Blister in Gel Coat

[Slfmde]

Am I just lucky or is this common? New Ar240 dealer is the only one who's had it in the water. It's about 1/2 wide.

http://imgur.com/Zf6fsf8

Am I OK to get it fixed after the season or do I need to get it fixed at all?

8/23: http://imgur.com/a/Cemfs Just noticed this on the port side under the rub rail. The black area is actually a void or dip in the fiberglass.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Since there's no raw fiberglass visible and its above the water line just wait until the off season to get it taken care of. Is the blister hard or soft?

 

[Seadeals]

It looks like a manufacturing defect. Is that above or below waterline. You should be fine to wait for the off season unless it grows or pops. You might do a coin tap test of the surrounding area to check for a major issue; but it looks like a small defect.

 

[Slfmde]

It looks like a manufacturing defect. Is that above or below waterline. You should be fine to wait for the off season unless it grows or pops. You might do a coin tap test of the surrounding area to check for a major issue; but it looks like a small defect.

What's the coin tap test? It's above the gunwale its soft I can push it down. Seems like that layer, gel or whatever isn't glued down.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

I wouldn't mess with it. If you crack it, it will allow moisture into the fiberglass. Document this with photos and give to your dealer just in case you break it open and they try to say it was damaged by you.

 

[Seadeals]

Agree...don't push on it. You can use a coin to gently tap the hull. Good areas will have a crisp sound whereas voids or delaminations will change to a lower softer muted sound. I had a crack show up in the gel by one of my pumps. Before messing with it, the tap test let me know it was actually a void about the size of a quarter. I was prepared with all the right materials before I started poking at it (opening up the void to fill back in). It looks like it will just be cosmetic but your dealer should definitely have to fix that come fall.

 

[McMark]

I had to have a couple of voids fixed as well.

 

[Slfmde]

Just found this on the other side http://imgur.com/a/Cemfs. Anyone else experience this?

 

[Ziess21]

I can't really tell from the first picture but that looks more like an air void from when it was produced.

The second picture... what exactly am I looking for?

 

[Slfmde]

I can't really tell from the first picture but that looks more like an air void from when it was produced.

The second picture... what exactly am I looking for?

In the second image the black void underneath the rub rail. That isn't a shadow it's an indentation in the fiberglass, not a dent but like that from the factory.

 

[Ziess21]

It looks like the hull/deck fitting in that area is just pinched. I would run a small bead of silicone there and not worry about it. We've seen this quite a few times over the year.

 

[Slfmde]

It looks like the hull/deck fitting in that area is just pinched. I would run a small bead of silicone there and not worry about it. We've seen this quite a few times over the year.

OK thank you. I just want to make sure these things I'm finding are cosmetic and don't jeopardize the boats integrity before I take my family out.