Accidentally posted this in the restoration forum the first time. Figured it would get more traffic here. I know it's possible with any year fiberglass boat. But what year did hull blisters become a known issue due to the government regulations? I want to say it was around 04-05? Is it the same for each manufacture or different years for some? Any boat manufactures out there that seem to have less problems then the others?
My 2005 Ranger doesn't have any, but it is stored in a garage with AC and dehumidifier. Might dry the bunks out more quickly than some.
From the beginning of fiberglass.
👍Originally Posted by TOUCH OF CLASS
I had a 96 skeeter that got em over the whole bottom not just under the bunks. Skeeter replaced the hull. Some brands never get em, some use the cheaper resin and are guaranteed to get them.
xpress x19, 200ho G2, aluminum sawtooth cut prop, paper sack tackle storage, ugly stik pro team, color c-lector
If I recall correctly the EPA debacle started around 2003.
I must be lucky, I have owned boats almost all of my life and being a long time licensed charter boat captain I know a ton of boat owners. I have never "personally" had, seen, or heard of anyone that has experienced them.
Does this issue seem to be isolated to any specific portion of the US?
My 04 Triton had them bad under the bunks. My buddies 06 Ranger has them as well. Both our boats are garage kept.
We have seen them on 80s 90s 2000 boats ,all makes .Gel coat is the worst material for water but it's the only thing that works for boat building.Even corvettes from the 60s and 70s and 80s all had problems.
It got worse after 2003 when the EPA changed regulations
Dont be fooled by the "epa" mandate. Cost cutting measures cause blisters. Some brands never get them
xpress x19, 200ho G2, aluminum sawtooth cut prop, paper sack tackle storage, ugly stik pro team, color c-lector
I had a 2000 built boat and a 2001 that had them - and not just under the bunks either. They were scattered around liberally. It was just horrible.....That is why I am in an aluminum boat right now and happy with it as I can be. They are making some very fine metal boats now.
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The bitterness of poor quality is remembered
long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten - Benjamin Franklin
2013 RANGER RT188 - YAMAHA F115 - ULTREX - LOWRANCE GRAPHS
LOCK-N-HAUL Transom Saver, ALL ABOARD Emergency Ladder
1996 RANGER CHEROKEE - 40 YAMAHA
^^^^^^, not all gelcoats are created equal. Ame4000 is much less likely to blister but twice the cost of some other gels.
AME 4001 is not a Gelcoat though a resin. The 1001, 4001 and 5001 are all Ashland resins in house from their 1000, 4000 and 5000 predecessors. The 6001 and 6441 are post Ashland buying DOW Durakene and are variations of the DOW formula. The 6000 series is pure vinyl ester while others are polyester orthothalic blends in tier levels increasing as they move up in number.
I would feel better about another glass boat if the manufacturer of the boat would warranty the new formulas. I see in print where they tout the new and better coatings or under coating spray as fixing the problem.....OK, so why not warranty against blisters for a few years then???? I pretty much had two boats all the time .. glass for some waters and aluminum for others. Because of two case of blisters, I now have two aluminum boats. T
The rubber meets the road in the warranty and what the manufacturer stands behind. If I could get a warranty against blisters, I would trade the little Cherokee in on a glass boat and keep the Ranger RT188 as my aluminum boat. I could be wrong, but I don't think they stand behind the blister problem even now beyond maybe one year.
----------------------------
The bitterness of poor quality is remembered
long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten - Benjamin Franklin
2013 RANGER RT188 - YAMAHA F115 - ULTREX - LOWRANCE GRAPHS
LOCK-N-HAUL Transom Saver, ALL ABOARD Emergency Ladder
1996 RANGER CHEROKEE - 40 YAMAHA
I had them on my 2009 boat. I wish they would just line x the area where the bunks sit or something. I know guys have reported them all over but I think most, mine included, only had issues where it sits on the trailer.
Most people are going to gatorbacks to help combat the problem.
Blistering is common problem on most fiberglass hulls. The bass boat market is just now getting up to speed on the issue. Any marine surveyor or large boat yard is very familiar with blistering cause/effect/repair. Just the past 2-3 years have a small percentage of trailerable boat owners began checking for blisters. Jacking a boat off the bunks was not and is still not a common practice. This leads to boats being sold multiple times without either party knowing that blisters have formed. And this includes dealer sales.
Had them on an 1989 model
My 2003 triton had them
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