My new to me 2003 OA 456 has hundreds or perhaps more small pimples on the bottom. It appears that they are just below the gelcoat and can be popped with a fingernail. Anyone else on this forum experience this problem and what did you do, if anything to solve. This problem seems to lack quantitative data. Seems to me that I can probably ignore, but would love to hear from others. Gordon
I had this happen on a fairly new Regal at the time, it was a 2005 and in 2008 and Regal didn't step up to the plate to offer the owner hardly anything. We ended up peeling the bottom and then let it dry for weeks, new Interlux barrier coat and bottom paint. I saw the same thing on another yacht a 58' Searay 2006 in 2009 and same deal, we hauled it for insurance Survey they were there. We hauled it 3 months later and all the little pea sized blisters had disappeared....Couldn't figure that one out other than maybe they had the flood gates open and the canal was freshwater at the time and not compatible with the bottom paint.
Blisters. You may be amazed by the amount and weight of extra water you're carrying in them, and they only get worse. Not sure why J's disappeared. Somehow they must have dried, but I expect they'll be back. The cure is about $16-22K. As J says, peal the bottom. Look into Seahawk process I believe. FIND A REPUTABLE and EXPERIENCED YARD to do the work.
I think on the one boat where they disappeared, it was sitting in fresh water at the time and perhaps the bottom paint wasn't totally compatible with fresh water and I think the bubbles were between the bottom paint and barrier coating, not actual blisters, they were the size of a le suer pea and about every 2" on the entire hull.........the boat was hauled for an insurance survey and splashed 3 hours later, sat in the water for 4 months straight and hauled again for a buyers survey and the blisters were gone....
