What is the most common approach to sealing the long toe rails on these boats. Is it a spot repair at individual bolts or a removal of the entire rail and rebedding?
H33C Toe Rail Leak Approach
- Thread starter justustoo
- Start date
My 84 H27 had a leak under the aluminum toe rail when I first got the boat. The toe rail is secured with 1/4" bolt's every 6 inches. The bedding material is a thick black butyl tape. Although the butyl tape was a bit crusty where it had oozed from under the rail, the material still under the rail was soft and flexible. I fixed the leak by simply tightening all of the nuts which compressed the rail tighter into the butyl. Some of the nuts needed a couple of revolutions to snug up. No leaks for 5 years and counting.
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1. Tighten the bolts as heritage says. If that is not a 100% fix,
2. Put a bead of 5200 along the inside edge of the rail where it meets the deck. (After cleaning the area first.) Then force it into the crack with a finger or appropriate tool.
2. Put a bead of 5200 along the inside edge of the rail where it meets the deck. (After cleaning the area first.) Then force it into the crack with a finger or appropriate tool.
Tighten the nuts while holding the bolts from rotating. No need to over-tighten and damage the fiberglass, just compress the butyl a bit more. My H33 appeared to have leaks from the toe rail fasteners but that was not the case. The leaks were from the stanchion bolts and the shroud chain plates. One shroud chain plate deck leak had rain water dripping out in the quarter berth about ten feet away from the chain plate.
Thanks guys. I'm going to be the fourth owner of this boat, and I knew the last owner, and maintenance was not his strong suit. I'm assuming the butyl tape was used on most bedded hardware? 5200 is forever stuff. Actually have found the 4100 UV is a lot more forgiving and lasts as long.
All my chainplates, genoa cleats and dock cleats are bedded in butyl. Most of it original. I have not actually confirmed that my toe rails are, but all reports seem to indicate butyl, and there have been no issues to date.
Hatches and mast base were bedded in something else, 4200 or similar, and I’ve re-bedded them with 4200. I found my original winches were also bedded in 4200 or the like. My new winches and all other hardware are now bedded in butyl, which is my go to sealant for any condition were I can securely bolt down for compression.
Butyl is effective only with good compression. For things like hatches, with wood screws in old holes that may not provide sufficient compression, or a mast base with variable compression, I favor 4200.
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