Whenever I pick up a book or article about [re]bedding stuff, it says that polysulfide type sealants are the best to use. How do you locate these? What are some brand names? I went into the local West Marine and only found one can labeled bedding compound. The label had no clue as to what type of compound it was. It would really be useful if these books/articles would refer to some brands. Would the polysulfide sealant be appropriate for bedding depth/speed transducers? There are 3 types usually discussed, silicone, polysufide and polyurethane. Are there brands/products that represents each of these? -Smitty
Bedding Compound
- Thread starter Smitty
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3M 101
is a pure polysulfide and is my sealant of choice for most of my above waterline projects. For a transducer 101 would probably work but I might consider 3M's 4200 as a better candidate. It's a removeable sealant/adhesive that is more robust than 101 but not as permanent as 5200. I'm no expert in this area. I'm sure some others more knowledgeable will chime in.
is a pure polysulfide and is my sealant of choice for most of my above waterline projects. For a transducer 101 would probably work but I might consider 3M's 4200 as a better candidate. It's a removeable sealant/adhesive that is more robust than 101 but not as permanent as 5200. I'm no expert in this area. I'm sure some others more knowledgeable will chime in.
5200 Hands down...
Smitty, Both Jim & Rick are right, and you can use either one. Sikaflex is often used by boatyards too. If you feel this is a 'permanent' mounting, and a thru-hull transducer normally is, if not what is? Then the 'bedding compound' to use is 5200. Not cheap but it adheres (glues things together) and has the quality of being quite strong but has a slight give to it so, will not crack with flex like some will. You can get it out, I had to twice take my mast partners out and they were liberally literally glued in with 5200...;-)
Smitty, Both Jim & Rick are right, and you can use either one. Sikaflex is often used by boatyards too. If you feel this is a 'permanent' mounting, and a thru-hull transducer normally is, if not what is? Then the 'bedding compound' to use is 5200. Not cheap but it adheres (glues things together) and has the quality of being quite strong but has a slight give to it so, will not crack with flex like some will. You can get it out, I had to twice take my mast partners out and they were liberally literally glued in with 5200...;-)
3M 101..
5200 is NOT allowed on my boat period. 5200 is 3M's way of steering future business to boat yards. Nothing is permanent on a boat! 4200 max! I learned about 3M 101 from the guys a Hinckley enough said! 5200 will rip gel-coat right off your deck. I was helping a buddy re-bed stanchions on his Sabre done with 5200, by a previous owner, and after all the bolts were out he just grabbed it and pulled before I could say NOOOOOO! He tore up a bout a 3.5 inch diameter chunk of his deck! To this day the gel-coat repair does not match!!! Try UV 4000 it's less adhesive than 4200 but only of you can't get 101..
5200 is NOT allowed on my boat period. 5200 is 3M's way of steering future business to boat yards. Nothing is permanent on a boat! 4200 max! I learned about 3M 101 from the guys a Hinckley enough said! 5200 will rip gel-coat right off your deck. I was helping a buddy re-bed stanchions on his Sabre done with 5200, by a previous owner, and after all the bolts were out he just grabbed it and pulled before I could say NOOOOOO! He tore up a bout a 3.5 inch diameter chunk of his deck! To this day the gel-coat repair does not match!!! Try UV 4000 it's less adhesive than 4200 but only of you can't get 101..
5200 Hands up....
I agree with Acoustic. The ONLY place that 5200 belongs on a boat is the hull to deck joint. Period.
I agree with Acoustic. The ONLY place that 5200 belongs on a boat is the hull to deck joint. Period.
West Marine
Hello, West Marine carries 3M stuff - so the 101 is a possibility for you http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=10001&classNum=10890&subdeptNum=200&storeNum=4&productId=46529 Some other brands of Polysulfide that West Marine sells are Polysufide Caulk Sealant http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/10001/-1/10001/72414/10001/10890/200/4 And also some of the 'boatlife' products. Good luck, Barry
Hello, West Marine carries 3M stuff - so the 101 is a possibility for you http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=10001&classNum=10890&subdeptNum=200&storeNum=4&productId=46529 Some other brands of Polysulfide that West Marine sells are Polysufide Caulk Sealant http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/10001/-1/10001/72414/10001/10890/200/4 And also some of the 'boatlife' products. Good luck, Barry
Stu's Stew & witches Brew..
stu, have you ever worked at a boatyard? A hundred dollars says walk up to the yard foreman, ask him what they use nowadays to bed a keel, and he will say 5200. Guess waht mast tracks, tanks et al are bedded with? Methinks youse guys have yer egos exposed and are not really interested in the truth to help people here but petty arguing and bickering on non-plus silliness. My offer stands, and check it. Craig at S.F. Boat works is near you,ask him. Have you ever sailed outside the gate, other than telling others what THEY should do?
