What's this Hatt doing on my pulpit?

Hey FC!!! Welcome back from your hike!! I was following the pics on your blog. Wasn't sure when you were returning. Sore feet?

Feet are fine - no problems at all. Thanks! We are already planning the next adventure - Tour de Mount Blanc

FlyWright said:

Any idea which Sika Flex is best for sealant with lower adhesion?

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Sikaflex 291 has been my go to formula for a wide range of projects. I would personally desire to use butyl tape but you asked for Sika.

manyboats said:

This is the main reason I don't like bow pulpits.
Too easily damaged.
Supprised it dosn't happen more often .. maybe it does.

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Holly smokes Snoopy! That's my exact feeling.

That said:

We do have a rugged metal anchor "chock" that came on bow of our Tolly; think it's original equipment. Protrudes but a few inches off the gunnel metal rub rail and holds the anchor shank and flukes well into the prow's deck area. I've never had problem with or because of it [yet] and don't plan to. But - I always shy away from purchasing boats with full-on pulpit that protrudes feet ahead of bow nose. In many years of boating I've seen several pulpits get damaged and cause damage... some of it pretty severe.

Al, My experience with butyl tape is it works very well with perfectly smooth surfaces. If you have any variations in the material that you are trying to seal it may not work well, at least it did not for me. If I have variations I use 4000UV. It will fill any divits and variations. Don't get me wrong though butyl works well for me with smooth surfaces.

I'm less of a fan of butyl tape as a sealant when heavy loads are involved. It seems that over time, I get some butyl squeezing out which requires additional cleanup. For hatches and widows I think it's a good application but for a pulpit that loads will vary, I'd use the Sika, or a 3m product you like.

Although I am not a fan of pulpits... just gotta luv all the rebuild suggestions learned by reading TF threads.


Good luck Al!!

FlyWright said:

Any idea which Sika Flex is best for sealant with lower adhesion?

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Al,
I think Craig nailed it in post #33. 291 bedding coumpound.

I may use 291 but another alternative would be Dolfinite. 291 will become solid like rubber. On teak the adhesive line can crack or break open and admit water so from then on the inside of the seam will be wet. That won't happen w Dolfinite. Much much more flexible w little adhesion. However if you were handed a stick of wood coated w Dolfinite you'd be a long time getting it all off. The downside is that the stuff can (but usually dosn't) ooze out of the seam months or possibly even years later. I did an anchor capstan/bow cleats plate 1" plywood bedding on my foredeck w Dolfinite. Was great in all respects but the oozing. Oozing out on the foredeck was no problem but oozing out in the summer under the deck in the berth on our sleeping bags and stuff we put there while underway was very unwelcome. Every now and then we had a sticky gooey mess on the berth. I got quite a bit of the stuff on a seat cushion and it's still there. I use the cushion in the garage and yard. Being totally exposed the Dolfinite is like leather now. I haven't pulled up the deckplate yet but know it will be easy and that is a very good thing. The stuff really does stay gooey almost (boating wise) forever. And it does keep the water out. So where you have fasteners holding parts together and don't need more adhesion it's excellent. Most have a mindset of any increase in adhesion is better and go w high adhesion sealants like 5200 and SikaFlex. My wife Christine calles the Dolfinite peanutbutter. But peanutbutter comes off much easier. Much easier.

I expect to see the next thread as "Would you prefer a Hatteras or Viking on your pulpit?

Is that helpful to Al or are you blessing us w your humor?

That's exactly the kind of info I was looking for! You guys are great! I had similar concerns as raised by Larry M with the butyl tape oozing under shifting loads. Hadn't considered the rough surface issue Roger raised. The teak platform sits on the deck non-skid, so there is some irregularity involved.

Dolfinite sounds like a possibility, but the oozing concerns me. The 291 sounds just about perfect. Good sealant, rubbery consistency and light-moderate adhesion. 3M 4000 will be my second choice as even that has more adhesion than I'd like.

The way my pulpit is sandwiched together, I think I'll use a combination of products. Starting at the top, the SS plate is mated to the top surface of the pulpit. There is no lateral load there and butyl tape would be a good candidate there. At the teak-on-teak joint between the pulpit plank and the platform top end and the teak-on-deck-nonskid joint at the bottom end of the platform, 291 (or 4000) would be applied. This should allow easier disassembly in the future.

Thanks for all the great perspectives and advice, guys!

261 sikaflex or lifecaulk would be my choice, make sure you get rid of the silicon residue with mek followed with methonol. 5200 is too ridgid for wood to frp.

manyboats said:

Is that helpful to Al or are you blessing us w your humor?

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Definitely not helpful to Al, nor was your response, nor is a post saying one would never want a pulpit, since he's got one, nor are the posts about FC's feet. Many observations and comments enter a thread. Just the way things work.

