Gel Coat Bubbling

[material_girl]

I viewed a boat yesterday and found patches of gel coat bubbling inside the cockpit. The best way I can describe it is when you see rust starting to break through the paintwork of a car, say around the wheel arches.

Does anyone known what this is and how serious it is. Is it a sign of worse to come and a fault in the manufacturing process. It's not like osmosis bubbling where you see individual fingle nail size bubbles.

Regards

Neil

 

[rlw]

I've seen it before on my two previous Sunseekers (10+ years old then)
Exactly that effect and it seem to be in places were moist a lot of the time.(under the seats etc)

I always put it down to a variant of osmosis. Not quite the same as you see it on hulls but similar.

Rob

 

[PowerYachtBlog]

what you have seen is delamination between the lamintates
usually this gets exposed if a boat is built with a foam core, but even balsa can have similar problems if exposed to water
if you are interested for this boat I would get a GRP man quote me a price and then reduced from the total price

 

[Elessar]

RLW probably right.

edit poweryacht right too didn't see his post

In which case it's only cosmetic.

But when you said rust - there's no brown seeping out from pin holes or around screw holes is there? If so it has a wooden core that's got wet and is rotting. If so it is more serious and needs fixing.

 

[material_girl]

No actual brown rust streakes, just similar to the effect you see on motor vehcles before the rust breaks through. Thanks for your help.

Regards

Neil

 

[PowerYachtBlog]

Neil
does it have a bubble affect or its only cosmetic
if is only cosmetic then this happens with some chimeny from nearby factories or powerstation
if is only comsetic you clean with Boat Care powder and all will go, just to avoid taking away the shine from the gel coat rinse with some soap wax very fast
if you also compound the boat they will vanish the same...

 

[material_girl]

Thanks for your post. It was definately bubbling and not cosmetic. I haven't put an offer in for this and other reasons. Thanks again for your advise. Regards Neil