Chain plate sealant question

[JKCMBOAT]

Is it a bad idea to seal the interior/exterior chain plate areas with the permanent sealant caulk 3M 5200? Does anyone have experience with this stuff?

I purchased this for sealing the engine mount, rudder hinges and any of the thru hole mounts above and below waterline.

Just curious if it will work well on port/starboard chain plates or if it will be a huge problem further down the road if/when I need to reseal them again.

Thanks,

Joe

 

[Stu Jackson]

Don't do it. 5200 is Satan's Glue, per Maine Sail. You'll never get it out again without a tremendous amount of unnecessary work. Throw it away!!!

Use butyl tape: http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=117172

 

[inarathree]

5200 is the best stuff on earth, so long as you never want to remove it. Go with what Stu said, and follow the directions for bedding with butyl tape.

 

[JKCMBOAT]

Ha! Glad I asked. Thanks for the heads up. I'll read this article once I get out of work. I can easily return the 5200 to the store without a problem.

If anyone else has sealant products they've had good luck with on chain plates, motor mounts, etc., I'm all ears.

Joe

 

[Deadline]

LifeSeal caulk, preferably clear so any flaws won't be visible. You can use a caulk gun or the smaller tube. Wonderful stuff. Sailors on this site swear by it. Flexible, inexpensive.

 

[jorg027]

I'll second the LifeSeal caulk. But it can b very messy n frustrating to work with.

 

[Maine Sail]

Please be aware that LifeSeal has SILICONE in it. Silicone contamination of gelcoat can be very tough to remove and get a future seal with. When you need to rebed an area previously bedded with silicone it often re-leaks because nothing likes to stick to silicone.

LifeCalk is their polysulfide product and is a good sealant.

For chain plates I prefer butyl IF they plates will work with it. Beyond that.

Sikaflex 295UV
Sikaflex 291
LifeCalk
3M 4200

 

[Steve Dion]

I cannot think of a product that would be better for chain plates than butyl. Pushing butyl down through the deck and then sealing the deck plate will help prevent any water from infiltration the core.

The greatest thing about butyl is that it will still be very soft/pliable when most caulking materials will need to be replaced.

 

[Maine Sail]

I cannot think of a product that would be better for chain plates than butyl. Pushing butyl down through the deck and then sealing the deck plate will help prevent any water from infiltration the core.

The greatest thing about butyl is that it will still be very soft/pliable when most caulking materials will need to be replaced.

It works great IF you can use the cover plate to compress it. It really works best when the cover plates are through bolted or screw directly into solid glass.

Cover plates that "screw" into a wood core can strip out of the core if you get to crazy on compressing the butyl. You can alternatively compress the butyl by placing blocks on the cover plate then standing on it. Once compressed you can then continue tightening the screws gently..

The chain plates on our boat were bedded at the factory in 1979 and lasted 31 or 32 years (can't remember which year I re-bedded them) and were still 100% dry when I removed the chain plates for inspection & re-bedding.

 

[JKCMBOAT]

This is all great info, many thanks to all! I just purchased a roll of butyl tape.