You will want to periodically check that your hatches are watertight. We use a very durable sealant for our bulkheads, but the flexing that occurs during transport and paddling may wear them out over time. here
See full version: How to waterproof boat storage compartments
You will want to periodically check that your hatches are watertight. We use a very durable sealant for our bulkheads, but the flexing that occurs during transport and paddling may wear them out over time. here
If your storage compartments are wet, first identify where the water is getting in. Are your hatch covers intact and securely fastened? Are your bulkheads sealed well? Are there any deck fittings that have broken or become loose? If the source isn’t obvious, do a "reverse leak test." Begin with a dry boat. Put about a gallon of water in the suspect hatch, seal the cover, then roll the boat around and see where the water comes out. If the leak is coming from a bulkhead, simply clean and dry it, then simply reseal it with a good marine sealant such as Lexel, 3M 5200 or Sikaflex. DO NOT use silicone as it does not stick well to plastic or composite materials. Replacement deck fittings and neoprene washers are available for deck leaks.
Re: waterproofing storage compartments [links]
1. join a picture-hosting website; www.photobucket.com is a good one<br />2. upload your pics there<br />3. highlight & copy the URL<br />4. return to iboats, click on the "image" button on the "post a reply" screen<br />5. paste the URL into the dialogue box<br /><br />for example, the code for linking this pic<br /> more
Re: waterproofing storage compartments
you almost have to engineer it yourself.. since you built it.. an we can't see it..<br /><br />JTEXAS & you,, i find where it's more efficent to not have the 'two foams' meet .. but upper an lower foams lay offset side by side when closed..the upper on the outside of the two..
Re: waterproofing storage compartments more
Re: waterproofing storage compartments more
I'd like to make all seat storage compartments water-proof and lockable. The top lip of the compartment has a channel that runs around the edge to route water to the back of the seat. One problem is that the lip sags on some of the seat bases. Any ideas on how to shore up these sagging lips? (LOL! PLEASE NO SMILEY FACES!) To date I've thought of triangular pieces of seaboard, but I'm not sure of the weight capacity of any bonding method for[size="2"] [color="#222222"]polyethylene. I'd also like to avoid any solution that would take up too much storage space.[/color][/size]
Once the top edge to the storage compartment is level, I imagine that all I need will be some compressible weather-stripping to apply to the edge to seal against the bottom of the seat. Has anyone done this or something similar?
Making the compartments lockable seems easy enough. Bought a stainless steel hasp with built-in keyed lock. A little pricey, but should prevent theft of more expensive equipment. Once installed the hasp covers the bolts. I avoided the simple hasp with a removable lock since that would become a never-ending banging problem while boating. more
Probably the most basic thing we can do to control water and moisture is to buy a cover for our boat and then use it all the time except when we’re fishing or when it’s in the garage.
Water is the element we all deal with, sometimes loving it and sometimes cursing it. But it’s always there and that means we have to deal with it in places we don’t want it — like in our boats.
The next best thing you can do is make sure your compartments have drain holes in the bottom of them. If they weren’t drilled at the factory, however, be careful when you drill them. There are cables, wires, tubes and in some cases the gas tank under there. Unless you know what you’re doing it might be best to have a dealer do this. A mistake can be costly in both time and money. more