Lexel adhesive/sealant

[roncynthiaboomer]

Has anyone used Lexel (trademark/brand name) to seal their plexiglass portlights found on an O'Day sailboat, these portlights have no rim/frame and attach directly to the fiberglass by fasteners (screws)? The website states it is a superior alternative to silicone in adhesion, elasticity etc. Made by a company named Sashco. It is detailed as a soft co-polymer rubber.

 

[KD3PC]

Dow 795 works for decades...why try something untested on your boat? It is a silicone caulking compound, not a sealant like the Dow product. In my experience there is a lot of labor to "seal" portlights, and I would rather do it once, every 20-25 years.

Of course their website is going to say nice things about it. Does not make it so.

Your boat, your money, let us know how it holds up.

 

[Lake Superior Sailor]

I tried it and it let go after a year; Plexiglass to plastic....Dale

 

[dscribner]

Dale,


You didn't clean the surfaces or the surface that you were adhering to wasn't compatible with the sealant. Also be sure that it was indeed Dow 795. They have many formulations, each one with a specialty and a few with weaknesses. And silicones are in no way equal.

Ron,

Dow 795 is the proper silicone for the purpose. A few years back they reformulated it so now it's also a structural silicone, similar to 995 but more weather/UV resistant. Be sure to mask off the places that you don't want the silicone to go. I've given instructions on this and other sites a few times so you can search for them. And be sure to tool your joint. If the joint isn't tooled, it isn't warrantied. In order to have a watertight joint, it must be tooled. A wet finger, plastic spoon works fine. Home Depot sells a tooling spray that works really well. Costs about 4 bucks. I adhered my 60" X 10" portlights to my cabin with structural glazing tape, then sealed with DOW 995, white. A squirt of spray and spoon and the joint looks like an extruded gasket. Be sure to mask.

Oh, I'm a monumental skylight designer.

Don

 

[Brian S]

From Sail magazine

Here is an article from Sail magazine on replacing fixed port lights. http://www.sailmagazine.com/boatworks/replacing-fixed-portlights

I know someone who used this method and materials on his Precision, and he's had good results for a year now.

I have just purchased the plexi for my 192, and I will be following this tutorial come spring time.

Apparently, the 795 sealant must be used in temps above 50º or it may not cure.

As for the sealant choice, it's been stated that 795 is the preferred choice as it has enough adhesion and flexibility to allow for the dissimilar thermal movement between fiberglass and plexiglass. Other than that, silicone sealants aren't allowed on my boat.

Brian

Has anyone used Lexel (trademark/brand name) to seal their plexiglass portlights found on an O'Day sailboat, these portlights have no rim/frame and attach directly to the fiberglass by fasteners (screws)? The website states it is a superior alternative to silicone in adhesion, elasticity etc. Made by a company named Sashco. It is detailed as a soft co-polymer rubber.

 

[sailfree20770]

Dale,


You didn't clean the surfaces or the surface that you were adhering to wasn't compatible with the sealant. Also be sure that it was indeed Dow 795. They have many formulations, each one with a specialty and a few with weaknesses. And silicones are in no way equal.

Ron,

Dow 795 is the proper silicone for the purpose. A few years back they reformulated it so now it's also a structural silicone, similar to 995 but more weather/UV resistant. Be sure to mask off the places that you don't want the silicone to go. I've given instructions on this and other sites a few times so you can search for them. And be sure to tool your joint. If the joint isn't tooled, it isn't warrantied. In order to have a watertight joint, it must be tooled. A wet finger, plastic spoon works fine. Home Depot sells a tooling spray that works really well. Costs about 4 bucks. I adhered my 60" X 10" portlights to my cabin with structural glazing tape, then sealed with DOW 995, white. A squirt of spray and spoon and the joint looks like an extruded gasket. Be sure to mask.

Oh, I'm a monumental skylight designer.

Don

dscribner,

I'm considering re-bedding a fixed deck light on my Hunter sailboat. Thanks for the info, but I'm a little confused by your recommendation. Perhaps you can clarify.

You recommend Dow 795, then say you used structural glazing tape and Dow 995. Was that prior to the reformulation of 795? Since the reformulation will the 795 do it all, without the structural glazing tape?

If the "structural glazing tape" is necessary, what exactly is the brand and product name?