Hatteras bubbles

[madhatter1]

Bumps is more like it. In the decks. When I bought Esperanza I noticed a raised 3-5" bump in the cockpit floor. Looked underneath and no sign of anything. Figured that since Capt. Dave didn't mention it that it was just a less then perfect repair job. Year or so later a guy with a 52 the same vintage asked me to look at his deck. He has a bubble on either side of the cockpit same area as where Mine is. We both have no idea. Neither his nor mine ever changed in size and none sound hollow.

A few weeks ago I notices a bubble under my stb side front cleat. Uh-Oh! but it is solid sounding. May have always been like this and I just noticed as the sun was going down. So I go to investigate today and try to drill up with a 1/8" bit to see if there is wet wood but that's a no go. Huge aluminum backing plate imbedded in the glass. I guess I will pull it off and re-bed the cleat and bolts. If it's wet on top I'll figure out a way to dry it out. But maybe not. Anyone have insight on this? 1983 vintage.

 

[SEVEN]

If there’s no water in the core, you may have delamination from the core to the fiberglass, or you may have delamination between the fiberglass. Get a good moisture meter. And verify you don’t have any cord damage. If it’s just the lamination, that’s an easy fix with a couple of small holes and fill with epoxy

 

[SKYCHENEY]

A moisture meter will not work where there is a big aluminum plate under it. That plate will peg the meter.

 

[bigbill]

i have seen the aluminum plates that hatteras moulded into the glass start corroding and make the glass bubble up..on my 46c it was around the top of the ladder to the bridge, on my 58yf it is around some of the rail bases.

 

[jmooney]

I have had the same experience. It will eventually split the fiberglass. I cut the skin out and replaced the core . The core was still solid. I used a new aluminum plate as I didn’t want to break a tap if I put a stainless plate in there. Probably the stanchions should have been re bedded as sealants only last about 9 to 10 years. I had to do this in three places, one stanchion had been moved and didn’t have a plate under it .

 

[madhatter1]

Going in deep. In the yard for cockpit non skid among other things. Bubble coming out. I’ll post pix of the anatomy of a Hatteras bubble. Although we already know what it is. Embedded aluminum plate.

 

[JD5652]

i have seen the aluminum plates that hatteras moulded into the glass start corroding and make the glass bubble up..on my 46c it was around the top of the ladder to the bridge, on my 58yf it is around some of the rail bases.

My 58 LRC has similar "bubbles" around some of the rail stanchion bases. I had assumed the plate was carbon or stainless steel and that was corroding.
Interesting to see the repair options as at some point I'm going to have to do a few of these myself.
How is the rail stanchion attached to the plate?? Anyone have pics??

 

[rustybucket]

Ran into those when cutting the deck for my transom livewells and tuna tubes. The deck cuts passed right through them. There was no sign of corrosion or delamination. Just looked like they were built proud to the deck side a little. Will be interesting to see what yours look like.

 

[madhatter1]

Plate we took out is steel.

 

[rustybucket]

Plate we took out is steel.

It was steel in mine as well.

 

[brettportzer]

Exactly what the one I have found so far looked like. Right at the nose of the boat underneath the pulpit.

 

[jmooney]

My 58 LRC has similar "bubbles" around some of the rail stanchion bases. I had assumed the plate was carbon or stainless steel and that was corroding.
Interesting to see the repair options as at some point I'm going to have to do a few of these myself.
How is the rail stanchion attached to the plate?? Anyone have pics??

Here are photos of the problem and the repair. I went back with aluminum plate as it would be easier to tap threads in .

 

[rustybucket]

Nothing was drilled/tapped into mine, it was completely encased in fiberglass. I assumed it was something from lifting/setting the deck at the factory?

 

[JD5652]

Here are photos of the problem and the repair. I went back with aluminum plate as it would be easier to tap threads in .

Was that located on your toe rail or somewhere else?
I "believe" all mine are located on the toe rail.

 

[bostonhatteras]

Did you determine what the little bubbles were? I have the same physical imperfection on my boat and what it was/is for mine is the black gel coat under the original paint. When the boat was recently painted, any areas that were sanded all the way down to laminate don't get these bubbles and areas where the original paint was prepped and painted over get them. They are weather dependent too.

 

[madhatter1]

I called them bubbles. More like lumps.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I have seen steel backers glassed in for towers. Aluminum for stantions and cleats.

 

[jmooney]

Was that located on your toe rail or somewhere else?
I "believe" all mine are located on the toe rail.

This was located on the flybridge.

 

[UNIQUE_NAME]

Plate we took out is steel.

i found 2 of them embedded in my back deck, the ceiling of my aft cabin, when i cut it open. no idea why they were there.

 

[Eddieclemons]

I repaired 3 areas in my rear deck when addressing some soft spots. They were identical 8x8ish raised square spots. Everything looked great underneath dries a bone. Still not sure why it did it.