Sealent for the gas tank hatch?

Blue · #1 04-13-2004, 09:27 AM

Which type of sealent should I use when replacing an under deck gas tank hatch? I pulled it off to replace the hoses and now need to get it back on there. The previous owner sealed it poorly and it let water in and saturated some of the wood. With that issue now cured, What is the best choice?

Thanks

lost2a6 · #2 04-13-2004, 10:05 AM

I've used silicone on my boat with good results. At this time it has 3M 4200 on it in which it is starting to break loose and also mildewing. 3M 5200 wouldn't break loose, but it will mildew and the sun will attack it. So I'll go back to the silicone. What ever you use needs to be flexible as you do get some movement in this joint.

abl1111 · #3 04-13-2004, 02:10 PM

3M makes a mildew resist, silicone ( it comes in a green and white cartridge ) costs about $14.

I just did the same thing this past weekend. Works great !

Clean the seams w/ a good fiberglass cleaner, I like Interlux 202, to get any crap off. Use 3M's blue tape and tape it all off - all around and both sides of the "seam". It seems like a waste of tape but it is the right way to do it.

Then, run a decent bead of silicone around the whole seam. Lastly, and this is the trick - get a few paper towels handy: lick your pointer finger and use it as a squeegee over the seam. Go 12" or so and wipe off the excess in a towel. Lick your finger again and continue doing that until you've gone all the way around.

It will skin in 2-3 hours and be cured in 24 hours. It will look like it did when it came out of the factory !

alan

abl1111 · #4 04-13-2004, 02:22 PM

When I went to re-install my fuel hatch, most of the screw holes in the floor ( not the hatch ) were oversized from years of use. I did not want to use larger screws - the heads would be too big.

So, I took some extra cured, 1/4" thick fiberglass sheet I had laying around and cut several, about (10) or so, 1/2" x 1" pcs out of it ( enough pcs for each hole ). I took some 80 grit sand paper and roughed up the under sides of the oversized holes a bit - and one side of thses pcs I just cut.

I mixed up some epoxy and cabosil to a mayonaise consistency and put a dolop on each small pc of fiberglass I had cut and placed them under each hole where I had just sanded.

The epoxy kicked in 24 hours. Those pcs of small fiberglass "became one" with that lip where the screws go through. I then put the hatch in place and drilled pilot holes thru to the those fiberglass " patches " I made.

Then installed screws w/ caulk life. That hatch is not going anywhere! Ever ! It's a great fix for a common problem...

alan

Blue · #5 04-13-2004, 02:49 PM

Quote:

lick your pointer finger and use it as a squeegee over the seam. Go 12" or so and wipe off the excess in a towel. Lick your finger again and continue doing that until you've gone all the way around.

Or until you pass out from Silicone ingestion.

That sound like a good plan. I'll give it a shot either when the rain eases up or I run out of beer, which ever comes first.

Thanks

Blue

alarie · #6 04-13-2004, 05:00 PM

Hey Blue,
Glad to hear you are working on the boat-wish I could say the same!

We have great luck with Sikaflex 292, which is very strong, flexible, and easy to work with. Cleans with alcohol, but not beer [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] Much easier to use than the 3M 4200 or 5200000 which I refuse to use due to its impossibly messy nature and ultra permanent bond!

You can get it at http://jamestowndistributors.com/ and it is less than $14 per tube.

Good luck and hope to check out the new ride soon!

PEter