Recaulking

[Zeeuw]

A question about recaulking my 1931 Silver:
Between the seams was hardened putty that I removed. After I put cotton in it, which sealing shall I use? The traditional red lead putty or the modern compounds like Sikaflex 290DC.
It's impossible to remove the tiny bits old putty that stick on the wood between the seams so is that a problem for the modern compounds to stick on the wood and become a sound sealing?
Zeeuw

 

[TamT]

Z

I would stick with the linseed oil and red lead powder. Its done a good job fot her for her first 80 years (-:

Sika DC is not meant for under water use. And anyway as I understand it you dont want something that sticks to the timber like dried s**t.

I have used Sika 291 for sealing seams and Im not too impressed. Cost a fortune, and I cant get the antifoul or primer to stay on it.

I have since used putty, red lead powder and a smidging of grease with good effect. (Only down side is it take a few days to skin over for painting.)

Good luck with it all.

Colin

 

[Seanick]

Agree with TamT, except to add make the putty more 'sticky' by adding more linseed oil. Make sure the boat gets back in within a few months before the putty hardens.

 

[xtiffer]

Yes, red lead putty below the water line and white lead putty above.
If it was good enough for William Fife then it's good enough for me.
Cheers,
Chris

 

[Seanick]

Oooh, white lead, thats dead posh innit!

 

[Zeeuw]

Thanks everyone.
Are the tiny bits old putty that rest on the wood between the seams cause any 'sticking-problem' with the new putty?

 

[Vitalba]

I had problems removing the old putty and took Seanick`s advice and l left it provided it was well stuck to one edge. This left some seams wide (no putty) which I brushed out " hardened" and Primed the others were narrow cracks (old putty on one side) which I could only brush out.
Again as per Seanick above I thinned the pre mixed Red Lead putty which makes it much easier to get in to the seams (particulary the narrow ones).
As the boat had been out of the water for some time she had well and truly dried out but with the wet weather over the last couple of months she is already tightening up with the putty being squeezed out of both wide and narrow seams. I some cases small tears of Linseed Oil have appeared.
I would therefore not worry if there are bits of old putty left. VITALBA

 

[Zeeuw]

Thanks VITALBA and the rest of you!
Now I know what to do next.
Greetings and a Merry Christmas and happy New Year to all of you.
Zeeuw

 

[LittleShip]

Thanks VITALBA and the rest of you!
Now I know what to do next.
Greetings and a Merry Christmas and happy New Year to all of you.
Zeeuw

One little trick to help with "pushing" the putty into the seams is to add a little bit of grease to it, a thumb nail in about a golf ball size. It will also help stop the putty drying out.

Onece the seams are filled and cleaned off prime over them the same day.

Tom

PS you will find muscles in your hands you didnt know you had.

 

[stuhaynes]

A question about recaulking my 1931 Silver:
Between the seams was hardened putty that I removed. After I put cotton in it, which sealing shall I use? The traditional red lead putty or the modern compounds like Sikaflex 290DC.
It's impossible to remove the tiny bits old putty that stick on the wood between the seams so is that a problem for the modern compounds to stick on the wood and become a sound sealing?
Zeeuw

My boat, Cygnus Vedrae, is 20 years newer than yours, but I bet we'll share the same problems. Cygnus was out of the water from May 2007 to September the same year because of the floods. I had 16 planks to change, and no experience. I got various pieces of advice when it came to caulking but it came down to this. Angle the edge of new planks across 2/3 of the width to form a shallow angle, a 'V' if you like when the boards come together, and talk to John at Traditional Boat Supplies on 01502 712311. I met him at the London boat show years ago and he is a real rock. He stocks everything you'll need.

You'll need to clean the joint as best you can then brush in a good quality oil based primer. Bash in the caulking cotton and then put in more primer onto the cotton. By this time you should have prepared the caulking mix, 50 percent lead oxide putty [I used white] and the same quantity of linseed based glazing putty. The thumbfull of grease does help. Completely fill the joint with the lead / putty mix and level off. You should do this in short sections so that the caulking putty is being laid on damp paint. Don't leave the boat out of the water too long after caulking because the caulking will dry out, as will the wood.

Lead caulking below the water line is excellent. It doesn't dry out, and we haven't sunk yet. I'm still not convinced about lead for sealing portholes and windows etc. I think that the jury is out. Out of the water, lead putty shrinks and sets like rock, letting water in. The various mastics don't like wet wood and become pretty useless. I'm still working on this one...

Hope it helps

 

[burgundyben]

Out of the water, lead putty shrinks and sets like rock, letting water in. The various mastics don't like wet wood and become pretty useless. I'm still working on this one...

Hope it helps

Me too, I've tried all sorts on my cabin windows, this year I had the greatest success in that i have the leats leaks I have every had, I used some non setting mastic, the downsides was white streaks running down the windows.

One day, maybe one day....