Everyone seems to fear finding 5200 was used by previous owner or the manufacturer. Whenever anyone gives advice, it seems to always include "don't use 5200." Is this stuff good for anything?
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Steve O.
oh, heck yes
5200 is good for anything below waterline that is a permanent installation, such as through-hulls and keel joints. Some will argue that it will make it difficult to remove a through-hull, which is true, but the peace of mind I have knowing that the sucker ain't gonna leak is worth a little trouble 10 years from now, if and when I have to replace it.
5200 is good for anything below waterline that is a permanent installation, such as through-hulls and keel joints. Some will argue that it will make it difficult to remove a through-hull, which is true, but the peace of mind I have knowing that the sucker ain't gonna leak is worth a little trouble 10 years from now, if and when I have to replace it.
Not a lot, just an over used product.
Debra: I would only use it on something like a deck to hull joint or a keel to hull joint. Most of the time we have fasterners that are doing the job. If you are installing a thru hull fitting there is a chance that SOMEDAY, SOMEONE will need to remove it. If this is the case, and they have used 5200 there is a good chance that the gel coat will go with the fitting. There is no guarantee that you will know that it is 5200 when you go to remove it or that the solvent can get into the area to disolve the caulk. Stick with 4200, Life Caulk, Life Seal etc when you are in doubt. Always check the compatibilty of the product with the TWO surfaces that they are going to be applied. Some of these product will soften/melt plastics etc. The sealing ability is usually what you are looking for not the adhesive ability. Using 5200 on portlites is like nailing moulding with a 16 penny nail or a lag bolt.
Debra: I would only use it on something like a deck to hull joint or a keel to hull joint. Most of the time we have fasterners that are doing the job. If you are installing a thru hull fitting there is a chance that SOMEDAY, SOMEONE will need to remove it. If this is the case, and they have used 5200 there is a good chance that the gel coat will go with the fitting. There is no guarantee that you will know that it is 5200 when you go to remove it or that the solvent can get into the area to disolve the caulk. Stick with 4200, Life Caulk, Life Seal etc when you are in doubt. Always check the compatibilty of the product with the TWO surfaces that they are going to be applied. Some of these product will soften/melt plastics etc. The sealing ability is usually what you are looking for not the adhesive ability. Using 5200 on portlites is like nailing moulding with a 16 penny nail or a lag bolt.
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Justin - O'day Owners' Web
I disagree
Personally, I 5200 almost everything. Especially anything that might work under load like stantions and chainplates. When I want to remove something, I take a guitar string and a couple of dowels, make a wire saw, and cut the thing free. I haven't had a major problem yet. Justin - O'day Owners' Web
Personally, I 5200 almost everything. Especially anything that might work under load like stantions and chainplates. When I want to remove something, I take a guitar string and a couple of dowels, make a wire saw, and cut the thing free. I haven't had a major problem yet. Justin - O'day Owners' Web
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David
? 5200
Justin and Steve O. are correct 5200 is a great product for thru hulls and anything else requiring a semi permanent attachment and or high stress loading.
Justin and Steve O. are correct 5200 is a great product for thru hulls and anything else requiring a semi permanent attachment and or high stress loading.
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Mark Johnson
I wouldn't use it....
on anything that you or someone MAY want to take apart one day. As for thru hulls...I'd use 4200. All you want to do is make it water tight, not part of the hull itself! Thru hulls do wear out and have to be replaced. I'd much rather replace one thats been installed with 4200 than 5200.
on anything that you or someone MAY want to take apart one day. As for thru hulls...I'd use 4200. All you want to do is make it water tight, not part of the hull itself! Thru hulls do wear out and have to be replaced. I'd much rather replace one thats been installed with 4200 than 5200.
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Larry Mongeon
5200 Not That Permanent
Not only do I swear by it but it is not impossible to remove. I simply use a heat gun to pre heat fitting and pull and it comes out real slick. The secret is to get it to the right temperature and you will not have a major problem removing. I strongly recommend 5200 on any application below water line and any fitting that will experience high stress loads. I rebed the toe rails on my Hunter 25 with it and yes it will be time consuming when it comes time to rebed in 10 years but until then I have no water leaks and my toe rails can be used for sheet blocks, spinnicker blocks and other high stress load applications without my worrying about seal failure in a water problem area on Hunter boats. IMHO
Not only do I swear by it but it is not impossible to remove. I simply use a heat gun to pre heat fitting and pull and it comes out real slick. The secret is to get it to the right temperature and you will not have a major problem removing. I strongly recommend 5200 on any application below water line and any fitting that will experience high stress loads. I rebed the toe rails on my Hunter 25 with it and yes it will be time consuming when it comes time to rebed in 10 years but until then I have no water leaks and my toe rails can be used for sheet blocks, spinnicker blocks and other high stress load applications without my worrying about seal failure in a water problem area on Hunter boats. IMHO
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Ralph Johnstone
Live dangerously ...................
