Chainplate Caulking
- Thread starter RoyS
- Start date
You could use butyl tape Bed-It Tape - A marine butyl / elastomeric sealant for boats | Compass Marine (marinehowto.com) OR West System as discussed in this article: Rebed chainplates (threefools.org)
I redid one side with butyl tape. After a time a leak started. Tightened the screws on the slotted plate and the leak stopped for a while; then started again. The butyl squeezes out. I think butyl works best where it is totally sealed in between two surfaces. The slots in the cover plates leave a space for a soft sealant to squeeze out. Want to try something else.
I need to rebed my chainplates and it sounds like I have the same configuration. I was planning to use butyl but if that failed for you I might reconsider. What type of butyl did you use?
Roy,
2016, I removed and reinstalled the 6 chainplates on my boat. Before slipping the chainplates back through the deck, I opened up top deck slots with my Dremel changing the slot to a groove and provide clean fiber glass to pack in the Bed-it Butyl tape. I wiped the chainplates and deck area down with Denatured Alcohol. Slipped the chainplates into place. Then I filled the groove with butyl and packed it down against the chainplates. I then slipped the cover down on top of the butyl. I screwed the cover down in the prepared fiberglass holes using butyl on the screws.
No leaks have appeared in the past 7 years.
2016, I removed and reinstalled the 6 chainplates on my boat. Before slipping the chainplates back through the deck, I opened up top deck slots with my Dremel changing the slot to a groove and provide clean fiber glass to pack in the Bed-it Butyl tape. I wiped the chainplates and deck area down with Denatured Alcohol. Slipped the chainplates into place. Then I filled the groove with butyl and packed it down against the chainplates. I then slipped the cover down on top of the butyl. I screwed the cover down in the prepared fiberglass holes using butyl on the screws.
No leaks have appeared in the past 7 years.
I was wondering if butyl tape was good for this application since it does not stay put on it's own and really needs a bit of compression to keep it in place. The gap between the chain plate and cover is pretty small on my boat so I gave it a try and made sure there was a lot of squeeze out. This is a year after application and you can see a bit of the after affect squeeze out, I cleaned it off after tightening down the cover plate.
I have used butyl for this task.
When I did the reinstall of my chainplates (similar to your is the image) they were out of the boat.
I beveled the top to the deck around the opening of the chainplate (beneath the cover) with a dremel tool. I inserted the chainplate into the deck and bolted them on the inside to the bulkheads. I stuffed Bed-It Butyl Tape in the tapered pocket and around the chainplates. I then compressed the butyl down with the screw down cover. I completed this work in 2016. No leaking has been observed.
When I did the reinstall of my chainplates (similar to your is the image) they were out of the boat.
I beveled the top to the deck around the opening of the chainplate (beneath the cover) with a dremel tool. I inserted the chainplate into the deck and bolted them on the inside to the bulkheads. I stuffed Bed-It Butyl Tape in the tapered pocket and around the chainplates. I then compressed the butyl down with the screw down cover. I completed this work in 2016. No leaking has been observed.
I used BT for my port side. I keep running into stripping screws on the top plate when trying to squeeze the tape down. I plan on going full tilt on the starboard side with 4200. I know....."how could you?" well If I'm going to get a couple years out of it and regardless of what I use have to dig out the old stuff when re bedding, then I'm going to use something that cures to the surface in place of something that requires pressure to make the sealing surface. The life of a old boat........