Stern Boards best sealant

[Nightwatch]

Hello all.

we are having work carried out to Nightwatchs cruiser stern deck. Part of this is to replace the deck boards. We bought buffalo board and have had it cut to size. (Been sleeping on these cut boards for about five years now, don't want to rush these things do you!). 

Anyway, need to seal the edges of the boards to prevent water penetration. 

 

The BIG question. What's best?

 

edit coz I ought to read through wot I rote before pressing t'button.

 

 

Edited May 28, 2019 by Nightwatch

[Neil2]

50 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

Hello all.

we are having work carried out to Nightwatchs cruiser stern deck. Part of this is to replace the deck boards. We bought buffalo board and have had it cut to size. (Been sleeping on these cut boards for about five years now, don't want to rush these things do you!). 

Anyway, need to seal the edges of the boards to prevent water penetration. 

 

The BIG question. What's best?

 

edit coz I ought to read through wot I rote before pressing t'button.

 

 

I did the bow locker boards on our last boat a few years ago, sealed the edges with epoxy then painted them dark brown to match.  No sign of deterioration when we sold the boat last year.

[Nightwatch]

4 minutes ago, Neil2 said:

I did the bow locker boards on our last boat a few years ago, sealed the edges with epoxy then painted them dark brown to match.  No sign of deterioration when we sold the boat last year.

You mentioned epoxy, is there differing types etc.?

[Neil2]

4 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

You mentioned epoxy, is there differing types etc.?

Yes, depending on the application, for example you might want something with a long curing time if it's a big area, and there's a lot to be said for water based epoxy if coating wood but the standard West system stuff you find in most chandlers will do.  The edges of the boards on our current boat are starting to go because as far as I can tell they haven't been sealed.  Buffalo board is expensive stuff so to me it's senseless not to seal the edges properly.  

[Nightwatch]

1 minute ago, Neil2 said:

Yes, depending on the application, for example you might want something with a long curing time if it's a big area, and there's a lot to be said for water based epoxy if coating wood but the standard West system stuff you find in most chandlers will do.  The edges of the boards on our current boat are starting to go because as far as I can tell they haven't been sealed.  Buffalo board is expensive stuff so to me it's senseless not to seal the edges properly.  

Thank you.

 

That's my aim, to preserve. Do it once, don't want to do it again. The present boards are at least 15 years old, perhaps a lot older. Apart from wearing out, they are in fairly good nick. We now have good covers in place, when not motoring, so won't get the weather like the old ones have done in the past. I'm a bit dim when coming to new tasks. 

 

I was just going to varnish, but like you, others have mentioned epoxy. Looked online and it's a mine field. Asked in Midland at Mercia a couple of weeks or so ago and they couldn't recommend anything. 'The magager is off today' was their escape!!

 

So, just an epoxy should do the trick. We are approaching Atherstone at present, or will be soonish, and there's one of those lovely old hardware shops, you know the type, spend hours picking and poking and come out with nowt. I'll ask there as well. 

[mrsmelly]

1 hour ago, Nightwatch said:

Thank you.

 

That's my aim, to preserve. Do it once, don't want to do it again. The present boards are at least 15 years old, perhaps a lot older. Apart from wearing out, they are in fairly good nick. We now have good covers in place, when not motoring, so won't get the weather like the old ones have done in the past. I'm a bit dim when coming to new tasks. 

 

I was just going to varnish, but like you, others have mentioned epoxy. Looked online and it's a mine field. Asked in Midland at Mercia a couple of weeks or so ago and they couldn't recommend anything. 'The magager is off today' was their escape!!

 

So, just an epoxy should do the trick. We are approaching Atherstone at present, or will be soonish, and there's one of those lovely old hardware shops, you know the type, spend hours picking and poking and come out with nowt. I'll ask there as well. 

The rest was superfluous ?

[rustydiver]

From a recommendation from another user on here I made up my own jollop which works very well.

 

The recipe is a good squirt of Sikaflex (black), an egg-cupful of White Spirit and the same amount of any black gloss paint.

This makes it very watery and allows it to soak deep into the ply edges.  This dries to a watertight seal and makes the edges feel slightly "rubbery",

as well as looking pretty smart.

 

After 2 years its still on there and watertight.

[Nightwatch]

Thanks. And i stuck up for you the other day.

 

 

 

 

Someone said you're not fit to live with pigs, I said 'oh yes he is!'

Just now, rustydiver said:

From a recommendation from another user on here I made up my own jollop which works very well.

 

The recipe is a good squirt of Sikaflex (black), an egg-cupful of White Spirit and the same amount of any black gloss paint.

This makes it very watery and allows it to soak deep into the ply edges.  This dries to a watertight seal and makes the edges feel slightly "rubbery",

as well as looking pretty smart.

 

After 2 years its still on there and watertight.

Yes, I read that list half an hour ago. I have some black sikaflex. 

[mrsmelly]

1 minute ago, Nightwatch said:

Thanks. And i stuck up for you the other day.

 

 

 

 

Someone said you're not fit to live with pigs, I said 'oh yes he is!'

Touche 

[BilgePump]

Sikaflex is fantastic. You could build a boat out of it without screws to hold the planks, you can fudge every job you need, you can caulk leaks, but it's also great for sealing end grain if you have a tube on the go - rustydiver's mix will do a very nice job. Sikaflex by name is a bit pricey but Puraflex 40 from Toolstation about £5 is the same thing if you can cope with the trade label (EverBuild A Sika Company).

 

eta- the reasons it is great for quickly solving problems are because it is flexible and sticks like the proverbial to a blanket. It does also take some time to fully set. Wear disposable gloves, it will get on your hands otherwise, gloves you can swap to avoid daubing it everywhere. If you overpaint it before it's safe then the paint and flex can create a nasty mess that never seems to set, so patience will be a virtue here, a week or more possibly.

Edited May 28, 2019 by BilgePump

[Silebyman]

I've just been through the joy of replacing deck boards.

 

I'd thought the deck boards were getting spongy.  While I was stripping the alu plate off the top, I put my hand straight through it!  Could have been nasty if I'd ended up in the engine hole while cruising along...

 

 

New boards - I invested in proper marine ply ( about £90 a sheet).  Then went for the west system giving them 2 coats of epoxy, followed by 2 coats of danboline bilge paint.

 

If these rot I shall be fairly fed up!

[Nightwatch]

We are now in Atherstone and will venture into the local hardware store and have a rummage. But, my preference at present is the Sikaflex mixture route. I like the idea of that. 

 

Thanks fir all the comments.