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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Butyl tape

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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/27/2013 : 20:36:24

An interesting article on hardware bedding from BoatUS that specifically mentions framed windows:

http://www.boatus.com/magazine/2013/April/how-to-pick-the-right-sealant.asp

Dave B. aboard Pearl
1982 TR/SK/Trad. #3399
Lake Erie/Florida Panhandle

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 03/27/2013 : 20:56:04

I've been looking for some butyl tape recently. It's surprisingly elusive in hardware stores here for some reason. Rick (TakeFive) posted a link to what looks like a good source, but the least they sell is way more than I want, plus shipping seems excessive to me. I'd rather find it locally if I can.

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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 03/27/2013 : 21:26:23

Maybe try the supplier in Maine they mention even though it isn't local?

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shnool
Former Capri-25 Tech Editor

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USA
1032 Posts

Response Posted - 03/28/2013 : 03:46:30

I purchased from this guy... I still have a bunch, but am holding on to it, and have debated putting windows in (surface mount type like the capri 22), replacing the framed windows used now on my Capri 25.... I don't know if this stuff would be sticky enough. Perhaps with screws keeping the window against the fiberglass. this stuff is super sticky, super stretchy, and I've used it on my RV horse trailer, and boat to prevent leaks on my gudgeons on my Capri 22. Works well.
http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/butyl_tape

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sfsmith
Navigator

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USA
123 Posts

Response Posted - 03/28/2013 : 06:04:08

I just got some from Sailrite: http://www.sailrite.com/Trimmable-Butyl-Tape-3-4-Bedding-Deck-Hardware-Sealant?gclid=CMGU8--7n7YCFQuxnQod1nMAjQ. Last year I used some of the black version I got at my local auto supply. It was unmanageably sticky, and ruined almost everything it came in contact with. Very hard to clean up. This gray stuff looks much more practical.

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britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 03/28/2013 : 06:35:21

Purchased mine from the local RV store. Probably have enough to last a lifetime!

Paul

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vipermagic
1st Mate

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USA
69 Posts

Response Posted - 03/28/2013 : 06:43:17

I just bought this from Amazon. If you have Prime, the shipping is free, too:

http://www.amazon.com/Dicor-BT18341-40-Butyl-Tape/dp/B001FCB4JS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1364478143&sr=8-3&keywords=butyl

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TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Response Posted - 03/28/2013 : 17:43:11

Another article on technique is [url="http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/rebedding_hardware"]here[/url]. Note that countersinking your holes is very important to create a void to hold the butyl rubber, and also to minimize local stresses that lead to spider cracks.

I tried a couple different butyl tapes from the RV store, and have some runny seals to contend with as a result. The guy in Maine really did a lot of testing to pick the one with the perfect balance of properties for bedding marine hardware, and it's worth the extra money to get his stuff. Really, if your own time has any value at all, and if you want to do it right the first time, I suggest spending the extra bucks and getting his butyl tape.

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TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Response Posted - 03/29/2013 : 14:39:24

I don't want to beat this horse to death, but I was down doing some pre-spash preps today, so I had a chance to take a couple of pictures.

Two years ago I rebedded my outboard motor support with butyl tape that I had gotten at the RV store. I thought the stuff was great at the time. But as time progressed, I realized that it was way too weepy for the kind of temperature and pressure range you get in a marine environment. I cleaned up the ooze a year ago, but this is what it looked like today:

<center>

</center>

Once again I used a sharp edge scraper to clean it up and it looks fine now. But I'll probably have to do it again next year:

<center>

</center>

Actually it cleaned up too easily, because when I went to scrape it away it had no elongational flex at all - it just broke off cleanly around the edge. This is not a big deficiency for this motor mount, because it's always going to be in compression, not tension. (So I'm not going to rebed it anytime soon.) But in an application like under a stanchion or gudgeon, where it gets alternating compression and tension, you need something that will stretch without letting go, so the seal is always maintained. You'll notice that the stuff from Maine has enormous stretch prior to breaking, which is just what you need for this application. There are some videos demonstrating this on his website.

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Stu Jackson C34
Admiral

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844 Posts

Response Posted - 04/01/2013 : 16:23:40

Maine Sail's butyl tape is the ONLY type I'd buy, and I did: two rolls. It'll last me a lifetime, but it IS the right stuff for our boats. It's simply not worth reinventing the wheel, Maine Sail did the homework and research to find the correct material.

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Tomas Kruska
Admiral

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Czech Republic
522 Posts

Response Posted - 04/02/2013 : 07:01:43

Rick, you don't need to put it everywhere on that back plate. Just under the screws. Yes, if you put a high thickness of this stuff than it will squeeze out.

PS: Butyl tape is easy to find in all sanitary shops as its also used for bedding of the kitchen sinks

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TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Response Posted - 04/02/2013 : 07:13:40

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Tomas Kruska
 Rick, you don't need to put it everywhere on that back plate. Just under the screws. Yes, if you put a high thickness of this stuff than it will squeeze out.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Well, the previous owner followed your theory of not using a lot of it, and when I removed the motor mount the void space between the mount and the transom had filled with moisture and was growing green slime that was oozing down on my transom. That's why I had to rebed it, and why I decided to fill in the entire space.

I used a roller to mash the tape down as thin as I could before applying it. One of the benefits of the stuff from Maine is that it is only 1/16" thick, instead of the typical 1/8" that you find at most places.

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awetmore
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1144 Posts

Response Posted - 04/02/2013 : 12:08:13

You can pull it to stretch it tight.

I'm still finding that items that I rebedded over the winter are starting to ooze a little butyl now as the temperatures warm up and the butyl gets more flexible.

It only takes a minute to cut off the excess butyl, I greatly prefer working with this stuff to normal sealant.

I'm using the Maine Sail stuff.

alex

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