Bedding compound for wooden hatch cover

[Captain Sillyboxes]

So I bought a tamarisk 29 at the start of this year and am in the middle of a coachroof repair which is progressing nicely. But to gain access I had to dismantle some parts of the wooden hatch cover and sliders. These were assembled with brass screws and some sort of black rubbery bedding compound. When I reassemble these I will need some new bedding compound. I don't want to use epoxy or sikaflex because maybe one day I will need to disassable the same bits again. Does anyone have any opinions as to what is a good product to use for something like this?

 

[emmalina]

Sikaflex 291 is quite easy to remove ! Or dow corning 795 for flexibility

 

[Motor_Sailor]

Never use a silicone based product like 795. It can give all sorts of problems with subsequent attempts to paint or varnish.

291 is quite adhesive and may be stronger than the wood, especially across the grain. Disassembly could result in damage.

If you've got a black rubbery residue it was probably put together with a Polysulphide sealant, which isn't very adhesive at all. Boatlife used to be really popular, although more affordable versions can be found in the building trade (Polysulphide Sealants - ARBO)

If you just want a sticky, never really hardening, type sealant, then Butyl based sealants are really useful all over the boat. Arbomast BR is available in a tube or as a tape. The tape is good under metal fitting but is probably too viscous for wood assembly. The tube stuff is 'runny-er' and cleans up well with copious amounts of white spirit and paper towel.

 

[Keith 66]

I beg to differ, Polysulphide ie Arbokol 1000 sets to a firm rubber, Never use it (Or Sikalex) if you ever want to disassemble it.
I recently took some GRP wings of my pickup truck that had been mounted on polysulphide & it was hells own job to get them off with a lot of damage, It sticks like the proverbial.
Sikaflex or any polyurethane sealant will mean damage for sure.
Butyl rubber mastic is easy to disassemble Or for wooden boats EVO frame seal which is good

 

[Captain Sillyboxes]

Thanks all, it's sounding like butyl sealant is getting the most votes. Do I need a special 'marine' one or is a cheap one like this just as good?

Butyl Mastic Sealants - Everbuild Everflex 145 Butyl Rubber Sealant 300ml Grey -

 

[emmalina]

Well just replacing the acrylic in 3 wooden hatches 2 done with 795 one with 291 Both cleaned up quite easily after 10 years so guess what I will be using this time !

 

[burgundyben]

Arbomast BR does not set or adhere. Cleans up easily and is cheap.

 

[jamie N]

CT1.

 

[Poignard]

After re-sheathing my plywood coachroof I bedded the various wooden fittings I had removed using CT1.

To ensure a uniform thickness of sealant I fitted nylon washers, 2mm thick, as spacers around each bolt between coachroof and fitting. If the fitting ever has to be removed it is easy to cut through the CT1 and the spacers. Later I started using 8mm x 2mm rubber o-rings instead of the nylon washers because the -rings are even easier to slice through.

 

[DoubleEnder]

I’ve used Arbomast which is fine