...... and use 5200 where one of the parts are metal. If the 5200 is adhesed to one part which is metal, it can easily be removed by heating the metal and the 5200 will soften nicely. If both parts are non metallic, it's a problem. Regards, s/v Island Hunter
...... and use 5200 where one of the parts are metal. If the 5200 is adhesed to one part which is metal, it can easily be removed by heating the metal and the 5200 will soften nicely. If both parts are non metallic, it's a problem. Regards, s/v Island Hunter
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Peggie Hall/Head Mistress
Think of it as "industrial strength super glue"
Anything that once was a single intact item, but isn't any more, can be made whole again with 5200. It can also be used to join two separate items that, together, make one whole single item that is intended to remain a whole intact item forever. It should NEVER be used for anything else. A cracked or broken light fixture once was a single whole... Rail stanchions are and hulls or decks are NOT two parts of a whole. Seacocks and hulls are NOT two parts of a whole. Neither hoses and tanks nor hoses and hose fittings are two parts of a single whole. Therefore, they should not be joined or bedded with 5200. Apply this criteria and you'll never regret--as many have--using 5200.
Anything that once was a single intact item, but isn't any more, can be made whole again with 5200. It can also be used to join two separate items that, together, make one whole single item that is intended to remain a whole intact item forever. It should NEVER be used for anything else. A cracked or broken light fixture once was a single whole... Rail stanchions are and hulls or decks are NOT two parts of a whole. Seacocks and hulls are NOT two parts of a whole. Neither hoses and tanks nor hoses and hose fittings are two parts of a single whole. Therefore, they should not be joined or bedded with 5200. Apply this criteria and you'll never regret--as many have--using 5200.
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LaDonna Bubak - Catalina Owners
A little personal experience
I rebed almost every above-the-waterline fitting on my boat with 4200. Unfortunately, I ran out as I got to the trim ring for my depthsounder so I used some 5200. Worked great till I had to remove the trim ring to install a new depthsounder. UH OH! I had to remove the thing in pieces and mangle some of my nice new paint job to get that sucker off. Conversely, I DID install the shore power plug with 4200 and recently discovered it was leaking like a sieve. Removal was easy peasy compartively. Like the rest said, 5200 is good for under-the-waterline uses or for anything that will never ever be removed. LaDonna
I rebed almost every above-the-waterline fitting on my boat with 4200. Unfortunately, I ran out as I got to the trim ring for my depthsounder so I used some 5200. Worked great till I had to remove the trim ring to install a new depthsounder. UH OH! I had to remove the thing in pieces and mangle some of my nice new paint job to get that sucker off. Conversely, I DID install the shore power plug with 4200 and recently discovered it was leaking like a sieve. Removal was easy peasy compartively. Like the rest said, 5200 is good for under-the-waterline uses or for anything that will never ever be removed. LaDonna
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Dakota Jim Russell
Great use
Bolt on the external spine to my drive shaft was seeping. On the advice of Hunter, I removed the bolt, coated it liberally with 5200 and the leak is gone. The key is not to turn the bolt. Use it on the plastic ends to the floor of my dingy to hold them on the aluminum floor. Again, cured hard in 4 days and they don't fall off. Friends use it for their stanchion. Again the key is not to tighten the bolts fully until it is set up well a day or two later . . . then draw them tight. It will come off, though it is tougher than some. I would rather use this in any underwater installation as it is more permanent than any other material that I've found. I would tend to use it in locations where I do not want to remove the item . . . and want a permanent repair. To those that like other products, I would offer that is exactly why they make Hunters, Catalinas, Beneteaus, Odays, etc. . . .
Bolt on the external spine to my drive shaft was seeping. On the advice of Hunter, I removed the bolt, coated it liberally with 5200 and the leak is gone. The key is not to turn the bolt. Use it on the plastic ends to the floor of my dingy to hold them on the aluminum floor. Again, cured hard in 4 days and they don't fall off. Friends use it for their stanchion. Again the key is not to tighten the bolts fully until it is set up well a day or two later . . . then draw them tight. It will come off, though it is tougher than some. I would rather use this in any underwater installation as it is more permanent than any other material that I've found. I would tend to use it in locations where I do not want to remove the item . . . and want a permanent repair. To those that like other products, I would offer that is exactly why they make Hunters, Catalinas, Beneteaus, Odays, etc. . . .
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Dakota Jim Russell
5200 Great
Bolt on the external spine to my drive shaft was seeping. On the advice of Hunter, I removed the bolt, coated it liberally with 5200 and the leak is gone. The key is not to turn the bolt. Use it on the plastic ends to the floor of my dingy to hold them on the aluminum floor. Again, cured hard in 4 days and they don't fall off. Friends use it for their stanchion. Again the key is not to tighten the bolts fully until it is set up well a day or two later . . . then draw them tight. It will come off, though it is tougher than some. I would rather use this in any underwater installation as it is more permanent than any other material that I've found. I would tend to use it in locations where I do not want to remove the item . . . and want a permanent repair. To those that like other products, I would offer that is exactly why they make Hunters, Catalinas, Beneteaus, Odays, etc. . . .
