Infiltrating liquid silicone in plywood

[Chanquete]

Hello Sailors
What is your opinion about the following situation?
After each heavy rain I have a small leak near the entrance hatch.
A small amount of water (three tablespoons) accumulates forming a tiny patch on a nearby small platform which is slowly infiltrating in the adjacent plywood walls.
I am stil investigating the origin of the leak.
Actually I was thinking in generating a small liquid patch of silicone and hoping it will infiltrate and seal the nearby plywood walls.
Any idea of how to dilute the liquis silicone in order to reduce its viscosity and facilitate the infiltration?

Thanks in advance

Chanquete

 

[TQA]

Where boats are concerned silicone is an invention of the devil.

Use 'Git Rot' if you got rot in your ply. If your ply is sound but maybe delaminating a little painting, paint on a little warmed epoxy. Thin superglue works as well providing things are dry.

Fix the leak!

 

[Chanquete]

Where boats are concerned silicone is an invention of the devil.

Use 'Git Rot' if you got rot in your ply. If your ply is sound but maybe delaminating a little painting, paint on a little warmed epoxy. Thin superglue works as well providing things are dry.

Fix the leak!

Since I didnt find the rain water entrance place my intention was to seal the plywood in order to stop water absorption.
Sometime the water patch remaind some days before I return to the boat.

 

[Tranona]

Water enters ply through the end grain. Once it is in there is potential for rot. There is little you can do unless you have access to the end grain and then you may be able to dry it out and seal it with epoxy. If the water is on the surface of the ply it will eventually damage the coating and probably the top veneer, particularly if it is a modern thin veneer.. You can reduce this by cleaning off the coating and refinishing.

However, the only real solution is to find the source of the leak and stop it.

 

[pmagowan]

Find the leak. Dig out and replace all wet wood preferably with epoxy sealed ply. Other bodges are simply bodges and will trap moisture exacerbating rot.

 

[oldsaltoz]

Since I didnt find the rain water entrance place my intention was to seal the plywood in order to stop water absorption.
Sometime the water patch remaind some days before I return to the boat.

Hi Chanquete,
Avoid using Silicon on board. Silicon will stick to most things, however nothing will stick to silicon. If you somehow get a bit on any paintwork you will have a major problem when trying to re coat it.

Most skipper, me included have a total ban on the stuff.

Epoxy is good with plywood, stops water, Araldite is an epoxy based glue that can painted over if need be.

Good luck and fair winds.

 

[Burnham Bob]

captain tolley's creeping crack cure was invented for situations like this but you will need to find the origin of the leak

 

[steveallan]

Actually I was thinking in generating a small liquid patch of silicone and hoping it will infiltrate and seal the nearby plywood walls.
Any idea of how to dilute the liquis silicone in order to reduce its viscosity and facilitate the infiltration?

Thanks in advance

Chanquete

Mix with white spirit about 4:1 spirit/silicon

Maybe best to test on a scrap piece of ply first.

Soaking with canvas waterproofing may work