you can see the little bugers.

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 10/25/2003 : 10:30:39

Epoxy bottom time ?

Edited by - on

Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

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1595 Posts

Response Posted - 10/25/2003 : 11:26:35

If you want to read about epoxy and barrier coats here is a very interesting artical and a good site to purchase your epoxy.
http://www.epoxyproducts.com/barrier4u.html
http://www.epoxyproducts.com/marine.html

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 10/25/2003 : 11:55:44

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Steve Kostanich
 How could you get gel coat blisters ABOVE the water line. They occur from continous immersion. Don't know exactly what you have, but I doubt it is the classic gel coat blister we here so much about.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I pretty much agree with Steve. One clue would be if the "tiny bumps" shrink after a few weeks. Maybe a defect in the lay-up?

Edited by - on

cch
Navigator

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202 Posts

Response Posted - 10/26/2003 : 07:51:51

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Douglas
 If you want to read about epoxy and barrier coats here is a very interesting artical and a good site to purchase your epoxy.
http://www.epoxyproducts.com/barrier4u.html
http://www.epoxyproducts.com/marine.html
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Doug,

Thanks for the link to the site above. It took several days for me to study the web site. Such an incredible amount of information. The couple of questions I had which I could not find answers to were answered very quickly by eMail. Our hull is just about ready for the epoxy barrirer coat, and I am anxious to try these products.

Edited by - on

La Dolce Vita
1st Mate

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USA
86 Posts

Response Posted - 10/26/2003 : 12:03:42

If these bumps don't shrink or go away by the Spring what would you suggest that I do? Leave them alone and see what happens? These bumps are definitely just above the water line and I don't see any blisters on the bottom. Before buying this boat in May '03 the PO had it dry docked for two seasons with the shrink wrap still partly on. There was some pooling of water caught inside the shrink wrap against the hull in those areas.Could that have been what caused the bumps?

Edited by - on

Chip Hunt
Navigator

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120 Posts

Response Posted - 10/26/2003 : 12:32:45

the big problem with blisters is not that they will sink your boat immediately, but that they will dramatically affect the resale value of your boat. unless you plan on selling it in the near future, i dont guess that such small blisters will cause you problems. if you do plan on selling it, though, fixing the blister problem will increase the value of your boat.

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5902 Posts

Response Posted - 10/26/2003 : 13:59:52

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">If these bumps don't shrink or go away by the Spring what would you suggest that I do? Leave them alone and see what happens?These bumps are definitely just above the water line and I don't see any blisters on the bottom. Before buying this boat in May '03 the PO had it dry docked for two seasons with the shrink wrap still partly on. There was some pooling of water caught inside the shrink wrap <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
That could have caused the problem. When blisters first became a serious problem, I saw a C-30 that blistered in the areas that sat on the carpeted pads while it was stored on its cradle. When it rained and the pads got wet, that was enough to make it blister. If it is that type of blister, and not blisters caused by acid cleaners, that's a little more of a concern, but the blisters are so small that they're not serious at this point. I suggest you just keep an eye on them and see if they get worse. If necessary, they can be fixed easily enough, and, if you take your time, they won't even show.

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 10/27/2003 : 12:38:57

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by La Dolce Vita
 If these bumps don't shrink or go away by the Spring what would you suggest that I do? Leave them alone and see what happens? These bumps are definitely just above the water line and I don't see any blisters on the bottom. Before buying this boat in May '03 the PO had it dry docked for two seasons with the shrink wrap still partly on. There was some pooling of water caught inside the shrink wrap against the hull in those areas.Could that have been what caused the bumps?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Unfortuantely, getting the color and finish right will be the more challenging part of this repair (see Mini-Craft of Florida for products.) I seem to remember some negative things about shrink wrap - maybe this was one of them.
Without knowing what's really causing the bumps I'm reluctant to offer a suggestion. Gougeon Brothers has a technical assitance department . . . Mini-Craft has one also.

Edited by - on

La Dolce Vita
1st Mate

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USA
86 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2003 : 17:44:27

Thank you for all the responses. I'll keep an eye on them to see what happens. There will be plenty of time until next May to see if the bumps dry out.

I have a whole list of projects that I want to do next Spring (new rub rail, motor mount,re-finish steps,etc.)and thanks to everyone on this forum most of what is on my list will be alot easier!
Thanks Again!

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