Re-Bed NOW or Pay Later

[ramble on]

In Prepping my 1992 CP23/3 for sale, I noticed a couple of places that  looked like water had dripped through a bolt, run down the ceiling and caused slight delamination on the teak panels on the cabin sides. I am not selling a sub-excellent boat so I tackled the problem after buying the panels from the Hutchins Company

What I found as I took the ports out was shocking; every one of them concealed significant rot. What was really suprising was that they looked ok on the surface.

I think the nature of the panels make this a possibility on all Com Pacs. The water comes through the port, then is wicked into the porous layers of the teak panels. This allows it to do lots of damage before you see anything amiss.

So a word to the wise is to take the time and effort to re-seal everything. The task of replacing the damaged wood was very hard.

Ramble On

[LConrad]

I just found a leak. What material do you use to re-bed? Anybod with good suggestions.

[edbuchanan]

3M 5200 Marine Adhesive Sealant is my favorite.  Please don't use silicone rubber sealants as they are water permeable and can cause stainless fasteners to corrode out of site.  The only problem with 5200 is that if you make a mistake it can be quite difficult to remove the fitting.

Ernie (Molly 23/II, 1984)

[Potcake boy]

L. Conrad,
5200 should only be used where you need a strong adhesive. You can use 4200 or my favorite - Life Caulk - it's a sulfide

[Craig Weis]

Wait the 3-M 5200 is slow set and takes about three days to firm-up...but it is forever...BUT if you wish to remove a 3-M 5200 stuck-on item then heat the area with a hair dryer or paint stripping gun till the surface is full heated to about 160 deg F. That is as hot as you can almost touch...then with the fasteners removed, pull the item off. That is how I removed my stern mounted rudder casting for powder coating with hammer tone gray and line boring.

The difference between the 3-M 5200 and the 3-M 4200 is the tack time. 3-M calls it fast dry.
I use the 5200.

I think the older boats that have teak surrounds inside the cabin at porthole level are a veneer and the rot seen is the wood composit used to affix the teak veneer to. But if it is wet then it will rot. My 19 is the 'XL' and has no teak surround, but rather a fiberglass one piece insert from port side, up over the overhead and to the starboard side.

Bare in mind that Com-Pacs use no core in it's construction and for me that is a selling point. Sure plywood doublers are glassed in as 'hard points' to affix items such as ladders, motor mounts and these may rot out...so grind them off and glass in new ones.

Reminds me, F-4 Phantom jets have 'hard-points' of 1-1/4 inch aluminum for weapons and leading edges of the wings...I digress.

Palmer Johnson Yachts uses a ton of veneer as wood as wide as we need just does not exist anymore.   http://www.palmerjohnson.com/    skip.

[Paul]

I loathe silicone!!  Once it gets on a surface, it is very difficult to remove it completely, especially if you are going to paint.  However, it does have it's place; bedding portlights.  Both polyurethane and polysulfide can damage and weaken plastic, including Plexiglas and lexan according to Don Casey.

Use polyurethane (4200/5200) for parts intended to be permanent, ie. hull/deck joint.  Use Polysulfide for sealing parts that may be removed one day, ie. bow eye, teak, etc.  Use silicone only to seal plastic, ie. portlights, round access ports, etc.  This reference can be found in Don's books as well as in marine catalogs.

To remove polyurethane, get DeBond.  Follow directions on can which essentially state, cut hash marks into 5200 with a new razor.  Spray product and let it work for a few minutes.  Then scrape away.

My experience has been good with the DeBond.  It's not like cutting butter with a hot knife, but it does work as advertised on 5200.  I have tried it on the silicone areas, but it hasn't worked as well.  Cleans up with alcohol, neutralizes the chemical reaction.  Ain't chemistry great!!!

[LConrad]

Well, I am starting my re-bedding adventure. After many attempts at removal, I found heat works best. Apparently the portlights on "Delightful" were replaced and bedded with 5200 everywhere. The heat gun really helped. Liquid release agents are OK for cleanup after removal, but only then.

[Craig Weis]

The other thing that works to get the stickys off after heating and pulling the item is a can of Turtle Wax Chrome polish, it's not a wax or Turtle Wax Polishing compound.