Need to Re-caulk Cockpit Floor

[Pat Anderson]

OK, we need to remove all the caulking in the cockpit, much of it has ugly black mold or something growing inside it, needs to come OUT! Looked at the products on page 319 of the big West Marine catalog - not sure what to use. Looks like we could use several of them, leaning toward either 3M Marine Grade Silicone Sealant or West Marine Silicone Sealant. Right products for the job? Patty will do the actual work, as she is not a total uncoordinated boob. Wonder if we need the expensive little tools (Caulk-Away and Caulk-Rite), which are basically like little plastic spoons they sell for 9 bucks each. Patty says she could do the Caulk-Away part with a potato peeler, I would be a bit concerned about gouging things! Are there some more common (and cheaper) tools we could get at a hardware store? Thanks!

[thataway]

It sounds as if you have silicone sealer (is this just around the "cut out" for the fuel tank?). The only sealant we have is at the very front, between the aft bulkead and cockpit sole, plus the plastic hatches.

I would use an exterior mildew proof/resistant silicone. Once silicone has been used on a fiberglass, there remains some silicone on the glass. It is very possiable that this caulk was put in place, before the screws were tight, and that there is a bead underneath the lip of the hatch...so you may need to cut it, and be concerned about adherence to any underlying silicone residual. I have found the "MR Clean magic Errasers seem to be the best at removing any silicone residual.

There is also the Boat Life, Life Caulk. This is a combination urethane and silicone which is an excellent boat sealant.

Probably the plastic scoops will not scratch the gel coat if you are careful.

[Pat Anderson]

The caulking is around the gas tank cut-out, between the cockpit sole and the aft bulkhead, around the steps on each side, and perhaps some other places. It all has to be replaced...Guess we will use the BoatLife Life-Calk.

[TyBoo]

This isn't a suggestion [Disclaimer - Pat understands that] but a neat trick I discovered for smoothing and contouring caulk is an index finger wetted with acetone. Acetone on bare skin may not be good for you, but neither is mercury, which I used to swipe from the school lab and roll back and forth in the desk pencil tray with the same bare fingers (after dipping the dimes). Using acetone to clean fiberglass and gelcoat as the last step before applying the caulk helps it adhere much better, too.

If your original caulk is that bad already, the first thing to do would be to find out from C-Dory what they used and then scratch that off your shopping list.

[Casey]

I don't have any recommendations about the whole caulking job (Bob Austin and Tyboo Mike are much better at those things than me...).

But I've got to say - Pat, you were just MASTERFUL at preempting the "coordinated boob" category, thus opening the door for Patty to come in and do the work! True finesse.

If I ever need a strategy minded attorney, you're top on my list! You've clearly established yourself about three blocks ahead of most of us!

(But beware. Wives are born with a genetic counterattack capability that is awesome. She'll be laying-in-wait once she realizes what you've done.)

On Guard.........

Casey
C-Dory Naknek
Lake Montezuma, AZ

[Wefings]

In the pool and spa biz , we used 99% rubbing alchohol for the finger dipping lube sauce for smooth silicone beads on our tile work .Vinegar works too , although not as well as isopropyl. I think these solvents are a little easier on the liver than Acetone..........
Marc

[Big Bad Ben]

To get a nice bead of caulking try the following:
Run a line of masking tape - I like the blue stuff - on BOTH sides of the area you wish to caulk. The width between the lines will be the finished width of your new bead.

Apply caulking, liberally, but not too liberally.

Smooth the new bead of caulk with a finger - inside a rubber glove. I like to have a small glass of water to dip my finger into.

If I have applied too much silicone (or whatever) off goes the old icky glove and on goes a new one.

Try not to apply too long a bead (or multiple beads) as silicone can 'skin over' then you may not have the smoothest bead.

Remove the tape - carefully! It's covered with silicone...

You should now have a very clean looking bead of caulk.

No special tools required. This method has worked well for me on bathtub surrounds, shower doors, windows and kitchen counters.

[Pat Anderson]

Hmmm, OK, we'll remove acetone from the shopping list and add blue masking tape, rubber gloves and rubbing alcohol! A plan is forming! " I love it when a plan comes together!" (Hannibal, the A Team).

[iggy]

This sounds like Tom Sawyer . . .

If you're going to get someone else ( . . . . Patty ?) to do the work, you have to have all the materials (paint brush, white wash) on hand at the right time.

If you're really good you'll even get the eager workers to pay you for the privilege. Shooter marbles? Garter snake?

iggy

[Alasgun]

Almost sounds like a person could get some "Gratifaction" going on this project.

It is however useful info as I need to do ours as well.
Mike

[BrentB]

I would try a hair dryer with different heat settings and experiment.
It might soften the chaulk enough to pull out several inches at once.

[stevej]

Pat, I resealed the deck along the transom on Shearwater four years ago. What ever the sealer was it came out pretty easy but then again it was 10 years old.
I just used 50 year 100 percent silicone with mold and mildew inhibiter from home depot. It been water tight and shows no signs of shrinking or hardening up. The blue tape trick works, have a roll of paper towels handy and a bunch of disposable gloves.

stevej

[Pat Anderson]

Thanks for all the tips...tonight has been THE most frustrating day on this boat EVER. Whatever C-Dory used to caulk the cockpit floor over the gas tank has no propensity whatever to release, it is WAY too adhesive for caulking that anybody with any foresight would know would need to be removed some day. Andrew Custis, are you out there? What the heck IS this caulking? How would you go about removing it? It is driving us CRAZY...

[Big Bad Ben]

In-between two paralell lines of blue tape, have you tried bullets?

Don't forget the gloves!

<\sarcasm>

Really, wish you the best.

[starcrafttom]

"but neither is mercury, which I used to swipe from the school lab and roll back and forth in the desk pencil tray with the same bare fingers "

Do the words "Mad as a hatter "mean anything to you. lot of questions have been answered.