Osmosis Treatment using Hot-Vac cure
Osmosis is when water penetrates through the gel coats and mixes with the binders that hold the glass matting together or any uncured resin left over from moulding, this caused a chemical reaction resulting in larger and often acidic molecules being formed. These larger molecules are trapped and cannot pass through the GRP, so they just sit there causing the gel coat to bubble into what are commonly known as ‘blisters’ and when popped a vinegar scented fluid is released.
Full Osmosis Treatments using hot vac hull cure treatment
Osmosis prevention for older boats is more complex. JWS Marine Services ensures that boats stand for a least two weeks, as this allows the hull to dry out so when the moisture readings are taken from the hull, they are more accurate. Accurate and regular readings are important to ensure the epoxy is not applied to a wet hull. Epoxy paint is a waterproof membrane that keeps moisture out but will keep moisture in too. Moisture entrapment can accelerate the osmosis process by up to 50%. If you need advice on osmosis prevention or treatment – just ask the experts at JWS.
The process of our osmosis treatment is as follows – Osmosis Treatment Video or please see step by step process below –
Hull Gel peel: This carried out using a peeling machine or by hand. The gel coat is removed in sections so that the fiber glass hull is exposed and can ‘dry out’. after the hull is peeled, we take moisture readings of the hull using a sovereign moisture reader. In the event the moisture is greater than 10% and deemed unacceptable further peeling maybe required.
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