Plastic Classic Forum

Oh, and there's no question of the durability of butyl, too. I had the extreme displeasure (!!!) of removing large flat aluminum window frame extrusions on an old Hatteras sportfish I restored many years ago that were bedded in with wide butyl tape. I never tackled so messy a job. My formerly white ...

Like probably most of you, I've used just about everything found in either a caulking tube or roll (i.e. butyl tape) to seal the things you bolt onto a boat. But after about 45 years of messing around boats, I just used Dolfinite for the first time a week ago. It was recommended to me by an old time...

Thanks for the info, James, especially the tip about the Cape Dory 27. I'm a fan of CD boats. Had a CD 28 motorboat I liked quite a bit. Seaworthy old tank. Personally, though, I have to say your Tritons have sweeter lines IMHO.

-- Paul

Forgive me for resurrecting a 14 year old post, but I had a question on the B27 that this thread touched on...does anybody know what year it shifted over to the higher deck configuration and the steel ballast? I, too, really much prefer the older style, but I don't know when the old design stopped. ...

I'm sure someone is going to jump on you for the silicone. I'll try to do it gently. <grin> You really don't want to use actual silicone pretty much anywhere on your boat. the residue is too hard to ever clean off and getting a good long term reseal on the second round that lasts is pretty much imp...

What is the name of the product you are putting on afterwards? Thanks! It's from a company called Showboat Custom Coatings. They call the product SB-230. They also have one that's an opaque silver, which is designed to go over ugly aluminum with deep pits that you'd otherwise scrap. These guys do a...

...so it may be the surface prep, coating process, and how fasteners are installed makes the difference - just like painting. Agreed, James. Making sure that aluminum is as contaminant-free is key. You cannot degrease enough, before and after blasting/grinding/chemical stripping, etc. Powdercoaters...

For reasonably small pieces (certainly not your long tracks), a viable and surprisingly easy option is DIY low current anodizing. I just did a bunch of old cleats and spar fittings on an old O'Day 222 I bought to teach my kids how to sail on. Like you, I thought the parts were in fine enough shape, ...