Sealing Deck Hatches
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SkunkBoat
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Ozz043 said:
You remove the tank hatch every year? Gee!
Have you really used Sikaflex sealant? That stuff is tenacious. Isn't it difficult to remove?
For deck panel sealing, I something like GE Silicon Caulk . I find that the almond color looks better than the white assuming the deck is the Grady off white ( chalk) color.
Hi all,
I don’t remove my hatches often, but when I do, I use Life Seal. I’m surprised that others use GE. Am I wasting money on Life Seal?
I don’t remove my hatches often, but when I do, I use Life Seal. I’m surprised that others use GE. Am I wasting money on Life Seal?
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I end up removing hatches chasing water leaks actually, while I’m at it I check the tanks and give them a spray with anti corrosion crc.
The Sikaflex is a pain to remove, I would think that it would seal very adequately. It does dry out somewhat though. I try not to use silicone at all.
The Sikaflex is a pain to remove, I would think that it would seal very adequately. It does dry out somewhat though. I try not to use silicone at all.
Jonah said:
Life Seal is an adhesive meant to glue things together. Life Caulk is just that a caulk. If you have a hatch that is screwed down and needs to be sealed,something like LifeCaulk is the way to go.
That said, although I use GE silicon for general sealing inside the hull as opposed to the outer side exposed to water and spray. for those area I use a poly-sulfide products like LifeCaulk.
Note that unlike Silicon caulks, poly-sulfides and polyurethanes can be applied to wet surfaces and actually cure faster if the surfaces are dampened.
Thanks Seasick,
I got into the BoatLife products by Dennis's recommendation in some other threads on the site. I understood LifeCaulk to form a stronger bond, to be harder to remove, and also to be messier to use, and so better for long-term jobs. For anything that might need to be removed more frequently, I understood LifeSeal to form a more flexible bond, be easier to remove, less messy to re-apply, etc.
But the stuff is expensive! So, I'm interested in others' use of GE Silicone II. If you all use it only for areas inside the hull, or protected from constant spray, etc., that'll still save me some money when doing such jobs.
I got into the BoatLife products by Dennis's recommendation in some other threads on the site. I understood LifeCaulk to form a stronger bond, to be harder to remove, and also to be messier to use, and so better for long-term jobs. For anything that might need to be removed more frequently, I understood LifeSeal to form a more flexible bond, be easier to remove, less messy to re-apply, etc.
But the stuff is expensive! So, I'm interested in others' use of GE Silicone II. If you all use it only for areas inside the hull, or protected from constant spray, etc., that'll still save me some money when doing such jobs.
Jonah said:
The GE silicone can be used on the deck and exposed to the weather. Silicone is not intended for use under water. The Silicone should have a mildecide in it. GE used to call it Kitchen and Batch but that name has been dropped. Just make sure it says for baths. I find that over time it may start to grow mold but that is usually after 4 or 5 years or more. Mold may grow earlier but it can be washed off. At some time, the mildecide stops working and the mold will go deeper into the caulk. You can bleach it but it can come back quickly The almond is pretty easy to find and as mentioned and looks pretty good against the Grady deck color. The white tends to stand out too much when used on deck panels.
For things like transom caps, I prefer the polysulfide products. They stick very well and as I mentioned can be applied to wet/moist surfaces.
Nice, thanks Seasick. I'll make note for next time. And yes, I agree that the BoatLife products look too white against the off-white of the Grady deck ... especially an older deck like mine.
Sikaflex makes a good product. I have not personally used it, but I see it in use on some quality boats and it seems to do very well. Personally (and that being a big part of this), I've gotten used to the Boat Life products over the last 2 decades and haven't really found a need for anything else (this also includes the marina where I work - it's pretty much what every tech uses). LifeCaulk IS a stronger, longer-lasting product than LifeSeal, but Lifeseal is more versatile and has more adhesive properties than silicone (which generally is considered to not be an adhesive) for those times when that is what is needed. Lifeseal tends to resist mold and dirt better than silicone, as well.
Now, none of this means that I'm saying the use of silicone is a bad idea - far from it. It's just that it's an old technology and there have been improvements made over the years. HOWEVER, in an area where a "sealant" is the primary property needed and a spot where you plan on removing the piece on a regular basis to inspect, I think it does make a lot of sense to use silicone given the cost difference. Not that a tube of LifeSeal or Sikaflex is "expensive" in comparison to how long it lasts... or boat ownership in general!... but it could be seen as overkill by some to use a more expensive product on a short-term use area.