Al,
I probably overstated the oozs part. On the pulpit the medium shock loads will probably break one side of the 291 seam appart (it did on Willy even w/o a puplit) but SikaFlex is easy to use. If you use Dolfinite and it oozes out a bit just swipe the excess off w a popsicle stick. The more the ooze the more you've got the seam packed w sealant.

BandB said:

Definitely not helpful to Al, nor was your response, nor is a post saying one would never want a pulpit, since he's got one, nor are the posts about FC's feet. Many observations and comments enter a thread. Just the way things work.

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manyboats said:

Al,
I probably overstated the oozs part. On the pulpit the medium shock loads will probably break one side of the 291 seam appart (it did on Willy even w/o a puplit) but SikaFlex is easy to use. If you use Dolfinite and it oozes out a bit just swipe the excess off w a popsicle stick. The more the ooze the more you've got the seam packed w sealant.

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All comments, suggestions and tips are welcome and appreciated...even the humorous ones. But you're right, B&B...the pulpit ain't going away!

My comment to FC was regarding his recent and impressive 'hike' along the Camino in Spain. He trekked 300 miles on foot! Sometimes personal comments enter a conversation and I'm good with that. It's how we speak in person, too.

FlyWright said:

All comments, suggestions and tips are welcome and appreciated...even the humorous ones. But you're right, B&B...the pulpit ain't going away!

My comment to FC was regarding his recent and impressive 'hike' along the Camino in Spain. He trekked 300 miles on foot! Sometimes personal comments enter a conversation and I'm good with that. It's how we speak in person, too.

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And I thought the "hike" was interesting. It didn't in any way for me distract from the topic, just was an aside. You see someone you haven't for a long time, you turn away and speak to them, ask how they've been.

Really a small amount of off topic in a thread never bothers me. Off topic bothers me only when someone takes over to push some entirely different agenda.

I think I used 4200 on my platform and on the anchor roller . Thru bolted with sst backing plates . That 5th hole for my windlass is a $&@& up .

Anchor roller and windlass mount. Notice extra hole

Pack Mule said:

Anchor roller and windlass mount. Notice extra hole

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Still, awful pretty though. Isn't that hole for drainage??

Art said:

Still, awful pretty though. Isn't that hole for drainage??

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Transporting contraband

Marty,
What is that space used for under the winch/capstan?

I think he meant no harm, he was just looking for a place to hang his HATT!

...or as we call it in hockey, a Hatt Trick!

On a brighter note, my Lewmar claw anchor held us both in place just fine!

Dang Al, I didn't know until now that Flywright button holed a Hatt. In my swordfish harpooning days and the dart went all the way through, that was called "button holing". Is it being repaired now? See, you should have gone tuna fishing with us. The only thing that got broke there was a fishing rod. If the fishing Jones gets too bad for you, give me a call and we'll go find something. I just need an excuse.

FlyWright said:

...On a brighter note, my Lewmar claw anchor held us both in place just fine!

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Well that just isn't possible, at least according to some experts I know.

remwines said:

Is it being repaired now? See, you should have gone tuna fishing with us. The only thing that got broke there was a fishing rod. If the fishing Jones gets too bad for you, give me a call and we'll go find something. I just need an excuse.

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Yup, it's on the hard now in Vallejo. Thanks for the great offer! We might need to do that! Repairs always seem to take longer than they should.

Tomorrow marks one month on the hard and finally some progress has been made. Here's what the bottom looked like at the bow. The transom was in much better shape. All in all, pretty good after 6 years in the water....fresh and brackish.





The rubrail got removed on Tuesday and the new rail appeared on Wed.



I got the hull sides sprayed with oxalic acid from a backyard sprayer and rinsed it off with the onboard fresh water from the FW hose bib. It worked great at removing the tanin stain without any elbow grease. My kind of solution!

I got the new zincs installed just in time for the start of the bottom paint today.







Giggitoni and I swung by today and were surprised at the progress. After nothing but talk for the last month, we're finally seeing results.



The new pulpit is slowly taking shape. The rains, a scarcity here, have slowed the varnish work. Hoping for a splash to beat OCD's east coast splash date of Dec 15. Let the race to the splash begin!

She's coming together Al, won't be long

Looking good Al. After using the oxalic acid and flushing with water, be sure to get some form of wax or sealer on your finish. I didn't read that you have done that. I have used oxalic acid on my boat to remove light rust and other stains, but did not re-seal it soon enough. It will oxidize quickly and every little crack or imperfection will fill with tannins and soot from the air. It is much harder to clean again, so make sure to seal it soon.

Bob

Thanks, Bob. I've got some spray wax that will go on after they remove the tape and install the rub rail.