[Paddlewise] Deck/hull seam

>> I have problems with a fibreglass boat joined at the deck/hull seam with a



>> vinyl "H" section extrusion, glassed over on the inside. The boat has front

>> and rear bulkhead compartments, and the front one leaks through the seam.
It


>> is a small but chronic and annoying leak.


>Not completely clear where the leakage is occurring.  Do you mean water in
the


>center compartment (the cockpit) leaks past the bulkhead into the front


>compartment?  If so, just use some 3M 5200 (marine supply store) to seal the



>leak.


>Or, do you mean there is water penetration from *outside* the yak into the


>interior (cockpit or front compartment) *at* the place where the bulkhead


>crosses the H-shaped extrusion line?


..... The water penetration is from outside into the front compartment of the
boat, and as far as I can tell, is from the deck/hull seam at a point well
forward of the bulkhead. After a day's paddling in chop or a session of
rolling practice, about a cup of water gathers. I fill the compartment with
inflated wine casks if it's not full of gear in dry bags, so hopefully the
problem won't become too serious, but it is annoying.


>One last thought:  after hogging out the old (polyester) resin and glass, use

>epoxy/glass for replacement, and wear forearm-length latex gloves to avoid


>contact with the resin.


Not knowing much about composites / fibreglass / resins, I wonder if there are
any problems using epoxy resin over polyester resin?


Thanks for your reply. I am looking forward to having my arm inside the front
compartment, buried up to the shoulder through the front hatch, covered in
glass and resin!  A small price to pay for a sealed front compartment.





Peter Treby





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