Personally (again - "personally") I like just having to have one or two different products lying around for all sealing and/or adhesive needs. Those being the two BL products. It's also nice to know that I don't have to worry about a surprise rain ruining the sealing work that I just did. As Seasick mentioned, the two BL products, for example, can be used in the presence of water. Here's a quick story about that (although I may have already shared this and forgotten!)... 'Bout 10 years ago, at home, I was inspecting the flashing around my chimney cap. I realized it was pretty much gone - cracked and deteriorated. I only had a little bit of LifeSeal left so I ran to the local HD store and bought their best sealant (some type of silicone). I used up what LifeSeal I had left, then finished with the silicone. Less than an hour later, we got a BIG rainstorm. The next day I went back on the roof to re-inspect and the LS was completely intact... the silicone was completely gone. Again, this is not to say that silicone is bad - it's just that it cemented the reason why I like the BL products so much.
LifeSeal does come in a "cameo" color that is an off-white, but I have never used it in person. My Grady's deck is gray, fyi.
Now, none of this means that I'm saying the use of silicone is a bad idea - far from it. It's just that it's an old technology and there have been improvements made over the years. HOWEVER, in an area where a "sealant" is the primary property needed and a spot where you plan on removing the piece on a regular basis to inspect, I think it does make a lot of sense to use silicone given the cost difference. Not that a tube of LifeSeal or Sikaflex is "expensive" in comparison to how long it lasts... or boat ownership in general!... but it could be seen as overkill by some to use a more expensive product on a short-term use area.
Personally (again - "personally") I like just having to have one or two different products lying around for all sealing and/or adhesive needs. Those being the two BL products. It's also nice to know that I don't have to worry about a surprise rain ruining the sealing work that I just did. As Seasick mentioned, the two BL products, for example, can be used in the presence of water. Here's a quick story about that (although I may have already shared this and forgotten!)... 'Bout 10 years ago, at home, I was inspecting the flashing around my chimney cap. I realized it was pretty much gone - cracked and deteriorated. I only had a little bit of LifeSeal left so I ran to the local HD store and bought their best sealant (some type of silicone). I used up what LifeSeal I had left, then finished with the silicone. Less than an hour later, we got a BIG rainstorm. The next day I went back on the roof to re-inspect and the LS was completely intact... the silicone was completely gone. Again, this is not to say that silicone is bad - it's just that it cemented the reason why I like the BL products so much.
LifeSeal does come in a "cameo" color that is an off-white, but I have never used it in person. My Grady's deck is gray, fyi.
Great, thanks Dennis.
I will start keeping some GE Silicone II around for more temporary jobs, but will also keep my LifeSeal and LifeCaulk handy.
Are there any areas of the boat where LifeCaulk wouldn't be strong enough? Like any part of the hard top, or any part of where the outboards mount, or any part of the transom itself? I often hear of guys using 3M 5200 for jobs like that, but have read on this thread that it's the wrong application.
I will start keeping some GE Silicone II around for more temporary jobs, but will also keep my LifeSeal and LifeCaulk handy.
Are there any areas of the boat where LifeCaulk wouldn't be strong enough? Like any part of the hard top, or any part of where the outboards mount, or any part of the transom itself? I often hear of guys using 3M 5200 for jobs like that, but have read on this thread that it's the wrong application.
If you remove the seal that often, bury a piece of hundred pound braid around the bottom of the joint, and fill on top of it. Remember which corner the ends are at(tie them together), and when you remove, dig up an end and pull, and you will at least cut the seal all the way around, and maybe get some caulk at the same time. If you're lucky, you can pry the hatch out a lot sooner, making the caulk easier to remove.
Are there any areas of the boat where LifeCaulk wouldn't be strong enough? Like any part of the hard top, or any part of where the outboards mount, or any part of the transom itself? I often hear of guys using 3M 5200 for jobs like that, but have read on this thread that it's the wrong application.
Jonah said:
5200 is probably the most overused, and misunderstood, product out there... but when someone mentions using it on a forum because they heard of it on forum... well, it starts to become "gospel". If you read it on a forum or see it on Youtube, it MUST be true!
It is a great product for it's intended purpose, but it really has very few purposes. For example, though, I would use it to secure the deck to the hull. There are a ton of screws used for that purpose, but a high strength adhesive is really the primary, in this case.A lot of the items you mentioned are actually secured primarily with mechanical fasteners. But it can't hurt to have some extra help, either. LifeCaulk would be a great choice for those areas... areas you don't, in ideal conditions, anticipate removing (or at least not anytime soon) - but if you needed to, it can be. Another benefit is that some of those areas see UV - at least a little bit of the sealant, anyways. 5200 is not UV stable - LC is.
For simple joints on mated components that are intended to be removed periodically and are not below waterline, butyl tape works very good.