stu, have you ever worked at a boatyard? A hundred dollars says walk up to the yard foreman, ask him what they use nowadays to bed a keel, and he will say 5200. Guess waht mast tracks, tanks et al are bedded with? Methinks youse guys have yer egos exposed and are not really interested in the truth to help people here but petty arguing and bickering on non-plus silliness. My offer stands, and check it. Craig at S.F. Boat works is near you,ask him. Have you ever sailed outside the gate, other than telling others what THEY should do?
personal opinion
My view, and my experience supports it, Most places that do things for hire use the materials they do NOT because they are the absolute best for that purpose, but because it is the fastest and cheapest way to do it overall, most professionals use glue rather than make sure the project is mechanically fastened correctly, because it is much faster to glue something on and throw a few screws in to hold it till the glue dries Professionals have to balance results with time spent doing the job, doing the job correctly takes time, using glue saves time. so just because professionals use it, desn't always mean it's the best for the purpose. I Know at work I had to relearn a lot of things because doing them right would cut too deeply into the profit margin. Not saying that 5200 is not going to work, just that there are many options that aren't used by professionals, that ARE right. Watch professional people stain and varnish woodwork in an office building, most wipe the stain on with a rag, then spray a thick coat of 'varnish' then come back and shave off any runs, it's fast and it works, but I can't see too many people saying that it's the right way to do something. Output for a professional is the most important factor, results for most are secondary, as long as finished product looks and works right, it's good from a professional standpoint. If you are happy with professional results, duplicate their techniques, I'm a professional woodworker and am very familiar with professional work, but I prefer craftsman results on my own things, so I don't use professional techniques there, or on paying projects where people want and will pay for craftsman quality Ken.
My view, and my experience supports it, Most places that do things for hire use the materials they do NOT because they are the absolute best for that purpose, but because it is the fastest and cheapest way to do it overall, most professionals use glue rather than make sure the project is mechanically fastened correctly, because it is much faster to glue something on and throw a few screws in to hold it till the glue dries Professionals have to balance results with time spent doing the job, doing the job correctly takes time, using glue saves time. so just because professionals use it, desn't always mean it's the best for the purpose. I Know at work I had to relearn a lot of things because doing them right would cut too deeply into the profit margin. Not saying that 5200 is not going to work, just that there are many options that aren't used by professionals, that ARE right. Watch professional people stain and varnish woodwork in an office building, most wipe the stain on with a rag, then spray a thick coat of 'varnish' then come back and shave off any runs, it's fast and it works, but I can't see too many people saying that it's the right way to do something. Output for a professional is the most important factor, results for most are secondary, as long as finished product looks and works right, it's good from a professional standpoint. If you are happy with professional results, duplicate their techniques, I'm a professional woodworker and am very familiar with professional work, but I prefer craftsman results on my own things, so I don't use professional techniques there, or on paying projects where people want and will pay for craftsman quality Ken.
5200
The ONLY time you should use 3M 5200 is if you never, ever, ever, want to remove or take apart what you are putting together or sealing.
The ONLY time you should use 3M 5200 is if you never, ever, ever, want to remove or take apart what you are putting together or sealing.
On wooden boats the bedding compound
of choice is Dolfinite which is an oil based material much like plumbers putty. It is standard practice to rebed all of the hardware every three or four years. I use the modern acrylic caulks above the water line and the polyurethanes below the water line. I onlt have two through-hulls below the water line one for the engine and one for raw water for the galley sink and for flushing the head. My sink drains are glass tubes bonded to the hull, and brought up above the waterline and fitted with ball valves.
of choice is Dolfinite which is an oil based material much like plumbers putty. It is standard practice to rebed all of the hardware every three or four years. I use the modern acrylic caulks above the water line and the polyurethanes below the water line. I onlt have two through-hulls below the water line one for the engine and one for raw water for the galley sink and for flushing the head. My sink drains are glass tubes bonded to the hull, and brought up above the waterline and fitted with ball valves.
5200 Solvent
We are replacing our traveller and judging from the tenacity of trying to pry the old traveller off after removing the screws, I believe the old traveler and screws were bedded w/ 5200. What have others used as a solvent for 5200? Are any household products available? We really don't want to tear the gelgoat apart.
We are replacing our traveller and judging from the tenacity of trying to pry the old traveller off after removing the screws, I believe the old traveler and screws were bedded w/ 5200. What have others used as a solvent for 5200? Are any household products available? We really don't want to tear the gelgoat apart.
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