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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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What sealant to use when

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Ed Cassidy
Captain

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USA
365 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/07/2008 : 11:24:26

Correct me if I am wrong (as if that wouldn’t happen with this group), but I need to seal water leaks and I believe I need at least distinct sealants. One would be below the waterline like a thru-hull, one would be on the deck, like the mast electrical connector and the base of the stanchions and the teak grab rails and one would be around the windows when installing them. So, I guess the question really is what should be used where?

I also think I have a leak where the screws hold down the track rail but I don’t see how I can get to the nuts inside the cabin. Any thoughts or experience sealing things like that? I’m tired of running a dehumidifier to keep all the cushions dry!
Thanks,
Ed

Ed
HisHorse
1979 SR/SK #1393
Green Cove Springs, FL

Edited by - on

Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 01/07/2008 : 12:51:33

You should be able to get away with a life-caulk for most of these. 3m's sealants such as 5200 and 4200 contain an adhesive that is pretty darn strong, stay clear of that if you ever want to remove the piece later. 3ms 101 works well too.

Remember when you rebed deck hardware to not tighten down the pieces completely until the caulk cures. You might consider drilling the holes over sized then filling with epoxy resin. After that sets up redrill the holes. This will help keep any leaks you do have from penetrating the core.

The jib tracks are extremely difficult to get at. We gave up and caulked the exterior with a clear caulk. One area you might not think of is the rub rail, that was put on with sheet metal screws and almost zero caulk or sealant.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 01/07/2008 : 14:12:51

Second the Life Caulk for most things--particularly bedding deck hardware. I got to the nuts for the genoa track by removing the teak trim that runs along the top edge of the hull inside the cabin. It took a helper to hold the nut while I removed the screw from the outside, squirted a little silicone sealer into the hole, and re-screwed. Messy but effective--I only did it for a few suspect screws. I used silicone because it would flow down into the hole and around the screw to better seal it. I also used silicone in the holes in the deck for the upper shroud chainplates so that it would flow down around them. Any place that's exposed to sun is not a good place for silicone, however. Life Caulk is my general-purpose stuff.

Another solution for really tricky leaks, like around windows, is Captain Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure. It flows into small cracks and voids and then sets up as a flexible seal. When all else seems to be failing (or you don't want to try disassembling something like window frames), it's worth a try.

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Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 01/07/2008 : 14:23:07

If you do need to remove 5200 there is Anti-bond that will do the trick. It takes some patience but you can remove things that have been secured with 5200. Generally, I use a silicone or low adhesion caulk for fittings that are mechanically fixed to the boat. In other words, if the thing is held down by bolts then it doesn't need to be glued down as well.

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Ed Cassidy
Captain

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USA
365 Posts

Response Posted - 01/07/2008 : 14:25:47

Dave,
Are you serious? 'Captain Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure'? Is that real? It sounds like something plumbers would use to improve their image.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 01/07/2008 : 14:29:24

Yup--WM carries it--page 323 in the 2007 catalog.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 01/07/2008 14:36:03

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 01/07/2008 : 15:19:12

Randy, talk a little about the Anti-bond. I need to replace the opening port on Kaija (Original owner cracked the hinges). Can it be used on the window material?

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Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 01/07/2008 : 15:43:04

Incidentally, the folks at Fogh Marine in Toronto told me this past weekend that th eanti-bond sold by marine shops is the ssame as the caulking remover sold at Canadian Tire (I have not tried this, I was surprised when I found how little caulk there was behind the bits I needed to get at.)

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Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 01/07/2008 : 19:05:30

Hereugo, this will solve all your [url="https://www.mightyputty.com/spark/index.php?ai=8&tag=mpaisseag100"]putty[/url] worrys.

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Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 01/07/2008 : 20:21:28

John, here is some anti-bond from the WM site. The one reviewer didn't care for it but in the catalog it gets an "Associate's Choice" recommendation. Here is the [url="http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/producte/10001/-1/10001/51839/377%20710/0/anti%20bond/Primary%20Search/mode%20matchallpartial/0/0?N=377%20710&Ne=0&Ntt=anti%20bond&Ntk=Primary%20Search&Ntx=mode%20matchallpartial&Nao=0&Ns=0&keyword=anti%20bond&isLTokenURL=true&storeNum=5000&subdeptNum=4&classNum=206"]link[/url].

I don't know about any effect on lexan. I used this stuff to remove a couple of through hulls when I replaced the depth and speed gauges on my boat. I used the anti-bond and a very thin scraper. Took a while but I got the old through-hulls out.

I would suggest you put a drop on the lexan and see what it does. My guess is it will be OK.

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 01/07/2008 : 21:11:02

Tom,
Have you actually used this stuff? The price is certainly right, but I can't stand the spokesman, he makes me sick to my stomach, so I refuse to buy anything he sells hoping in some small way to drive him off the air.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 01/07/2008 : 22:48:31

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by delliottg
 Tom, Have you actually used this stuff?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">David: It's thick epoxy. Don't bed hardware or windows with epoxy!

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Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 01/08/2008 : 20:22:45

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by delliottg
 Tom,
Have you actually used this stuff? The price is certainly right, but I can't stand the spokesman, he makes me sick to my stomach, so I refuse to buy anything he sells hoping in some small way to drive him off the air.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Never used the stuff(yet). I've thought about buying some to try.(not for bedding anything)

Has anyone ever used this stuff?

Edited by - Tom Potter on 01/08/2008 20:35:51

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 01/08/2008 : 21:25:19

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">David: It's thick epoxy. Don't bed hardware or windows with epoxy!<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Nope, wouldn't use it for that, just interested in getting decent epoxy putty for a decent price.

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