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Paul - I have read that using silicone is not a good ideal. The problem is that when you remove it some still remains in the pores and will not stick as well the next time it is done. you may want to try some 4200 instead.

flowable silicone is very thin..you do not remove the hardware..just apply it and it will flow where water would go..then solidify..creating (hope) a watertight seal with little effort..

Paul

Agreed, Paul, but my issue with silicone in general is that it doesn't adhere particularly well and has limited 'stetch', so it is often easily pulled free of the substrate... and then, once it's loose, it will not 're-heal' and consequently leaks.

I have to say, I'm with James...I'd go with the 4200... it sticks better.

Well I spoke to a friend who has sailed a lot and he said that boat in the water is just life, and that it was certainly one of the deck hardware mounts leaking, and that I should just bite the bullet and go through and hit every fitting on the boat with sealant. I called the dealer and they are sending me some free tubes of black and white sealer (I think 5200 or 4200? I feel like I've seen both numbers).

I think I should isolate the problem(s) and hit them first, then think about doing all the hardware. What do you folks think?

He also told me a bead along the rub rail top wouldn't be a bad idea, some of the rubber is pulling away from the deck side.

I'd concur with the comment about a bead along the top of the rub-rail. My boat had a bead there when I bought it, but at the start of the second season I noticed an increase in the amount of water in the bilge after rainstorms - upon inspection I found several spots where that original bead was pulled loose. I re-did that bead all the way around and it made a huge improvement.

Since day 1 of owning my boat I've had one leak that I have never isolated. The symptom appears on the forward port side, right at the back edge of the V-Berth "ledge", outboard. Clearly the water is seeping down the carpeted inside of the hull and collecting at the bottom, under the V-berth cushion. This is forward (uphill the way the boat is parked) of the chainplate so I don't believe the chainplate to be the culprit.

- Andy26M

We bought ours new and has been very good with a couple exceptions:

The port side chain plate leaked a little. A couple applications of silicone promply fixed that.

The dealer had put our shore power connector on a less than flat surface and didn't seal it allowing a leak there. Sealing with silicone fixed that.

I'd have the dealer fix those leaks.

BB

pythonguy wrote:....I called the dealer and they are sending me some free tubes of black and white sealer (I think 5200 or 4200? I feel like I've seen both numbers)....

Hey, Python, the 4200 and 5200 are *very* different. 4200 is usually used for general sealing purposes - it sticks well and can be removed without too much aggro. 5200 is for sticking things down solidly... it is a *bear* to remove. 5200 is usually reserved for things where you can't really attach it any other way - for example, the factory uses it to stick down the black windows on the Mac.

My M leaked a lot brand-new from my dealer. Had to remove/reinstall chaniplates, as there was no sealant under them, so the water just flllooooowed in. The ped, where the hole was drilled to accept the control cables - no sealant.

The rear cable exit hole had the boot, but the boot wasn't sealed.

These are all simple poor workmanship, but easily remedied. What you don't want is to rest on your laurals and let your boat fill with water while you wait for your dealer to act.

Mold.

I went over every inch of her - she's dry and clean now.

Good luck.

I had a lot of water leaking into my 2005m.The big one was the Traveller.I removed it and resealed .What a job. since then the hatch cover wouldn't close properly.I had to cut a small amount out to get it to close. The second was a port window.By now I was tired of fooling with leaks and used black electrical tape around all the port windows, solved the problem for that first year. Bill sent me the black goo to seal them which I did the following year. So far so good. Have fun.

TonyG wrote:....Bill sent me the black goo to seal them which I did the following year. So far so good.....

I believe the 'black goo' is black 5200? Bill, correct me if I'm wrong, please?

Good Evening mates...
I bought my boat new in Semptember 2006. It a 26M with the same leak when it rains on the port side over head window. Also I took my boat out
a couple of times. I live in the Windy city area, its really cold when the wind blows. I must get some gel coat work done. The Mac bump looks
real easy on Rodger Macgregor,s DVD with the shallow water ramp, and no current to off set the recovery. I have also search this website to see if any one has a problem with there Tohatsu outboard. I bought my boat from a dealer that was about 250 miles from were I live. He sold me the boat with a tiller motor. This cost me an additional 2100.00 to convert it.
I like the outboard so far, and will upgrade to a new Tohatsu TLDI 70 hp
for the next season.

kmclemore wrote: Bill, correct me if I'm wrong, please?

Every time?

capt. black wrote: I like the outboard so far, and will upgrade to a new Tohatsu TLDI 70 hp
for the next season.

if you are committed to Tohatsu TLDI, then i suggest that you upgrade to a 90hp rather than the 70. the 90 is a few dollars more, but uses the same powerhead and weighs the same as the 70.

however, i suggest that you look at the Evinrude ETEC as well. a newer technology for about the same price. cleaner burning, smoother running, about the same weight.

Bob T.
"DaBob"
'02X w/ '04 90-TLDI (14" x 11 pitch)
Dinghy Motor: '06 2.5-Suzuki

Bill at BOATS 4 SAIL wrote:

kmclemore wrote: Bill, correct me if I'm wrong, please?

Every time?

You'll have to get in line to do that, Bill. Please take a number.

(Actually, I was looking to have you confirm that the black sealant for use around the windows was indeed 5200.)

Hey guys, wow I didn't realize I opened such a can of worms. I think I can do this sealing job myself and learn a necessary skill in maintaining the boat.

I also really like the idea of lead shot and epoxy in the keel, good ideas there on putting weight as low as it can go, this boat sailed so well the first time I took it out that I'd love to see how far up it can point with that much weight on that long of a lever arm in addition to the ballast.

The tarps I put over the fore and aft deck hardware and the space heater and fan have done their jobs and now the boat is dry. Hopefully we'll get a few dry days and I can find the leaky fitting and mount the motor!