Tips on Using 5200 ?

[bassman1956]

I was prepping the deck for painting, and found the caulk-like stuff between the oak rub rail and the plywood deck was going bad in a few spots, especially along the oak. Now, the deck sits above or on top of the hull sheeting, so it looks like this is just an issue of the water that can trap between the oak and the ply, or most places, the oak and the rubber filler.

Don't know which filler it is, in the best of places it looks whitish-gray, with a little translucency in spots. What it appears weathered, it's more of a putty color. Sticks reeeel well where it is still stuck.

So, I picked up a tube of 3M 5200 to fill the gap with. I'm going to rough all the old crap out as best I can, and replace it with the 5200. Some questions:

First, how clean needs to be clean? Obviously, perfection is best. But this is an old boat, and I can only do so well. After cleaning out as best I can, and fill the remaining groove well, do I refinish the oak and paint the deck before filling the gap, or after? And any other tips? If I use the 5200 first, do I paint over it, or just up to the edge?

Thanks!

[barnakiel]

Mask around very well. Very, very well.

Not sure 5200 is paintable.

b.

[sailvayu]

Agree mask before caulking remove tape while caulk is wet, let dry 5-7 days and paint. Have fun

[S/V Illusion]

I'd suggest not using 5200 for a number of reasons, two being it is an adhesive, not as sealant which is what you should use and it does not flex. Equally important is that it is permanent and your repair may not be. You would be better served using a sealant such as any number of polysulfides that are on the market and widely available in any marine store, Silkaflex among them.

[bassman1956]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Mask around very well. Very, very well.

Not sure 5200 is paintable.

b.

great info

Originally Posted by sailvayu

Agree mask before caulking remove tape while caulk is wet, let dry 5-7 days and paint. Have fun

also great

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

I'd suggest not using 5200 for a number of reasons, two being it is an adhesive, not as sealant which is what you should use and it does not flex. Equally important is that it is permanent and your repair may not be. You would be better served using a sealant such as any number of polysulfides that are on the market and widely available in any marine store, Silkaflex among them.

Hmmmm............................



I actually thought of filling it with thickened epoxy. it's from about 3/32 to 1/8 wide, mostly about 3/8 or better deep. What was in there was like a very tough, heavy-duty caulk, harder than what normal house-hold caulks are, but not as hard as tire rubber. You're right, I need to seal the gap, not cement something.

[gettinthere]

If you go with 5200, note that once opened, it will go bad in a few days even if you cap it right away...


...unless you put the opened tube in the freezer. That does work. Opened 5200 will keep for a long time and it doesn't really need thawing as it never hardens

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by bassman1956

Hmmmm............................



.

5200 should never be used anyplace on a boat except perhaps for the keel/hull joint. Not for or on a thruhull or anything else which may someday need replacing, resealing or repairing, including consideration for any future owners. Anybody who has ever used it to seal deck hardware or anything else requiring periodic resealing should be required to own the boat forever.

[cabo_sailor]

The first person who brings 5200 on my boat will be flogged. I have never found a need for an adhesive that strong, or one so difficult and expensive to remove. If you do come across some, Marine DeBond will remove it, albeit with a bit of labor but nothing like the labor of not having it.

Rich

[bassman1956]

Okay...
So, what are the opinions on 4200?

[s/v Beth]

Before you throw out the 5200 some of us do use it to bed things, esp hardware that goes through the decks. It sounds like the stuff you are taking out is 5200, that is what my 5200 was like when it was removed. Heat helps to remove it also..
That said 4200 is probably more useful for things you might want to remove in the future.

[S/V Illusion]

Without reiterating, there is a good primer on adhesives and sealants including uses for each and compatibility info on the West Marine adviser site. There is more to it than 5200 or 4200, neither of which are sealants.
The right tool for the job is always a good thing.

[rebel heart]

I have yet to find a single thing onboard in five years that I've needed 5200 for. If the repair is structuraly sound you don't need 5200, and if it isn't structurally sound you'll need to redo it later in which case you don't need 5200. Polysulfides like BoatLife Life Caulk work very well and are removeable. I use it for bedding and caulking all the time. Available in any marine store:

Amazon.com: Life Caulk 3oz. Tube: Sports & Outdoors

[s/v Beth]

I use mine where the chain plates go through the deck. I need something there that both tenaciously adherent to the deck and chain plate (stainless and fiberglass), yet is somewhat flexible as the chain plates move a tiny bit in their job to adhere the shrouds to the knees of the boat. These areas are often under a small puddle of water, and if not waterproof will get some water into the deck. I like 5200 in this area because other products seem to either be adherent or flexible but not both. The same goes (although to a lesser extent) for my stantions and drains on the lateral parts of the deck.

[bassman1956]

Okay, looks like the 5200 is totally unsuitable for what I'm needing. I have a small tube of 4200 I'll keep for deck fittings etc. But, by what I've seen here and elsewhere, looks like I should be considering something like the 3M 4000 UV. Or a poly sulfide. I'll see what the shop has on the way home.

[rebel heart]

Check out that BoatLife Life Caulk stuff; it's really handy. Lasts a long time, can be sanded / painted, is pretty cheap, etc. All this stuff (polysulfides/5200/4200/etc) are NASTY to clean up so tape tape tape tape tape. I'd avoid windy days too because the little whispy lines can end up getting blown away by the wind (and onto other areas of your boat).