Use of butyl tape to bed hardware to deck

[EmeraldCoastSailor]

My 7.5 year old boat has been sailed a lot and I am now entering a period where numerous leaks are appearing. I had a bit of an urgent situation where I used butyl tape and ss fasteners to bed portlight covers in a way that made sense given that I might change the cover material out in the near future. A friend mentioned that butyl tape could work well for all rebedding issues where fasteners are involved such as stanchions, genoa car tracks, and the ss bases where my shrouds enter the boat and are subsequently attached to chainplate bars.

Have others used butyl tape extensively for above-the-water-line bedding efforts? I always thought marine grade silicon was what one used for such situations but my friend thinks butyl tape will give me longer life and easier serviceability. What do others think?

[HopCar]

I've never used butyl tape, I'm a 5200 guy, but I have heard good things about it. Silicone, wether marine grade or not, is not a good sealant for deck hardware.
This thread could really take off with people arguing about which sealant is best. I'd bet no one argues in favor of silicone.

Just to get things started, real men use 5200!

[zboss]

Originally Posted by HopCar

Just to get things started, real men use 5200!

Well, its obvious there are no real men on this thread.

Butyl is the king, duh.

[Sailmonkey]

Silicone belongs in boobies

5200 is the devils glue.

I'm slowly rebedding everything on the deck with butyl. And it's wonderful.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[JPA Cate]

Yes, but 5200 can pull up the gelcoat if you subsequently remove what you stuck down with it. It is great glue, but it is not forever, it starts to break down sometime around the 20 yr. mark. FWIW, 5200 will bond both to hypalon and PVC, but it has a very long drying time, 5 to 7 days, iirc.

We mostly seal with Sikaflex these days, but used to use Life Caulk back in the States. We have friends who swear by the butyl caulk, but we have never used it, hence cannot comment on it directly.

Ann

[thinwater]

Silicone is very limited (correct product for glazing, some wire pass-throughs, if it had been used by the PO in the same spot).

Butyl for objects with large bearing area that will need removed (porthole frames, winches, windlass).

3M 4200 (or equivalent) for high strain items not likely to be removed (genoa tracks, stanchions, chainplates).

3M 5200 for smaller items, often secured by screws, could use some extra adhesion. Also permanent items where I might otherwise use epoxy but would like some flex (sealing canvas snap screws, some pad eyes, some wooden brackets).

----

IF you need to shorten the cure time of 3M 5200, apply heat AND high humidity (water is the curing agent).

[lockie]

I guess I'm a real girly-man as I eat quiche and I don't use 5200. But I do have many happy years of butyl-bedded leak-free fittings.

Butyl doesn't go off and is really easy to work with (no smears all over you, deck, tools and fitting). But it's not a glue and you have to think of it as a gasket, not sticky s&%t like 5200 or silicone.

Mind you, there are some arguments in favour of bedding windows with Sika or quality silicone due to the differential expansion of the glazing, frame and cabin sides. Butyl can be hard to get to spread thin enough without a fair amount of compressive force, which is why after trying one, I opted for Sika for my windows.

Cheers, Graeme

[Reefmagnet]

I've used butyl with 100% success anywhere sealing without the need for firm adhesion is required for a few years now and can recommend it highly. About the only caveat I can think of is don't use it where fuel or hydrocarbon solvents are present as it does dissolve in these very easily.

Here's a butyl related tip. "Blu-Tac" that is used to hang posters on the wall is a butyl product with a chewing gum consistency. It costs next to nothing a pack and makes a perfect temporary sealant on a boat. It seals against just about all materials and is easy to remove by dabbing it with a ball of itself.

[redsky49]

Aside from a specific Dow silicone (957?) used for bonding Lexan glazing to port frames, silicone is not a very good choice for boat applications.

I find that 3M 4000 and 4200 work very well. You really have to be certain about the permanence of 3M 5200. I have some aboard but have never seen the need to use it.

If in northern latitudes, butyl is a good choice, but not so much in tropic latitudes:

[Target9000]

Everything we have ever bedded with butyl tape has never leaked again. Be aware though that not all butyl is created equal. See: http://sundownersailsagain.com/butyl-tape/

It has held up 100 percent even in the tropics.

[El Pinguino]

Discovered Butyl in the last 12 months... have used on a port,a stanchion base, an Index deck gland and a couple of bolts holding the cowl down...that was fiddly....brilliant stuff

Ping ... born again butyl boy....

[Pyxis156]

Also a butyl fan. Tried a few different types and then found Maine Sail's excellent website piece on bedding with butyl. Very helpful, and the butyl he sells works the best of what I have tried. Highly recommended (both the website and the butyl)!

[Paul L]

Butyl oozes in the tropics.

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

Silicone belongs in boobies

5200 is the devils glue.
I'm slowly rebedding everything on the deck with butyl. And it's wonderful.

Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

I don't think silicon has been used in 'boobies' for many years. I suppose 'boobies' is your word because not aloud to say 'titties' on CF

I've seen Butyl tape being used in the Followtheboat video's and it looks great. But I've not been able to find any Butyl in Australia. I generally used marine Silka but I'd like to get some Butyl to try as it looks much cleaner.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

I don't think silicon has been used in 'boobies' for many years. I suppose 'boobies' is your word because not aloud to say 'titties' on CF

I've seen Butyl tape being used in the Followtheboat video's and it looks great. But I've not been able to find any Butyl in Australia. I generally used marine Silka but I'd like to get some Butyl to try as it looks much cleaner.

I found mine here.. Buy Adhesive Tapes - Wholesale and Single Roll Sticky Tapes
Same place as I bought my Denso tape.

May not be the best Butyl in the world but the stuff ex US was $$$$$$

Only prob I have had is getting a neat and tidy clean edge.