Are these gelcoat blisters? Need general advice on repair.

[vetting]

This year is my first time on jack stands since I've owned the boat for 10 years. The boat is slipped in Lake Michigan 7 months of the year. I pressure washed and then sanded all of the years and years of old bottom paint off. There are some areas where the gelcoat is nicked up so I started taking a rotary tool to open the damage up a bit and remove any loose gelcoat. Attached a photo of the nicks that I opened up.

So question #1
I'm going to do 4 coats of Interprotect 2000e barrier coat. There are some areas that might need a bit of glass, but most are just small divots. What is the preferred method to fill these before the barrier coat? I have plenty of West Systems epoxy and multiple fillers. I also have Total Boat TotalFair.

Question #2
Are the circles in the other photos blisters? I opened a few of them up in other spots and nothing appeared to be delaminated.

 

[airshot]

I would want those areas totally sealed before putting any paint over them.

 

[vetting]

I would want those areas totally sealed before putting any paint over them.

Current plan is West System epoxy with either 406 or 410.

Im just not sure if I should be chasing after those other spots and grind the out or not. They have to be slightly raised and got sanded more than the surrounding area. Just not sure if they are actual blisters or not.

 

[BillWilliams]

I'm no expert on blisters; however, the circles in the first two photos do not appear to be raised like a blister. Blisters are bumps that form in the gel-coat from pressure from water that has absorbed through the gel-coat. I also believe if you open a blister up, you may get some water that comes out.

 

[racerone]

It does not look like there is any gelcoat on this hull.

 

[airshot]

I would defiantly open each one up and be sure no water is trapped inside..remember that fiberglass itself is not waterproof, it is the gel coat that seals water out. I would want them dry then sealed before painting over them.

 

[flashback]

They need to be opened up and then dry the hull out. They Will return if the laminate is still wet no matter how much epoxy you put on them

 

[FunInDuhSun]

Regarding question #1- when you do the barrier coat, make SURE you are able to do each re-coat within the specified timeframe. If you’re late, the previous layer must be scuffed up to allow the next coat to properly adhere. Interprotect 2000e is a good product. Will you be doing a bottom paint over the barrier coat?

 

[vetting]

Did another night of repairs. Ground out any loose gelcoat and then filled with West Systems Epoxy and 406 with a bit of the dark brown/red filler so I can see where I actually put it. Switched up to slow cure hardener so I can fill for more than 10 min before it kicks. Got one side fully done and working on the 2nd side now. Then sand back down and use some TotalFair if I need to do any fairing. Then 2 gallons of Interprotect 2000e and then bottom paint. Hope to finish up this weekend.

 

[Scott Danforth]

you have some seriously long crazing in pic #1

I would be concerned with why

 

[vetting]

you have some seriously long crazing in pic #1

I would be concerned with why

View attachment 397523

I've replaced almost all of the stringers in the boat in the last few years. The pic makes it look way worse than it is due to the bottom paint sanding dust.

 

[vetting]

Regarding question #1- when you do the barrier coat, make SURE you are able to do each re-coat within the specified timeframe. If you’re late, the previous layer must be scuffed up to allow the next coat to properly adhere. Interprotect 2000e is a good product. Will you be doing a bottom paint over the barrier coat?

Yeah will be doing bottom paint over the barrier coat. Just not sure which one to go with yet. Any recommendations?

 

[FunInDuhSun]

I’m a fan of Pettit, used their bottom paints for decades. Remember to apply the first bottom coat within the same timeframe as the barrier re-coats. Some people (not me) like to use 2 different bottom paint colors to tell them it’s getting thin.

Here‘s a paragraph concerning the Great Lakes:
Do you boat in salt water or fresh? Paints designed to prevent barnacles in salt water might not be effective in preventing freshwater algae or slime growth, or in deterring zebra mussels. If you boat in the Great Lakes or other freshwater areas where slime is a problem, consider a paint that contains an agent called Irgorol 1051, which works to block photosynthesis in algae and other plant-based hitchhikers. Check out Petit Trinidad SR Antifouling Paint with Irgirol or Interlux Mircon CF with Slime Blocking Technology (not Irgorol but a different agent).

 

[racerone]

Make of this boat ?

 

[vetting]

I’m a fan of Pettit, used their bottom paints for decades. Remember to apply the first bottom coat within the same timeframe as the barrier re-coats. Some people (not me) like to use 2 different bottom paint colors to tell them it’s getting thin.

Here‘s a paragraph concerning the Great Lakes:
Do you boat in salt water or fresh? Paints designed to prevent barnacles in salt water might not be effective in preventing freshwater algae or slime growth, or in deterring zebra mussels. If you boat in the Great Lakes or other freshwater areas where slime is a problem, consider a paint that contains an agent called Irgorol 1051, which works to block photosynthesis in algae and other plant-based hitchhikers. Check out Petit Trinidad SR Antifouling Paint with Irgirol or Interlux Mircon CF with Slime Blocking Technology (not Irgorol but a different agent).

I'll take a look. I usually dont have a problem with slime because I use the boat at least twice a week. I had been using West Marine PPC. We also have zebra and quagga mussels like crazy. None ever stick to the bottom but plenty of them stick on the top part of the outdrive and trim rams.

 

[vetting]

Make of this boat ?

89 Cobia Odyssey 265 FC. This is what it looked like right at haulout last fall.