Gelcoat Blister Repair: Six Questions
Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2024 9:58 am
I have a 1969 [unidentifed model and length of Boston Whaler] boat that I've owned since 2017. I have been wet-slipping the boat for the past several seasons and noticed that the gelcoat was blistering significantly below the waterline. This winter, I am working on repairing the hull blisters.
I removed the boat interior, and the hull is upside down in the garage. I gave the entire bottom below the waterline an initial sand down the blisters, and to size up what I'm working with.
See photos below.
Q1: What would be the best course of action going forward?
My initial plan was to go down to the fiberglass, epoxy barrier coat, and then new gelcoat. Or I was thinking I could do new gelcoat and then barrier coat and bottom paint below the waterline.
Q12: do I need to [sand] down the [entire] hull to the laminating layers?
Q3: do I only need to sand the areas of the hull where it is really badly pitted from the blistering?
Q4: what is the process for making repairs?
Q5: should a barrier coat be applied?
Q6: should new gelcoat be applied?
This hull has clearly had work done in the past that I'm slowly uncovering as I continue sanding.
I don't believe the hull is waterlogged, as it has no soft spots. I an four friends were was able to pull off the hull from the trailer, flip over the full, and carry the hull into the garage without much effort.
I will very much appreciated any insights.
I removed the boat interior, and the hull is upside down in the garage. I gave the entire bottom below the waterline an initial sand down the blisters, and to size up what I'm working with.
See photos below.
Q1: What would be the best course of action going forward?
My initial plan was to go down to the fiberglass, epoxy barrier coat, and then new gelcoat. Or I was thinking I could do new gelcoat and then barrier coat and bottom paint below the waterline.
Q12: do I need to [sand] down the [entire] hull to the laminating layers?
Q3: do I only need to sand the areas of the hull where it is really badly pitted from the blistering?
Q4: what is the process for making repairs?
Q5: should a barrier coat be applied?
Q6: should new gelcoat be applied?
This hull has clearly had work done in the past that I'm slowly uncovering as I continue sanding.
I don't believe the hull is waterlogged, as it has no soft spots. I an four friends were was able to pull off the hull from the trailer, flip over the full, and carry the hull into the garage without much effort.
I will very much appreciated any insights.