Caulking

[AlistairM]

I have a small (12ft clinker dinghy with a flat (ish) bottom. This invariably leads to wet feet! I was thinking of maybe pushing some caulking in between the seems to try and prevent/minimise this.

Is this a good idea or not, I was thinking there may be a risk of splitting the planks, and I have been told previoulsy not to put anything in betwee nand just put up with the leakage.

Anyone have any comments to the contary?

Thanks

 

[old_salt]

I have a 14 footer and I have applied "Plumber" from a builders merchants and it has been in there for some 7 years now and still works a treat.
Yep she has some water in her for about the first 1/2 hour then takes up the gun masticiky stuff was just paid in the the outside of the seems and is still sound. and somewhat pliable if I poke at it.
O and it's as cheep as chips. 2 to 3 squids a tube.

Here she is a little old but still going well you can see evidence of the mastic on her stem and the 3rd and 4th planks in the pic.
Yes it could have been done a bit neater, it was done as a bit of a quickie and it has worked so well it has been there ever since.

[/IMG]

 

[dur]

I think the usual advice is not to put anything between the planks in case it might hold them apart. Possibly a bead of something very flexible in the corner of the step between the planks - at leat it can be removed if it doesn't help. This thread covered several ideas:
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=194527

 

[old_salt]

Yep that is just about what I have done not really injecting it into the planks just as you say.
Well maybe a little into the stem plank ends but having just had another look at her now today it could all be easily removed.
It is still well stuck and sound no cracks or opening up.
It's bit wet out there so I am back inside.
I am amazed how well this simple builders stuff it has lasted.

 

[andygc]

I was thinking of maybe pushing some caulking in between the seems to try and prevent/minimise this.

Is this a good idea or not, I was thinking there may be a risk of splitting the planks,

The mastics that set are a bad idea. Even though they are flexible, they won't squeeze out and you may strain the fastenings as the wood soaks up.

A filler that is guaranteed to squeeze out if the planks swell is putty. Normal putty, add a little linseed oil to make it softer and then add grease (any ordinary engineering grease) to slow its drying out. To do it properly add white lead powder above the waterline and red lead below (Somewhat hard to get hold of these days). Get it to a consistency a little thicker than silicon bath caulk that has just come out of the cartridge.

You could also look at tightening up the existing fastenings - or even better replacing them. Quite a long job, needs two people, but you don't have to do the lot in one go.

 

[Redwing228]

Caulking clinker hulls

Caulking clinker hulls is not normally required (between planks) and tightening or replacing a few fastenings may help. A hull kept wet should 'take-up' eventually but leaks along the centreline (keel etc.) in a small boat could be caused by a lack of caulking or other damage.

Here's 'Corianne', planked in larch, leaks like a sieve after being out of the water for a while. I have sometimes used some soft builders mastic along the lands to slow the ingress till she takes up.

 

[AlistairM]

Thanks every one, this forum is great but I guess Iahve to take it that I am likely to get lots of differeing opinons consumerate with the number of replies.

I think I will have a go with putty and see what happens?

Thanks

 

[Lyulph Hesling]

It is considered normal to take the thing to a muddy creek, and sink it for a few days. Most then stop leaking for the season!