Captain Tolley Window sealer

pappaecho

New member
Joined
13 Oct 2004
Messages
1,841
Location
S. Hampshire
Visit site
I have just bought 250 mls of his finest product, but there seems scant instructions. Anybody had practical use of it>
For example, how do you remove moisture sealed under the glass/rubber seal, or does the Captain Tolley solution scavange the moisture. How may applications to seal the leak?
 

prv

Well-known member
Joined
29 Nov 2009
Messages
37,361
Location
Southampton
Visit site
I used it quite successfully on Kindred Spirit's windows. Originally it was going to be a temporary fix until I could take them out and rebed them, but in practice it was still doing the job two years later when we sold the boat.

It's a thin, flowing liquid rather like milk. The idea is that you dribble it on and it follows the same path as the water, then dries out leaving a residue behind. I applied three or four good doses, leaving a few minutes between each. You know when it's done as no more will flow into the crack (cos it's sealed) and it just runs off the outside instead.

I don't know about the moisture question.

Pete
 

pampas

New member
Joined
17 Jul 2003
Messages
1,945
Location
Falmouth
Visit site
:)Will last for years, don't apply when is raining, capillary action is all that's needed, on the inside wipe any leakage or dribbles up, rather hard when dry. best thing since sliced bread. :):)
 

superheat6k

Well-known member
Joined
10 Jan 2012
Messages
6,752
Location
South Coast
Visit site
Sealed a weeping rudder securing bolt on OB took apporx 6 or 8 applications over a week period, but not a weep since.

The bottle fell over on the bathroom shelf, leaving a thick plastic matt that was a bugger to clean off, tough as old boots when set.

Not sure it has any water displacing qualities, so perhaps dry gently with a hairdryer on low first.
 

JumbleDuck

Well-known member
Joined
8 Aug 2013
Messages
24,167
Location
SW Scotland
Visit site
I found it useless for leaks past my Westerly seals. I think it was for the reason prv implies: it works (when it does) by following the path water would take and drying out on teh way. However, if there is water in there - pooling at the bottom of a U-section seal, say - it never dries out and never works.
 

Mistroma

Well-known member
Joined
22 Feb 2009
Messages
4,932
Location
Greece briefly then Scotland for rest of summer
www.mistroma.com
I found it useless for leaks past my Westerly seals. I think it was for the reason prv implies: it works (when it does) by following the path water would take and drying out on teh way. However, if there is water in there - pooling at the bottom of a U-section seal, say - it never dries out and never works.

I used it many years ago before getting around to replacing the rather large windows on my old Southerly 95. First test on one window was useless due to trapped moisture. It never cured but did dribble white liquid down inside when it rained. I tried again after a long hot dry spell and leak was gone, even when rinsing that window with a hose. Applied it to remaining windows towards end of the dry spell and cured all the leaks for quite a few years.

I did eventually replace the windows due to scratches & crazing but no leaks. Good product as long as no water inside the gap you are trying to seal.

I only needed it once and so still have the original bottle on board. I did a test last year and it still seems to set, so worth keeping for a quick fix if I get a minor leak under a fitting. I seem to remember that it was an acrylic polymer dispersed in water that was completely miscible with water. i.e. My bottle must be around 10-15 years old and hasn't set. So it doesn't go off in presence of water (the liquid in the bottle already contains water). Might not be the same stuff these days but I'd be surprised if it was radically different.
 
Last edited:

Alan ashore

Member
Joined
16 Oct 2012
Messages
569
Location
Teddington
Visit site
I bought this product once a couple or three decades ago and did not find it useful, for reasons well stated by other posters.
I was then steered towards Burgess Crackseal, which I found to be a far superior product, quickly joining the select few things that I make sure to always have "in stock". This too is a thin clear liquid which insinuates itself into the crack by capillary action, but (...wait for it...) Crackseal absolutely loves wet conditions.
I have applied Crackseal at sea to dripping windows, and it has fixed them. 'nuff said?

A.
 

Giblets

Well-known member
Joined
5 Mar 2006
Messages
9,254
Location
Surrey
Visit site
I bought this product once a couple or three decades ago and did not find it useful, for reasons well stated by other posters.
I was then steered towards Burgess Crackseal, which I found to be a far superior product, quickly joining the select few things that I make sure to always have "in stock". This too is a thin clear liquid which insinuates itself into the crack by capillary action, but (...wait for it...) Crackseal absolutely loves wet conditions.
I have applied Crackseal at sea to dripping windows, and it has fixed them. 'nuff said?

A.

Another vote for Burgess Marine Creepy Crackseal. Most competitive price I found was here http://flytesofancy.co.uk/chickenhouses/Clearsealer_for_Henhouses.html. Far cheaper than marine suppliers. :encouragement:
 

VicS

Well-known member
Joined
13 Jul 2002
Messages
48,522
Visit site
More likely to be low viscosity cyanoacrylate...

http://amzn.to/1rgIkwC
http://amzn.to/Qw3rOw

Pretty certain the old bottle I have isn't cyanoacrylate based. It doesn't smell like a cyanoacrylate, doesn't set when moisture present and has a long shelf life (>10 years).

It is an aqueous dispersion of styrene – acrylic acid ester copolymer !

Read all about it http://www.captaintolley.com/index.html

All necessary instructions about cleanliness and dryness are there !
 
Last edited:

Mistroma

Well-known member
Joined
22 Feb 2009
Messages
4,932
Location
Greece briefly then Scotland for rest of summer
www.mistroma.com
It is an aqueous dispersion of styrene – acrylic acid ester copolymer !

Read all about it http://www.captaintolley.com/index.html

All necessary instructions about cleanliness and dryness are there !

Thanks for that, a case of RTFM. I was just relying on memory when I said "I seem to remember that it was an acrylic polymer dispersed in water and was completely miscible with water." in post #9

The website confirms that: "Chemical Nature: an aqueous dispersion of styrene – acrylic acid ester copolymer".

Crackseal sounds like a useful product as moisture is Captain Tolley's Achilles heel.
 
Last edited:

ianj99

Active member
Joined
11 Nov 2009
Messages
2,108
Location
UK
Visit site
I have just bought 250 mls of his finest product, but there seems scant instructions. Anybody had practical use of it>
For example, how do you remove moisture sealed under the glass/rubber seal, or does the Captain Tolley solution scavange the moisture. How may applications to seal the leak?
I used to effectively seal my wheelhouse windows. The front 3 were removed completely and sealed all round with many applications of Tolley.

If there is moisture present gentle drying with a hot air gun, hairdryer or swmbo having a nag (!) to remove it is necessary.
I
 

pappaecho

New member
Joined
13 Oct 2004
Messages
1,841
Location
S. Hampshire
Visit site
Thanks to all. Looks like will have to wait until dry weather, and use a hairdryer to remove last traces of moisture. Failing that then will try Burgess Crackseal.
Leaking hatch seal to window is only 3 years old...
Thanks to all
 
Top