Sealant or butyl tape to re=sea; deck hatch?

[davethedog]

Evening all,

Got round to removing the Lewmar Ocean deck hatch we have in the fwd cabin as there is a small leak between the hatch base and the grp. Took about 2 hours to get the hatch out as a lot of sealant was used to fix it in place (as well as the screws of course).

Going to clean it all up and then refit is, so the question is do I use something like sika 291 or butyl tape, or even a combination of them both?

DTD

 

[dgadee]

Arbomast BR is my choice these days.

 

[Boathook]

Arbomast BR is my choice these days.

A tube of the stuff has been my preferred fittings sealant for many years.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

I used butyl tape to seal a Lewmar hatch flange about 5 years ago. So far it has remained water tight.

Stuff like this Butyl Tape Flexistrip

Since I bought the coil of butyl tape, I have not bought any tubed sealant for a long time, as it has worked on everything so far.

 

[rotrax]

I used butyl tape to seal a Lewmar hatch flange about 5 years ago. So far it has remained water tight.

Stuff like this Butyl Tape Flexistrip

Since I bought the coil of butyl tape, I have not bought any tubed sealant for a long time, as it has worked on everything so far.

And, it does not go off in the tube! My 'go to' sealant these days. It even comes almost colour matched to our boat!

 

[Hacker]

+1 for butyl. Keep clear of 291 as you’ve already found have much hassle it is to remove!

 

[dgadee]

I used butyl tape on my Seawolf windows. On one side it lasted for a decade (both sides replaced a couple of years ago) but I had and still have problems on the other side - just above the chart table and on the side which got the most sun at its old mooring. I think the problem was more movement there (heat, cold) and perhaps the cabin top wasn't perfectly flat.

 

[PetiteFleur]

I've also used Butyl tape for all sealing on the boat. Also windows but I put a stainless washer at every fastening between the frame & window to prevent the sealant squeezing out. Works for me.

 

[Boathook]

I used butyl tape on my Seawolf windows. On one side it lasted for a decade (both sides replaced a couple of years ago) but I had and still have problems on the other side - just above the chart table and on the side which got the most sun at its old mooring. I think the problem was more movement there (heat, cold) and perhaps the cabin top wasn't perfectly flat.

That's where a tube of butyl is good. If you think that a gap is a bit different just put some more on to fill the gap.

I rebuilt my windows years ago, possibly 20, and bedded the frames back down on arbomast BR butyl from a tube and been fine ever since.