I can't stop the leaks!

[Driftwoods]

<rant>
replaced my ports with new stainless steel ones from Newfound Metals and I can't get the leak(s) stopped. I chased down many, used about 3 times as much butyl tape as I expected and it shows in the installation videos (I mean I used a *ton* of that stuff). I used half a bottle of crack cure, will use the other half tomorrow - I don't care if I bathe the entire deck in that stuff.

It's like I'm in a Chinese water torture device ...
</rant>

Thanks, just had to get that out of my system. Now for some beer. Lots of beer.

[model 10]

I feel your pain. I've done my best on several portlights and still, they leak sometimes.

[ohdrinkboy]

I rebed my mainsheet traveler with butyl tape. Big thunderstorm that night and it leaked like a sieve. I decided to be patient. After a week in the sun, the tape must have settled and it self sealed. Two months later and still no leaks. Hopefully a little hot texas sun and the same will happen for you.

[Target9000]

What type of butyl are you using? What was your technique? We've bedded tons of stuff in butyl and none of it has leaked, initially, or beyond.

[Lojanica]

Not to be critical but I think you're doing something wrong. What it is hard to tell from your description. Pics? Better description? Something. Thanks.

[stnick]

Drift wood.
Did you fill the gap between the inside liner and the deck ? If not the flex will cause leaks. I used regular bond-o from the auto parts store.. I used New Found Metals ports and bytal tape no leaks.!
Now i had to go the the hardware store for longer bolts to draw her in than once it was snugged i used the bolts that came with the port . no leaks !!
M 384 Fla

[roverhi]

Butyl from Maine Sailer was the salvation for my leaky ports. PO sillycone on one port that showed a history of being a leaker because the hole had been cut over size and the port had only about a quarter inch of overlap on cabin side. Pulled the port, scraped, sanded, used solvents and anything I could think of to get rid of any trace of the demon sillycone. Reinstalled with Maine Sailer's butyl and all was right with the world.

[HopCar]

Butyl tape is for sissies. Real men use 5200.
That'll get it started!

[ohdrinkboy]

I used butyl from mainesail.

[SV Lift]

Get a metal boat? Don't have one yet but every time I see a leak I start saving my pennies for the metal boat fund.

As a temporary fix I just slather everything in Boatlife.

[exkma367]

My experiece with buytal tape is that it take 3 days to get it right. Each day I tighten a little more and use an old credit card to trim off what squeezes out.

[CharlzO]

Used Maine Sail tape myself on every rebedding I've done, stanchion bases, port lights, bulkhead compass, deck fittings, traveler, not a drop so far. I had to remove the compass to replace it, and even though I had just done that two weeks ago, that stuff was ON there. Definitely no leaking around that thing. I know his article does mention differences between butyls, maybe that was part of the issue for some.

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[Canibul]

Same here. Butyl tape works great. I found that the tape is too wide for most jobs. We're rebedding hatches, windows, chain plates..it only needs a string of butyl and that needs to be right at the outside edge of whatever you're sealing.

Be sure you put a little bit around the head of each fastener, too. I had numerous small leaks around bolts. Get rid of whatever squeezes out, it's not doing you any good there, anyhow. I scrape it off and save it for the next project.

[Driftwoods]

I'm using the butyl from Maine Sailor, good stuff. I finally have all but one leak fixed - of course, it's coming through in such a way I can't tell where it started. It's been a week or so, I need to go around and tighten the bolts again so maybe that will take care of it along with a generous application of crack cure. I used enough butyl that it's pushing out around the trim rings, some is a little unsightly but I don't care although I think I may have to redo one as it looks pretty rough with it pushing the closed cell foam trim out.

With butyl pushing out all around, I can't see how water gets in but there it is. As soon as it stops raining, I'll take the water hose from window to window and figure out which is the culprit.


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[Canibul]

It's raining in Texas? Cool. We're going to Austin next week and Lake Travis is down 50 ft.