Woosley Dolfinite Compound

[Ozana]

I'm sealing a porthole.Has anybody used Woosley Dolfinite Compound to seal portholes, hatches, etc. How does it compare to 3M 101 and silicones?Thanks in advanceOzana

 

[STU GEFFNER]

SEAL YOUR PORTS

If you really wish to do this job correctly you should know that professional oem manufacuters use a product from GE called SilPruf. Thiss product has been written up in Practical Sailor and is the really one choice that does the job correctly. It seals well is easy to use and can be removed if necessary.

 

[John Visser]

Butyl tape

It may be the same thing that Stu is talking about, i don't know; but my research at the time, two years ago, was that butyl tape is the correct material for this job. It is available at RV dealers adn parts outlets. It comes in black or white, I'm told, 'though I could only ever find black. I would have preferred white. It is a material that is extremely easy to handle, has a good shelf life. Its a lot like putty. I used it on the aluminum lights in the C36 coah roof. This is the material that Catalina used originally. With some experience, I found that splitting the 1" wide stuff and only using half made for a better fit. You apply it to the sealing surface of the port, without stretching it, and only very slightly overlapping it, if not butting it, where it meets; make it meet at the bottom.When the port is tightened the stuff flows to seal and fill voids. jv

 

[Chris Gonzales]

AMEN...butyl tape

You can find a lot on this in the archives, this being from them:Response to leaky windows: ARCHIVES again Submitted by Chris Gonzales on 08/28 at 09:16PM regarding General_interest Butyl Tape Submitted by Chris Gonzales on 05/24 at 07:06AM regarding General_interestG,This is a topic that has been debated forever in forums all over the net and opinions are many. The original window installation by Catalina on my '79 C30 and '88 C25 involved the use of clear silicon sealant. When I have reset or installed a new window I used butyl tape (putty tape), the same stuff used on RVs.Butyl tape is very easy to use and also very easy to remove later, if needed. It conforms to the shape of the two surfaces you are working with and really gives a good seal. Some feel better if they run a line of caulking along the top and sides of the window for extra protection, but I don't feel that is necessary. With the tape alone there is no visible sign of caulking on the outside and the windows look great.ChrisFunny you should ask... Submitted by L-Seelig on 05/24 at 07:34AM regarding Catalina 25I am currently working on that very project. I took my windows out completely took apart the frames tinted the windows, put new window frame seals in and am now in the process of putting it all back together. I have one side done and the butyl rubber tape is perfect. Just like Chris said, it is easy to work with and a snap to clean up. After what I found was used the last time my windows were sealed (weather stripping type putty) there is no wonder my windows were leaking. I have a lot more confidence in the butyl tape. Regards,LysleOpening port Submitted by Chris Gonzales on 05/04 at 07:17AM regarding Catalina 30

 

[R.W.Landau]

Pvc and vinyl Ports

If it is a pvc or vinyl port, the petrol in the products will make the pvc brittle. I have talked to some caulking manufacturers and no one has given me a good product that in 10 years can make the removal of the ports easy or be easily be removed from vinyl of pvc ports.I have tried on two boats to remove pvc ports and have cracked or broken the flang on at least one window of each boat. This was due to the adheasion of the sealant used on one boat and the petrol attack of the sealant on the other.Lexan, does not fall in the pvc and vinyl catagory. It is not attacked by petrol products.This is what I have found out from my searching and I am not a chemical engineer! So I hope there is a sailing chemical engineer somewhere here that can respond.r.w.landau