Light through hull ?

[spsexton]

Tell me if I'm crazy, but ...

I was crawling around a Com-Pac 33 last week that's for sale up on Lake Superior. When I climbed onto the V-berth and looked into the chain locker, I'd swear that I could see light coming through the side of the hull on either side of the locker. It was a sort of irregular pattern, with lighter and darker areas. But it looked to me like the lighter areas were lit up due to exterior light shining through the fiberglass.

Has anybody else noticed this?  Is this even possible, given the layup schedule of the fiberglass used on the hull?  Did I dream it?

[brackish]

Fiberglass is translucent with the absence of any significant light blocking additive.  Yes, when I redid the inside liners on my Columbia 8.7 I could easily see light through the glass even with the gel coat intact.

[wes]

Sure, this is a thing. Even on my 27, which has a pretty thick hull, light is easily visible anywhere the bilge paint has worn off. No worries.

Wes

[spsexton]

Thanks guys, makes total sense.

[Bristol14]

Don't feel bad, this kind of freaked me out when I was working on a better access to Mudlark's anchor locker.

[spsexton]

It just seemed odd, since I've never seen this on my CP16 when working in the (enclosed) anchor locker or with my head in the lazarette. But I have a dark blue gelcoat, so that may be blocking all of the light.