So I am back from a great sail with Doug and the other great folks that went on the Chesapeake cruise this Saturday and decide that I should clean off the marine life that made my M-17 their home this summer (guess I should have put new anti fouling on) and as I go about knocking the Barnacle carcasses off the hull I start to notice little finger nail size cracks. Being rather slow I figure the barnacle removal may have cracked the existing paint or something. But since I need to put new paint on I strip the existing paint to prep for some barrier coat so I do not have to repeat the blister ordeal of my Compac 16. But lo I find once I get to the existing barrier coat (who knew?) there are lots of little cracks and, gulp!, blisters. Thats right, another couple of weeks shot to you know where repairing the work of Osmosis. I will take some pictures as I go in case anyone else has the good fortune to need to fill lots of little holes in their gelcoat below the water line. One other thing that is bothering me though (beyond being the slowest boat on the cruise) is why the little buggers were on my boot stripe. Are not the stripes supposed to be just above the water line? Mine isn't, and I have the barnacle feet on the stripe to prove it. Any other have experience with how high the M-17 rides when in water? You don't think my keel is full of water and rust do you....maybe that is what slowed me down. thanks Robbin