How in the world can i have blisters already

[Robertpel9]

I have a 1995 Chris Craft Concept 18 that i bought in april from the original owner with only 89 hours on it, it was and is pretty much mint and i hand waxed it before i put it in the water here in Lake Norman NC where i have it in my dockslip wet.

Every weekend when i go out i wipe the entire underside down to remove and buildup and clean the outdrive etc. Tonight on my way home from dinner and drinks with my wife i jumped in for a swim and started wiping the boat down, i have not done it in almost 3 weeks due to weather and i felt rough spots. I could not see as it was dark but i am sure it is blister as it is only in the rear near the ladder and water line on both sides and my fingernail did nothing and it feels just like blisters and bunch of little bumps in the gelcoat that was previously perfect and i mean brand new perfect.

How could this happen so quickly and do i need to be concerned about it? The boat is so nice and runs like a top. I am not interested in major work and they are tiny and in limited areas but i imagine will only get worse.

I am doing my best to keep this boat like new please let me know why this would happen and what i can do within reason to at least contain it

Thanks,
Robert

 

[TheWoodCrafter]

Re: How in the world can i have blisters already

This boat is stored in the water.
Do you have bottom paint on it?
Anything continuosly under the water line should be bottom painted to protect from water intrusion.

 

[fishmen111]

Re: How in the world can i have blisters already

Pull it and paint it before you have more delamination. A fiberglass boat should never be slipped without bottom paint.

 

[Wet_Dream]

Re: How in the world can i have blisters already

Pull it and paint it before you have more delamination. A fiberglass boat should never be slipped without bottom paint.

You need a barrier coat and then bottom paint. This will also likely be the repair if you do have blisters.

 

[45Auto]

Re: How in the world can i have blisters already

Basically you have a porous gelcoat. The previous owner probably stored the boat on a trailer or lift so it spent relatively little time (89 hours maybe ) in the water.

Good article on blisters:

http://www.zimmermanmarine.com/docs/blisters 1.pdf

 

[Robertpel9]

Re: How in the world can i have blisters already

It spent pretty much no time in the water over the last 12 years as it was always on a trailer covered in his garage.

I saw it out in the sun today there are tins of tiny pimple size blisters right under the waterline in the rear side parts of the boat. Really nothing anywhere else (Under the boat, back or fron of the boat, etc) just along a 4 ft section right under the waterline

I am not going to spend a lot of money repairing this, what can i expect moving forward. Do i get any benefit out of sealing and painting it now or is it too late. I also read that it is very rare for this to be anything more than a cosmetic issue. I only paid 8,000 for the boat so i am not going to spend thousands making it perfect again, i admit i am ver disappointed, i though Chris Craft was a good brand but it is what it is

Is this something to obsess over or should i just enjoy the boat

 

[The Great Escape II]

Re: How in the world can i have blisters already

One of your issues might be the age of your boat 12 plus years. Boating technology has changed for the better and the resins that are used now don't even compare to something that was used 12 years ago. Vinylester resins is now one of the most important thing boat builders have used to combat blistering. Your boat might not have used Vinylester back then thus your issue with blisters.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: How in the world can i have blisters already

Very small blisters indicate they're in the gel coat, larger ones mean they're in the laminate. Since you said there is just one section that has blisters this is probably a repair, it may from the factory or at a later time. One other possibility is if you have a boot stripe near that area, sometimes overspray on the white from the boot stripe can cause blisters.

 

[Robertpel9]

Re: How in the world can i have blisters already

I read a lot tonight and i understand that what i have is very common. Small pimple like blisters right under the waterline. Seems to be mixed feelings about what to do but the general consensus is i am better off just leaving it alone as it is not and in all likelihood never will be a structural issue and even top notch repair jobs may not last

This is an 8,000 boat so i cant see worrying about it i guess. I lease the slip in my neighborood from a neighbor who is afraid of the water, i wish i owned it as i would put a lift in it. I still will opt for the convenience of having my boat 2 blocks from my doorstep but exposed to the elements vs driving 15 minutes to the closest marina where i could drydock it for twice what i am paying now

can i expect this to be a major issue moving forward or should i just forget it and enjoy my boat

 

[TheWoodCrafter]

Re: How in the world can i have blisters already

I would think if you start storing the boat on the trailer and not in the water the problem will not get worse.

You are going to take it out of the water, right?

 

[Robertpel9]

Re: How in the world can i have blisters already

no, i plan on leaving it in my slip. The whole point of having the slip is not to have to put it in and out of the water right??

this blistering sucks but I don't see much that i can do at this point I am not going to haul it in and out of the water and once they are there i have read it is better to just leave them alone that try to have them repaired. I dont know what to do

 

[xxxflhrci]

Re: How in the world can i have blisters already

Blisters are ugly and devalue a boat. However, very few cases are terminal. I'd just pick a DIY bottom paint, slap a coat or two on and enjoy the boat. The lake I use is littered with 10-30 year old boats that sit in the water all the time. Very few of them have the bottoms painted. I see the same old boats sitting around year after year. I doubt if blisters are quickly ending the lives of any of them.

 

[jeffnick]

Re: How in the world can i have blisters already

Those blisters could have been there when you bought the boat. I had a hull with very light blistering after only a few years. After the boat was pulled, and stored on the trailer for several months, the blisters smoothed out to the point of being unnoticeable. They reappeared after the boat had been in the water for a few weeks. I popped a few large ones and filled them; the rest never became big enough to bother with.