Gelcoat blistering?

[B Leitch]

I have a 2006 22Ve that the family loves. Unfortunately since day one the gelcoat has had blistering issues. The area of blistering is continually spreading. We are in a fresh water lake of which the boat is only used about 6 weeks a year. None of the other Tige owners in my area have experienced this problem. Has anyone had this experience? How were you able to reslove the problem?
Thank you for time,
Bob

[dogbert]

I have a 2006 22Ve that the family loves. Unfortunately since day one the gelcoat has had blistering issues. The area of blistering is continually spreading. We are in a fresh water lake of which the boat is only used about 6 weeks a year. None of the other Tige owners in my area have experienced this problem. Has anyone had this experience? How were you able to reslove the problem?
Thank you for time,
Bob

I'd work with your local dealer and Tige to come up with a solution. Perhaps harvey @ Tige can help you.

[da.bell]

No and I can see that the problem is that the warranty on gelcoat for 2006 models is only one year. It's going to be a little hard for Harvey to do anything while sticking to the warranty guidelines.

Sorry for the bad news. Trying no to be an a-hole here just trying to state something.

[B Leitch]

Thanks for your help dogbert. Do you know if the factory has stepped up and made things right on other similar problems?

[chpthril]

Unfortunately, blistering is an environmental problem, not a defect, that plagues many boats, especially ones that sit in the water for long periods of time. Some lakes are more likely to cause it then others it seems.

Good luck!

[B Leitch]

Thank you for your replys. I have owned 3 other boats on this lake over the last 35 years and have not had as much as a bubble on any of my hulls. Prior to the Tige I owned a Cobalt. My dealer assured me that the Tige hull quality was at least equal to the Cobalt. I will contact Tige and see what they can do. Thank you all again for your responces and advice.
Cheers,
Bob

[Tanner]

Is this a used boat or a new boat?

If you bought it new, why is it just now coming up w/ your dealer and Tige 3 years later?

[B Leitch]

I bought this boat new 3 years ago and reported the problem to my dealer within a couple of months. They sent photo's to the factory who responded they could not do anything. I keep showing the spreading blisters to my dealer and they keep getting the same answer back from the factory. I was hoping the blistering would be confined to a small area....I could live with that. Unfortunately it is spreading quite agressively. So now I am trying to find way to correct the problem. Fortunately it is well documented. Any advice?

[tigesinaus]

that absolutely sucks!!! that has to be a manufacturing defect because if the glass work is done right, it shouldn't blister or delaminate at all. i know the newer ones have a lifetime hull warranty, but im not sure when that started.
i would work the dealer HARD.. thats just unacceptable especially if you bought it new.

[chpthril]

Gelcoat to a boat is like paint to a car, it's not structural, it's cosmetic. The life time hull warranty is just that, for the hull.

[ImaPigDog]

Gelcoat should not blister. There are many fiberglass hulls set in the water year-round and don't blister.

Assuming it wasn't abused in any way and it was documented with your dealer while it was under warranty, it should still be covered.

[tigesinaus]

Gelcoat to a boat is like paint to a car, it's not structural, it's cosmetic. The life time hull warranty is just that, for the hull.

not to be rude but i dont agree with that. the gelcoat helps bind the fiberglass, gives rigidity, and acts as an impermeable barrier to water, the car is complete without the paint, but a boat is not complete without gelcoat.. i would definately consider it part of the hull and be hitting up the dealer for warranty.

[da.bell]

Gelcoat to a boat is like paint to a car, it's not structural, it's cosmetic. The life time hull warranty is just that, for the hull.

not to be rude but i dont agree with that. the gelcoat helps bind the fiberglass, gives rigidity, and acts as an impermeable barrier to water, the car is complete without the paint, but a boat is not complete without gelcoat.. i would definately consider it part of the hull and be hitting up the dealer for warranty.

Tigesinaus, Chpthril is correct. With a 2006 boat, the gelcoat is a 1 year warranty and then there is the Lifetime Hull Warranty to the original owner. The gelcoat and hull are definitely written up separately as outlined in the warranty.

I bought this boat new 3 years ago and reported the problem to my dealer within a couple of months. They sent photo's to the factory who responded they could not do anything. I keep showing the spreading blisters to my dealer and they keep getting the same answer back from the factory. I was hoping the blistering would be confined to a small area....I could live with that. Unfortunately it is spreading quite agressively. So now I am trying to find way to correct the problem. Fortunately it is well documented. Any advice?

Now that is the way to do it. If you have already advised Tige before the one year warranty, that is great. Did Tige deny the claim more than once in the year of ownership? Have you seen how deep the "blisters" are? Are they as deep as the hull?

IMO, if they aren't deep, then you can have the gelcoat sanded and then add something to seal it. If it's the other way around, Tige should be stepping up.

[yearroundboarder]

I have a 2006 22Ve' and have worked in Composites for a few years now. Unfortunately, blisters are more common than you think. In fact, many reputable boat builders repair pinholes, blisters and other blems in gel coats before you ever see your new boat.

I had a few, isolated blisters that my dealer fixed. If they are truly blisters, get them repaired by a professional. They should be ground down to the glass to ensure a good bond to the laminate. This doesn't take much effort as typical gel coat is only 18-22 mils thick when applied properly. If you lightly sand it, there is a chance you won't get all the trapped air out and see the blister come back. Once you have that done and prepared the area, gel coat should be catalized and sprayed by someone who has experience in doing so. Even if the guy is Picasso, there is a slight chance you'll see a "halo" around the repair area. Not to worry, at least your hull is protected. IMO, this isn't a do-it-yourself deal.

[dogbert]

I bought this boat new 3 years ago and reported the problem to my dealer within a couple of months. They sent photo's to the factory who responded they could not do anything. I keep showing the spreading blisters to my dealer and they keep getting the same answer back from the factory. I was hoping the blistering would be confined to a small area....I could live with that. Unfortunately it is spreading quite agressively. So now I am trying to find way to correct the problem. Fortunately it is well documented. Any advice?

Ok, I'd contact Tige directly to make sure the dealer reported the problem. You should not have these types of issues. Post some pics if you can as well.