Sikaflex 291 Curing

[CPD]

Looking to use this material to seal keel/hull joint to avoid water ingresss as a temporary measure before strengthening/reseating work next year. Does anyone have any experience of doing this between tides ? Problem is Data Sheet says 7 days curing before total immersion but sika UK cant comment usefully on effect of doing work and allowing boat to sit on drying berth for a couple of weeks until cured. Any comments ?

 

[TigaWave]

What you need is 3M 5200 Fast cure, It's still going to take longer than one tide to fully cure, 24hr's but skins after less than 2 hrs.
4200 is also a fast cure but not as strong.

 

[FullCircle]

I presume you are trying to seal the bilge keels on a Centaur?
You will have difficulty sealing this joint, as you are only able to put sika in the periphery, and not into the joint itself, unless you are jacking the boat off the keel between tides.
IMHO its a waste of Sika. If the joint is not pouring in water at gallons per minute, why not setup an electric bilge pump, and continue sailing to the end of the season?
At least then you will have an electric bilge pump for your money.

As you know, the real cure is to drop the keels off, check the keelbolt integrity and the strengthening in the hull, then clear out all the old stuff, renew, and bolt together. Its the only action that makes sense.

I empty my bilges every week until the end of the season, as I have a leaking stern gland. Its not disastrous, just an annoyance. (except for the fact its a new boat and the repair is warranty!)

 

[DeeGee]

A friend hit some rocks and compromised his encapsulated keel. He covered it in S291, and boat was immersed for 100nM trip back to UK. The shipwrights reckoned it had prevented any significant water ingress into the grp sheathing. Not in any way conclusive, but I reckon you will be OK /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[CPD]

Thanks for the help chaps. Was your friends boat with encapsulated keel hoisted out for a few hours for the S291 to be applied ie no appreciable time to cure before bring dropped back in ?

 

[CPD]

3m Uk are struggling to find a distributor for the 5200 Fast Cure - any ideas ?. Internet no help - Thanks again.

 

[Skyva_2]

Jim,

Is that a Volvo seal developing a leak? Any idea why?

 

[DeeGee]

Yep, the stuff went on (very nice and sticky) and smoothed with wet fingers finally before going back in, and set off from France to UK couple of hours later. It seems to be waterproof from the word go, and the curing time is for it to acquire some rigidity, or for excess to be cut off. I used it about a week or so ago to seal some deck fittings: applied sika, put deck fitting on without any push by hand or screws - then two days later screwed down tight, but I didnt cut off the excess till yesterday, when it is no longer a sticky liquid but a resilient 'rubber'.

 

[FullCircle]

It most certainly is.
Nothing to do with Volvo this time though. Jeanneau built and delivered the boat with no grease in the stern gland. A tribute to the construction meant that it did not leak all last season while undisturbed.
However, I inserted a 10mm spacer for the Ambassador Stripper, thus moving the shaft aft, and that broke the seal. This was evident from the nice groove in the shaft. It will be changed at the end of the season, as [/ rant : Jeanneau dealers cant remember from one week to the next what their warranty responsibilities are, too busy meeting and greeting the next customer no doubt. /rant]

If you want something fixed, do it yourself.

 

[Skyva_2]

Scary, this stuff makes the blood boil!

I'll watch out for that as have the same thing in mind, just can't decide which folding/feathering prop to go for! Kiwi won't take 75hp. Every time I come up with a decision someone lets me know why that is absolutely the wrong answer.....though it seems they are all a great improvement on fixed.

I had another problem - wind instrument packed up, and I was informed that someone (a heavy seagull?) had bent the masthead arm and connector, then bent it straight again. There were photos to prove it. Not me guv, never been up there - it was the original rigger!

 

[Blueboatman]

Helpfully,sikaflex curing is aided by a degree of moisture,so you will probably be alright for this temp job.More important that the joint is bone dry before application . Acetone OR the judicious use of a blowlamp (but obviously not the two together!)will help.Toilet tissue is a very good indicator of how dry a surface really is.
Just dont go thrashing the boat to windward for a few days perhaps..

 

[Strathglass]

[ QUOTE ]
3m Uk are struggling to find a distributor for the 5200 Fast Cure - any ideas ?. Internet no help - Thanks again.

[/ QUOTE ]

I got three tubes from Gael Force

Last week.

The price is very good

Iain