Bolt on the external spine to my drive shaft was seeping. On the advice of Hunter, I removed the bolt, coated it liberally with 5200 and the leak is gone. The key is not to turn the bolt. Use it on the plastic ends to the floor of my dingy to hold them on the aluminum floor. Again, cured hard in 4 days and they don't fall off. Friends use it for their stanchion. Again the key is not to tighten the bolts fully until it is set up well a day or two later . . . then draw them tight. It will come off, though it is tougher than some. I would rather use this in any underwater installation as it is more permanent than any other material that I've found. I would tend to use it in locations where I do not want to remove the item . . . and want a permanent repair. To those that like other products, I would offer that is exactly why they make Hunters, Catalinas, Beneteaus, Odays, etc. . . .
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gary jensen
5200 is great
and should be used where you don' want failure. It can be removed with some heat. Just don't plan on having an easy time with its removal.....
and should be used where you don' want failure. It can be removed with some heat. Just don't plan on having an easy time with its removal.....
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Fred Moore
hulls are ment to be whole
No mater what the controversy about getting it off, if it is below the water line it is 5200. The hull was ment to be one piece, then someone long ago got the idea of putting holes in it. 5200 will keep the hull one piece in any weather, any seas. I think if you took a survey you would find that most people who are against 5200 pull there boats every year for long periods of time (winter), or trailer the boat and can check throuh hulls any time they want. Mine gets pulled a couple of times per year for pressure wash and back in the water (1hour). Remember below the water line the water has pressure trying to get in. Above the water line there is no pressure other than gravity.. My personal opponion is that if it is hard for me to get off (its not I use a heat gun) mother nature will play hell getting it off... FWIW Fred
No mater what the controversy about getting it off, if it is below the water line it is 5200. The hull was ment to be one piece, then someone long ago got the idea of putting holes in it. 5200 will keep the hull one piece in any weather, any seas. I think if you took a survey you would find that most people who are against 5200 pull there boats every year for long periods of time (winter), or trailer the boat and can check throuh hulls any time they want. Mine gets pulled a couple of times per year for pressure wash and back in the water (1hour). Remember below the water line the water has pressure trying to get in. Above the water line there is no pressure other than gravity.. My personal opponion is that if it is hard for me to get off (its not I use a heat gun) mother nature will play hell getting it off... FWIW Fred
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Jon W
Two different objectives
There are a lot of opinions on this subject, and none of them are wrong. So I thought I would add mine. I use 5200 when I need something bonded (glued, stuck, attached, adhered, fastened, etc…) as the primary attatchment, as well as sealed. I use 4200 for sealing items that are mechanically attached (screwed, bolted, retained, nailed, clamped, etc…) and just need a waterproof seal. Hopefully, things like thru-hulls, transducers, and stanchions are mechanically secured. If the additional security of 5200 is required on mechanically fastened hardware, I would think that the attachment design was flawed. Hull-to-deck joints are a good example of this. The 1/4 inch bolts and screws used with the fiberglass material on my boat would be insufficient alone, and so requires bonding to add enough strength in this highly loaded area
There are a lot of opinions on this subject, and none of them are wrong. So I thought I would add mine. I use 5200 when I need something bonded (glued, stuck, attached, adhered, fastened, etc…) as the primary attatchment, as well as sealed. I use 4200 for sealing items that are mechanically attached (screwed, bolted, retained, nailed, clamped, etc…) and just need a waterproof seal. Hopefully, things like thru-hulls, transducers, and stanchions are mechanically secured. If the additional security of 5200 is required on mechanically fastened hardware, I would think that the attachment design was flawed. Hull-to-deck joints are a good example of this. The 1/4 inch bolts and screws used with the fiberglass material on my boat would be insufficient alone, and so requires bonding to add enough strength in this highly loaded area
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Barry
Held Molding trim on my '87 LeSabre for Years!
Wouldn't use it on anything that EVER had to be removed. They made better stuff for that. Barry
Wouldn't use it on anything that EVER had to be removed. They made better stuff for that. Barry
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Tim Schaaf
some questions......
One might also ask if the part to be removed only needs to be removed in order to re-bed....in which case, why not make it more permanent. Also, even the difficulties of removal (which can be overcome) are often less than the difficulties caused by a leak or seal failure. I used never to use 5200, but now use it freely. Porlights? Used to be that an offshore installation was thought to require thru-bolting with the trim ring to maintain integrity in case of a knockdown. How many of today's boats ( of whatever make ) have ports that are thrubolted rather than just screwed to the cabin sides? Maybe a little 5200 would save the day.......
One might also ask if the part to be removed only needs to be removed in order to re-bed....in which case, why not make it more permanent. Also, even the difficulties of removal (which can be overcome) are often less than the difficulties caused by a leak or seal failure. I used never to use 5200, but now use it freely. Porlights? Used to be that an offshore installation was thought to require thru-bolting with the trim ring to maintain integrity in case of a knockdown. How many of today's boats ( of whatever make ) have ports that are thrubolted rather than just screwed to the cabin sides? Maybe a little 5200 would save the day.......
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