Caulking/sealant for pods.

SteelyDan

Well-Known Member
Hey guys, so I've had great success with 3m products and sikaflex above and below the waterline but can' find anything that will seal up the acces ports on an aluminum pod. Nothing seems to bond to plastic. I've scuffed up the plastic and wiped with grease wax and silicon remover. Sikaflex failed, 5200, 4200, 4000. All failed. Only thing I haven' tried is bedding with butyl which I will prob try next. I think there is just too much flexing in the decks on aluminum pods when people walk on them and under rough conditions and also the release agents used when moulding plastics. So anyone have any succes sealing these damn hatches up I'd love to know what you used. :confused:
 
Do you have a pic of the hatch? any way to add an O-ring to it? I've made up o-rings, using bulk o-ring material in the past, cut to length, crazy glue the ends, glue it onto the underside of the hatch and have had sucess... maybe the combination of the dow corning and a home-made O-ring around the edges would work...
 
On l the jetboat I used to have there was a type of sealant used between the aluminum intake tunnel and uhmw plastic armor that was bolted on the bottom. It had a slightly rough/dry texture to it and was incredibly tough. I wish I could tell you what it was, but this is definitely the product you are looking for.
 
Do not use plastic inspection hatches on the pod...THEY LEAK!! I replaced mine as the pod would fill up in a month. I we t with an aluminum one I found at Trotac. Now I can go an entire summer in the water and maybe a couple litres comes out. Probably mostly condensation.
 
Do you have a pic of the hatch? any way to add an O-ring to it? I've made up o-rings, using bulk o-ring material in the past, cut to length, crazy glue the ends, glue it onto the underside of the hatch and have had sucess... maybe the combination of the dow corning and a home-made O-ring around the edges would work...
There just a pair of the standard tempress 4" thread in hatches. I like the seal idea. I could most likely find 4" seals.
 
Do not use plastic inspection hatches on the pod...THEY LEAK!! I replaced mine as the pod would fill up in a month. I we t with an aluminum one I found at Trotac. Now I can go an entire summer in the water and maybe a couple litres comes out. Probably mostly condensation.
Was it custom made or can you remember the manufacturer?
 
I have the tempress as access plates in the floor of my fiberglass boat. I purchased new O rings from Tempress and they still leak.
 
They were off the shelf...they had 2 sizes I bought the larger one. It has the mounting ring which has a gasket built in for the top to seal to. The top drops into place and uses a twisting latch to hold it down in place. Way better than a thread system. The plastic ones leak for the same reason the recalled fire extinguishers with the plastic valve bodies leak or fail to work. The plastic and metal expand and contract at different rates. I have the pod off my boat at the moment to have it re-powder coated. I pulled the hatch off, wire wheeled it clean and its good for another 20 yrs service. I apply a bit of grease to the gasket each spring to keep it from drying out.
 
Here are pics of the one I used.
 

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They have been on our pod for 6 years and my dad's boat for as long. These are the solution. They have a huge oring that seals against the pods surface. These things work so well.
 
I had a plastic (proper) inspection plate pop off completely 15 miles off Winter harbour. It had been in place with never a problem for 6 years. You never know!! The pod filled completely and all I lost was a knot or so and a little slower up on the plane. Still an epic moment! Once home I cut a piece of diamond coat aluminum- stainless screws and bedded with I think 3M 5200. Get a cup of water every 3 trips now-surveyor looked at it 4 weeks ago and laughed-he asked me if I had a plastic hatch pop? Guess it is fairly common. DUH!
 
Bunch of good info here guys. Thank you for all the input. I' going to install the two new 4" tempress deck plates I already have bedded with butyl tape. If they leak like that I'll use them as backing to center a hole saw and drill out for 6" Armstrong plates lol
 
Bunch of good info here guys. Thank you for all the input. I' going to install the two new 4" tempress deck plates I already have bedded with butyl tape. If they leak like that I'll use them as backing to center a hole saw and drill out for 6" Armstrong plates lol
the way the armstrong hatches seal you may not have to enlarge the whole
 
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