I HAVE BLISTERS ALL OVER MY HULL 🤦♂️ - (Episode 347)
11 January 2026 · 22 min · 238K views · Langkawi Island
Hand peels blistered gelcoat from boat hull with screwdriver
What this video covers
Hull blisters running the full centerlines of both hulls on a Lagoon 450 catamaran force a haul-out at Rebac Island Marina on Rebac Island, Malaysia.0:02 Colin, who has owned the boat for eight years and sailed her roughly 45,000 miles from the Caribbean after buying her as a hurricane-damaged vessel, discovers the blisters are worse than initial inspection suggested.0:10 The largest surface blisters measure about 10 mm in diameter; pressing them releases water, in some cases yellow-tinged.12:29 Grinding through the antifoul and gelcoat layer by layer reveals that in the worst areas the gelcoat is not bonded to the fiberglass, allowing water to travel freely beneath the surface.20:32 Some problem areas trace to fairing compound applied during a sugar-scoop extension in Guatemala; others are in untouched original hull sections.22:02 One spot exposes what appears to be a Divinycell foam core.22:30 Colin explains osmotic blistering mechanics — saltwater penetrating antifoul, epoxy primer, and gelcoat to form pockets against the laminate — and notes that depth of penetration matters more than blister diameter.11:59 A gelcoat peeler ordered for the repair is stuck in customs, so initial assessment is done by hand grinder.14:00 The episode ends with the damage scope still expanding, and an expert fiberglass consultant called in for the next installment.22:13
Boats in this video
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