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Butyl Tape fer hardware sealing fun!

5K views 10 replies 8 participants last post by  sailingdog 
#1 ·
So, I need some opinions. Seems like a good way to rebed my 2 mile long Genoa Tracks (alright they are just 14 feet long...) I am just too messy for buttering 3M 101 on both track and deck. Ideas?

PS: I love this site. Soon, I hope to have advice to offer:)

Cheers!
Gilligan Stump
S/V LunaSea
 
#2 ·
I used sikaflex 291 when I did mine. The reason I used sikaflex is because the product allows a certain amount of flex, before it will break it's seal. I also looked at using 4200 but when compaired to sikaflex and it's ability to flex, I thought the sikaflex 291 was the better product for the Genoa track. It does take a few days to firm up and shouldn't be used before it does.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Additionally, put down blue painters tape to contain the mess :rolleyes:. To the OP... are these new bolt holes? Even if they aren't, make certain they are prepped properly so that you're not setting yourself up for a soggy core. There are plenty of posts here on Sailnet -- do a search on 'rebedding deck hardware'.

BTW, welcome aboard :)
 
#5 ·
I have been experimenting with butyl tape. So far I have gotten very good results. It works especially well on tracks where you don't want goop oozing out and clogging the tracks. I used the grey rather than black butyl since it does not bleed as bad as the black. One minor point, I did use Sikaflex on the bolts when I inserted them, since I was not all that confident in the adhesion between the butyl and the threads of the bolts.

If you do go the Sikaflex caulk idea for bedding the tracks, I suggest that you insert a soft rubber washer that is larger than the bolt at each bolt hole to act as a spacer so that you end up with a caulking bed that has some thickness to it.

Jeff
 
#6 ·
Cam - I am rebedding all hardware in the next couple weeks. Re: your advice of not tightening until cured - Is that necessary when you bevel out all of the boltholes, to hold more sealant - forming an O-ring?

Jeff - Similar question - If you bevel out the bolt holes, do you feel it is still necessary to add rubber washers, to increase the amount of sealant?

Thanks in advance!!

I have read many posts, as well as Don Casey's advice, on the subject, but was leaning to Halekai 's method of bevelling - and tightening all at once!
 
#8 · (Edited)
Re: Butyl

Just a follow up to the Butyl question. Yesterday I began removing my Beckson port lights to replace them with stainless ports. These ports were OEM installed, and of the eight, only one leaked. Each and every one of these ports was installed with butyl and only one of them had leaked in 29 years!

My new port lights will go back in with butyl and a little Sikaflex around the UV exposed edge and a bevel around the ports opening for capture of the butyl that will be better than factory!!

P.S. The gray colored butyl was easy to break free and still just as sticky as the day they were installed! I removed four port lights yesterday in an hour and a half and that included cleaning the surface and prepping them for the new ones.. That would have NEVER happened with Silicone or polyurethane...

This is the first time I've come across 30 year old butyl and to say the least I was VERY, VERY impressed that it's characteristics remained virtually unchanged!! Polyurethane at 30 years retains very little of it's original elasticity...
 
#9 ·
I see Butyl tape as a great solution to a port window. But I still don't see it being used on a traveler where there is flexing and pressure placed upon the hardware.
Not having Butyl tape fail in 29 years on a stationary port with little stress placed on it is far different from deck hardware with pressure and all sorts of pulling being placed on it.
 
#10 ·
Well Halekai...as usual, you present a very convincing case based on experience. I've had good luck re-bedding MT genny tracks with the 2-step method...perhaps due to overkill on the 4200...perhaps luck...
Will give your way a shot the next time around...but I don't recall concavity on the bottom of my track so will have to check that first as it seems critical.
 
#11 ·
The concave recess isn't all that critical if you've countersunk each of the fastener holes slightly.
 
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