Osmosis, chips, or old repair coming undone? Help.

[Jeff Quigley]

Just pulled out the boat from storage and jumped under it to inspect the hull. A spring surprise! I've got chips. Not 1 but about 7-8 of them all on one side of the boat. I first thought that maybe I hit something last year and didn't notice it before storing it. Then I took a closer look and wondered "osmosis"? I checked out some topics in the archives and thought I'd post a new topic with some photos of my problems.<br /><br />Quick bit of history: She's a 1990, 21 foot cuddy cruiser that we've always kept in the water during the summer. These cracks were not present last spring. Last season, the boat did take on some water due to a faulty repair. Not much, but enough to get a bit wet on the inside. This was my first thought when thinking osmosis.<br /><br />I snapped some pics to post and while PhotoShopping the images noticed a discolouration when I adjusted the brightness and contrast (I'm and Art Director in an ad agency - force of habit). Now I'm thinking this is an old repair coming back to the surface.<br /><br />I went down to the local marine supply and talked to the owner about the problem and he says to bring it to a pro, sand blast the area and have it redone - his guesstimate 2 grand. <br /><br />Check out the pics, I need all of your expert opinions.<br /><br />Jeff<br /><br />PHOTO 1<br /><br />

<br /><br />PHOTO 2 (adjusted contrast)<br /><br />

<br /><br />PHOTO 3 (close up of 2 chips/crack)<br /><br />

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Osmosis, chips, or old repair coming undone? Help.

I'm on netzero, so resolution is a problem for me, but that sure looks like a previously repaired area to me!

 

[Solittle]

Re: Osmosis, chips, or old repair coming undone? Help.

Whatever the cause you definitely have a lot bigger problem than just chips. The cracks seem to be along a line of some sort. Though it is a bit hard to tell from the photos, it almost looks like there is a piece of wood glassed to the inside of the hull. Where it is glassed to the hull you have some major stress cracks that have popped the gel coat surface (hence the chips). If this is indeed so you have a significant structural problem and I would not use the boat until you are sure of what is going on.<br /><br />Can you examine that area from the inside?<br /><br />Please keep us posted.

 

[RubberFrog]

Re: Osmosis, chips, or old repair coming undone? Help.

It's not osmosis. Osmosis is more like blisters. One way or another you're going to have to strip that area down inside and out figure out what the problem is.