Best material to seal engine cockpit hatch and stern locker

[conks01]

Hi,

I'm looking for a self adhesive flat seal of some kind to be able to successfully seal my engine cockpit hatch cover and also a stern locker.

I've tried a neoprene type but it failed and didn't do the job.

Any advice welcomed on what the best material to use would be.

Many thanks.

 

[pvb]

Neoprene is fine, but you need to be sure that it's thick enough to seal the gap. When you said that neoprene "failed", was that because the self-adhesive aspect failed? The best way is to buy plain neoprene and stick it on using 2-part contact adhesive.

You can check how thick the neoprene needs to be by putting little pyramids of BluTack around the seal area, then close the hatch, then open and see how compressed the pyramids are. If they tend to stick to the lid, place a small square of clingfilm over each pyramid before closing the lid. Buy neoprene which is a few mm bigger than the gap.

SealsDirect have a good range - Door Seals, Rubber Seals, Rubber Extrusions, Window Rubbers UK | Seals Direct

 

[Refueler]

I use Door Draught Seal available in D ... P ... or square section. Self-adhesive or for your fixing.

Another if you have a lip - is U section rubber to fit various thickness lip ... example :

Rubber edge strip U section suitable for 1.5mm to 2mm thickness x 10mm | eBay

 

[Hydrozoan]

Neoprene is fine, but you need to be sure that it's thick enough to seal the gap. When you said that neoprene "failed", was that because the self-adhesive aspect failed? The best way is to buy plain neoprene and stick it on using 2-part contact adhesive.

You can check how thick the neoprene needs to be by putting little pyramids of BluTack around the seal area, then close the hatch, then open and see how compressed the pyramids are. If they tend to stick to the lid, place a small square of clingfilm over each pyramid before closing the lid. Buy neoprene which is a few mm bigger than the gap.

SealsDirect have a good range - Door Seals, Rubber Seals, Rubber Extrusions, Window Rubbers UK | Seals Direct

Under the edges of a cockpit floor hatch, I was able to use a more solid rubber strip - also from Seals Direct - possibly one of their 'Porthole Rubber Strips' Door Seals, Rubber Seals, Rubber Extrusions, Window Rubbers UK | Seals Direct. (It is not exposed to light, however, for which they recommend expanded neoprene - and it's not very compressible, but was fine for my application.)

 

[conks01]

Thanks all !