Cockpit locker lid
 

The question of what foam/gasket was used under the locker lids came up in another post. So I thought I'd move the potential discussion here. It's one of those jobs way down on my list but lets see what we come up with. Mine is closed cell foam "D" with the flat side having double sided tape. I don't know if it's original but it will be replaced. I'm hoping one of the hatch gaskets made by Bomar will work.

Attachment 13089

Attachment 13090

I found some seal strip like that - I think at Home Depot. D-shaped section with adhesive backing. Only thing was that in the box is was a double D, side to side. I had to cut them apart.

How is it holding up to use and weather?

I used it for a new lid on my icebox, not out in the weather. It's been in place for several years now. The locker covers in my cockpit don't have any seals - they just drip into the surrounding drain grooves.

Should be able to find the foam at any hardware store. Usually sticky one side, however the stickiness likely won't last long and they let go after repeated use. What you could try: mix up a small amount of epoxy resin and apply it along the edge with a small artists brush. Then apply the foam and close the lid gently. Allow to set overnight to 24 hrs and it should adhere very very well. Hope that helps.

I use epoxy in it's various forms for many things like that. Another thing I keep on the boat is underwater epoxy putty sticks...they are about 10 dollars each. Actually stopped a leak in another guy's boat with that stuff...he hit a rock and had a little crack seeping in water. He mixed and applied the putty, held in place for 5 minutes and it stopped the leak. $10 a stick around here...why wouldn't we have it aboard?

Also, I keep a couple of metal epoxy putty sticks on board. Should a leak occur in an engine side plate etc it will get you home. I've used it to seal where wires enter the boat thru the hull etc...hardens in 5 minutes and done. Have fixed plastic instrument mount with it...all kinds of uses. Gets old sailors out of jams all the time.

Hope this helps. https://www.permatex.com/products/ad...ex-water-bond/

I don’t think you need gaskets around lipped hatches like that either.

Those epoxy sticks are great but they are a little messy, and they harden themselves after a few years. I keep one around but I often end up throwing it away barely used. I find cheap “syringes” of five minute epoxy, and even the small tubes of quick epoxy that Harbor Freight sells, also very useful. They cure a little rubbery, and clearly aren’t as strong as West System, but for firming up the threads in a hole drilled in fiberglass, or patching an unneeded hole in a mast that’s going to be painted, they’re quite adequate.

Within the next few days I'm replacing the seals on my cockpit seat hatches. I bought a 50' roll of industrial weatherstrip from McMaster-Carr and will adhere it to the underside of the hatch. The PO put seals on the hatch opening but in practice it was constantly abraded by gear going in and out of the compartment.

The trick now is to get the seal properly aligned on the hatch to mate with the 1/2" ridge of the opening. The plan is to cut and place the seal, adhesive side up, on the opening ridge secured loosely with Polident denture adhesive, pull the protective tape from the seal exposing the tacky side and closing the hatch. Hopefully the seal adhesive with be stronger than the Poligrip and result in perfect alignment. Mo's epoxy attachment will likely follow.

Tenders, in my locale the seal keeps blown dust out of the locker.

Teak Hatch Cover on Tartan 27
 

My cockpit hatch covers are teak. Is there a way to adhere the gasket material to teak?
Mary
'74 T27 Yawl
HotFlash

The reason I like the underwater epoxy sticks is that they can be applied while the leak is in progress. The day Paul's boat was leaking there was water coming in. Scrubbed the area with green scrub pad (that's all we had) and mixed the putty in the palm of my hands. Then pressed it in over the leak and he held pressure on it for 5 minutes...it hardens even if it gets wet. That's the advantage. Leak stopped.

Is the hatch solid teak ?

If the underside is teak, has it been seaĺed or finished? If so, then I would treat it as any other surface- clean , dry, peel and stick.

Was at the boat today and had a closer look. What's there is just square door jam foam with peel n stick on one side. I guess it's there as an extra measure (once upon a time :D ) to keep water out. It'll be coming off next season and we'll see if it's even needed.

Teak Hatch Cover on Tartan 27
 

Solid teak planks, I think 4. Black caulking between the planks, with vertical solid teak edging forming the lip. Two solid teak bracing planks on underside of the hatch at right angles to the run of the exposed side. Has not been sealed, if ever, in years, but I have recaulked. I guess the only surface that matters for for adhering weather/water/dust stripping is the underside and inner edge of the lip.

Sounds like silicone might be a good choice for adhering the foam. I appreciate the discussion.

Mary

Mary;

Silicone makes a good gasket, but it has horrible adhesion properties.

Mark the area the foam will apply and wipe that down with solvent to remove any oils from the teak. Then I would use something like Sudbury Elastomeric Sealant, 3M 4200, BoatLife LifeCalk to bond the foam to the teak.