Gelcoat damage

[lloydw]

Owners manual says leaving boat in water for extended periods can damage gelcoat.

My question is how long can you leave it in before you need to worry?

Last year I pulled it out every two weeks for a night, seems ok can I leave it in longer?

2008 Outback DD

Thanks!

[11 Outback V]

I would strongly question that comment w SC. I know of boats that stay in the water for YEARS and never have a gel coat issue. Do you think people w big sport cruisers or yachts pull their boats???
Just my .02

[lsvboombox]

I would strongly question that comment w SC. I know of boats that stay in the water for YEARS and never have a gel coat issue. Do you think people w big sport cruisers or yachts pull their boats???
Just my .02

most of those boats have ablative paints on them.

if your gelcoat has scratches or gouges into the fiberglass then over time the glass can soak up the water..... if you have a clean hull i dont think you need to worry....

[11 Outback V]

/\ /\ /\ Really????

please enlighten me as to how fiberglass will "soak up water"

[Razzman]

They do soak up water, It's called osmostic blistering, read about it here.

ANY fiberglass boat can get osmotic blisters. The longer it sits in the water the greater chance of it happening. Mastercraft had a couple of years where their boats were getting it bad. Saw one myself and it had hundreds of blisters the size of a nickel or smaller. Push hard on one and water would burst out!

I personally don't worry about it for a week while camping, but any longer than that i would worry, especially after seeing a few cases and what it takes to repair.

[c.rix]

They do soak up water, It's called osmostic blistering, read about it here.

ANY fiberglass boat can get osmotic blisters. The longer it sits in the water the greater chance of it happening. Mastercraft had a couple of years where their boats were getting it bad. Saw one myself and it had hundreds of blisters the size of a nickel or smaller. Push hard on one and water would burst out!

I personally don't worry about it for a week while camping, but any longer than that i would worry, especially after seeing a few cases and what it takes to repair.

in like 04 I believe they had a problem with their glass one my buddy went to look at had this happen to it

[lsvboombox]

/\ /\ /\ Really????

please enlighten me as to how fiberglass will "soak up water"

click here and learn
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=does+fiberglass...+soak+up+water

[rdlangston13]

this brings back the worry of water trapped below the ski locker...if water causes blistering in fiberglass over time will this compromise the structural integrity of the fiberglass? this goes back to the design flaw in all 08 to 02 lsvs or whatever year it affects

[sandm]

I remember that mastercraft issue and seems that one guy had a pretty well designed website calling them out on what they would not do to fix the issues on his mc.

I would think tho that it is the exception not the rule as you look at the thousands upon thousands of boats sitting in the marinas around the country and those that live on lakes that leave their boats at docks 24/7.

[lloydw]

I'm hoping that it is the exception rather than the rule, but I have heard of it happening (the gelcoat blistering) and the owners manual does not recommend leaving our non treated gelcoat in the water for extended periods.

Just wondering what 'extended' is defined as?