Chips to Gel Coat + Osmosis

[leftofcentre2006]

I have noticed a few very small chips to the hull of my Fletcher craft.

Are these cause for immediate concern? If so, would anybody care to explain to me what Osmosis is?

 

[Sixpence]

Are you online now ?

 

[BrendanS]

It's a huge and complicated area. Osmosis was originally a term used in biology to describe a process where a high concentration solution behind a semi permeable membrane will cause water to be drawn in from a lesser concentration on the other side of the membrane.

In boating terms, consider the hull to have a highly concentrated solution in some circumstances, a lot of water soluble concentrates with not that much water in, with the gel coat being a semipermeable membrane and the water on the outside being a less concentrate solution. Water migrates from the water to the hull through the gelcoat, to try and dilute the chemicals on the inside. A very simpified view, but basically whats going on. The more detailed version would have everyone yawning.

Nicks in the gelcoat won't really have that much effect.

Have a read of this lot, then ask questions here when you have a bit more of a handle on what you want to know

http://www.yachtsurvey.com/blisters.htm

and before anyone jumps in and says hull osmosis is not the same as biological, I know, just trying to simplify the explanation.

 

[leftofcentre2006]

Hi an thanks for the advice + Link.

Fortunately i can say my hull does not suffer from blisters.

The nicks are relatively small and one can see a darker matierial below the surface of the Gelcoat.

Some Gel Coat filler should sort it out. I was just concerned when i read somewhere that Gel Coat nicks/cracks caused Osmosis.

I assume i have nothing to worry about.

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