The J/109 Class Association Forum

Writing to post my experience on this project.

The purpose of this project was to eliminate a small water leak.

Step 1: Panic, is this project to big for me. What can I learn about it. Thank you Bill Kneller!
Step 2: Supplies needed:
- Gelcoat, this is the time to fix anything found.
- Sikaflex-291 white, available on Amazon
- Silicon Rubber
- Butyl Tape
- Rubber Bumpers (simple part found in home depot)
Step 3: Preparation
- It helps to have the boat under the winter cover, this project took me a week on/off
- Big fan and/or mask to reduce exposure to fumes
Step 4: Remove Instrument Cluster, Remove Sikaflex, Remove coach top, remove sliders, remove bumper sub assembly.
note, in my case I pulled the instrument wires into the cabin, so I can clean and reseal the holes.
Step 5: Clean and repair skin everywhere to ensure this will be watertight when done. In many cases i enlarged the entrance to screw holes so I can place butyl tape
Step 6: Install bumper subassembly using butyl tape
Step 7: To install tracks, first put a small amount of buytl tape in each hole, and use small amount at the end of the track and iin places there is no screw hole for a while.
Step 8: Seal the instrument wires in place. For me, I have the following wires
NMEA-2000 with a field installable connector.
Ethernet wire
2-conductor DC, 8 gauge, to power my Zeus3 chartplotter.
8 conductor wire, spare for anything I might need in the future

Step 9: Position the companionway top on top of what ever you have available that is about 2 inches high.
Step 10: Vacumm everywhere so that in the following steps you are not tracking dust around.
Step 11: Fill each hole with butyl tape
Step 12: Clean with acetone the companionway top and the surface it is going into. Do this a couple of times
Step 13: Grab a partner, two person job follows
Step 14: Clean with acetone again, to get every last bit. Get a whole roll of paper towels, tear them into quarter sheets.
Step 15: Sika needs to be warmed to 70 degrees if it is a cold day. Application notes say you can apply in 40 degrees or more, but the product needs to be warm. Also requires fume mask.
Step 16: Lay a healthy beed of Sika, note there are two forward drain areas, one on each side, you should not cover. It is easier to deal with too much sika, then too little.
Step 17: Lower compantion top, screw in. I found that I didn't use enough in some places and had to add, wish I used more.
Step 18: Quickly go around with little quarter paper towels and tools to remove extra Sika and smooth out.
Step 19: Exit the area, not healthy to breath.
Step 20: Seal the wires to the companionway top
Step 21: Re-install the instrument cluster

Note, uses exactly one container of Sika. I feel you should still get 2