Wet patches on hull

[Mileholm]

I was looking at 20 year old American sportscruisers at the weekend with a friend and saw these wet patches on a hull.

Is that some form of osmosis?

It had been pressure washed that morning, but this surely does not look right?

 

[Greg2]

They look like they might be damage repairs where the gelcoat has not been well matched. If they are then assuming the repairs were done properly it is likely a superficial / aesthetics thing but something to look into with a surveyor.

If they are actually wet/damp then possibly a filler has been used that isn’t water resistant (epoxy based) but in that case you might expect some blistering, which doesn’t appear to be the case.

Worth further investigation if you/your friend are seriously interested in the boat.
.

 

[Mileholm]

They look like they might be damage repairs where the gelcoat has not been well matched. If they are then assuming the repairs were done properly it is likely a superficial / aesthetics thing but something to look into with a surveyor.

If they are actually wet/damp then possibly a filler has been used that isn’t water resistant (epoxy based) but in that case you might expect some blistering, which doesn’t appear to be the case.

Worth further investigation if you/your friend are seriously interested in the boat.
.

Thank you!

Of course - poor gelcoat matching from repairs make a lot more sense (especially with the areas with this differing colour being obvious places for scrapes). There was nothing really to suggests that these spots were any wetter than any GRP hull would be on a rainy winter day at Loch Lomond after being power washed. Absolutely no blisters anywhere. Everything inside seemed bone dry as well.

I guess it is just a decision then on whether one can live with something with such a poor aesthetic as I guess there’s not much you can do short of repainting/wrapping the entire hull(?)

I wish I could rename the thread now, but it can instead stand as testament to my cluelessness .

 

[47GC]

Just looks like a bad gel coat repair. A good gel guy could rip that out and get a better match if it bothers you.

 

[simonfraser]

just think of the resale value like this - depends what you are paying for it

 

[lusitano]

I,d want to have a look at the affected areas from the inside too.
Looking more closely around the portlight frames, there appears to be evidence of masking tape and glue residue that would indicate the hull has had paintwork done, either white or blue or both. Are you sure the dark patch isn,t
where say a fender has rubbed through paintwork, exposing the original gelcoat ?

 

[Mileholm]

just think of the resale value like this - depends what you are paying for it

Yea - price has to reflect so no massive hit when reselling.

I,d want to have a look at the affected areas from the inside too.
Looking more closely around the portlight frames, there appears to be evidence of masking tape and glue residue that would indicate the hull has had paintwork done, either white or blue or both. Are you sure the dark patch isn,t
where say a fender has rubbed through paintwork, exposing the original gelcoat ?

Re shadow around port light: do you mean this area here in this close-up? If so, I think that is just lighting that makes it appear like that.

Re dark patches, you think it could simply be the paintwork rubbed off rather than a repair? The boat has been sitting on a pontoon unused for quite a long time.

 

[Mileholm]

Just realised I got the starboardside as well, which looked the same.

 

[lusitano]

From the photos, I,d say that the hull has been painted and the paint is coming off, probably where fenders have been rubbing over a prolonged period.
Something funny about the waterline stripe too - seems to be missing altogether .
Survey strongly recommended if you are seriously interested.

 

[KevinV]

I'd agree with @lusitano - the edges of the patches aren't smooth as you'd expect from a gelcoat repair, they look jagged as you'd expect from paint failure. To me it looks likes bad paint prep, easily done if the boat has had silicone polish for years, which has possibly come to grief with the pressure washer - not necessarily rubbing, because it's there on the bow and the waterline too, where you wouldn't get rubbing but you would get algae - which you'd hit with the pressure washer..

 

[Mileholm]

Thanks again folks. So is the consensus still that this is likely cosmetic, but something my friend should 100% get a surveyor to judge on?

The boat is cheap, but comes with little history as a widow is coming around to selling it after her husband passed away a couple of years ago.