Osmotic Blister Repair
In most cases, osmotic blisters on a boat are caused by the passage of osmotic pressure through the layers of fiberglass, which creates gaps in the adhesive or delamination area. When the hull is taken out of the water, these osmotic blisters will protrude in a malignant-looking manner. When you pop them open, a lot of water will rush out at high speed. This is a typical osmotic blister.
Water-soluble chemicals inside the laminate attract water molecules from outside. Some of these water molecules find a way through the gel coat, and as more water is pulled in, pressure builds inside the enclosed space.
Because the water molecules that enter the boat through the gel coat cracks merge with the chemicals that attract them, they don’t leave. As a result, there is more solution than individual molecules. The pressure of water from outside causes this solution to build up into a dome shape, creating a blister.
If not addressed, the effects of osmosis blisters may worsen and structural damage to the hull may occur. This is what makes early detection of these blisters very important. Boat osmosis will easily be discovered by a professional boat surveyor, who can provide the immediate treatment your boat or yacht requires.
Why You Should Consider Immediate Repair of Osmotic Blisters
If you have a lot of blistering on your hull, it is best to blast the bottom of the hull with media so that you can see just how deep the blistering goes. This will also enable the hull to dry out so that the repair team has a better chance of fixing every point of the blister completely.
If your vessel’s fiberglass is blistering in an area where it is cored, you should seek expert assistance as soon as possible. It might be causing serious structural problems and jeopardizing the safe sailing and seaworthiness of your boat or yacht.
Fixing osmotic blisters on your vessel is also crucial to getting decent insurance coverage on your boat. Your insurer will want them fixed before they offer insurance coverage.
Why You Need a Professional
Masters Marine addresses water intrusion caused by porous materials in osmotic blister repair. To establish an accurate estimate for repairs, we first assess the degree of osmosis damage.
If the majority of the hull is already damaged, boat blister repair often demands removing all gel coats as well as a thin layer of the underlying fiberglass. Once that has been achieved, we sand the afflicted surfaces.
We keep the boat out of the water and dry for several months to a year. This will allow the moisture to evaporate from the hull. We take as much time as necessary in drying out the hull so blisters don’t form again.
Our team makes sure that the finest epoxy resins and laminates, as well as appropriate mil thicknesses of a barrier-coating epoxy product, are used on boats that need a new laminate. This is for vessels with more than 80 mils of material peeled off. Last, we apply coats of antifouling paint to the boat’s blister repair to ensure that it is in excellent condition.
Contact Us
Early detection and treatment of osmotic blisters can ensure that the hull of your boat or yacht has a better chance of survival. This is why you should not put it off any longer. Contact us at Masters Marine to obtain a quotation for your osmotic blister therapy requirements. You may call us at (844) 594-0596 Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
