Boats For Sale:
Gel blisters |
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Bremsen 
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Joined: June-26-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 171 |
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 Topic: Gel blistersPosted: February-17-2010 at 1:43pm |
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Looking at a nautique that the PO left in the water for the summers. Gel has some small blisters over a couple large sections below the water line. Are there any problems that can arise from these blisters, long or short term? Can they be sanded out?
I don't leave the boat in the water for longer than a week or two once per summer. Otherwise we do day/weekend trips. Just want to be sure these wouldn't create a problem down the road. TIA -Ryan |
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79nautique
Grand Poobah 
Joined: January-27-2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 7872 |
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Posted: February-17-2010 at 3:59pm |
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no problems just visual but it might get worse, I would strip the hull of wax or anything else below the water line to prevent it from getting any worse.
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Bremsen
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Posted: February-17-2010 at 4:28pm |
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Good to know. Thanks Chris.
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79nautique
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Posted: February-17-2010 at 4:34pm |
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blisters are caused by water getting trapped between the porous gel-kote layer and the non-porous fiberglass layer of the hull. This is due to crud clogging the pores of the gel-kote i.e. wax, dirt pond scum.
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Keeganino
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Joined: October-27-2009 Location: North Carolina Status: Offline Points: 2063 |
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Posted: February-17-2010 at 4:42pm |
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So you are not supposed to wax gelcoat? Just wash it and buff when needed? How about on the deck is that ok to wax since it as above water? I cleaned my entire boat with "the works" before I started working on it and thought it might need to be waxed after that but never did. As far as I know my hull is blister free.
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"working on these old boats may not be cost effective but as it shows its what it brings into your life that matters" -Roger
1973 Skier |
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79nautique
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Joined: January-27-2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 7872 |
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Posted: February-17-2010 at 4:51pm |
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it's fine to wax the gel-kote above the waterline on the sides and the top as well. Waxing the bottom or below the water line can cause a yellowing effect and can clog up the gel-kote and lead to blisters below the waterline. Now you'll hear people chime in saying they've waxed the bottom for years without any issues and they most likely don't leave the boat in the water and actually leave it on lift which greatly reduces the risk of them forming.
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Keeganino
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Joined: October-27-2009 Location: North Carolina Status: Offline Points: 2063 |
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Posted: February-17-2010 at 4:58pm |
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Thanks for the info. Mine lives on a trailer and has only spent maybe 20 nights in the water in the last 5 years and that trend is not likely to change anytime soon.
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"working on these old boats may not be cost effective but as it shows its what it brings into your life that matters" -Roger
1973 Skier |
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