I recently bought a used Anas Acuta (4 years old)from the Kayak Center, and find that the skeg control leaks through to the day hatch, wherein someone tried to patch the leak with silicone. The skeg tube is glassed in throughout the cockpit. Great River Outfitters advised that I drill a hole in the glassed in portion, then apply epoxy with a syringe. I drilled a hole, and am waiting for the water to dry completely. My concern is that the skeg control will still leak, and I am wondering if anyone else has experienced this sort of problem in a composite kayak. Any advise, suggestions will be appreciated.
yes…
I had a similar problem with a boat I just recently got.
The water came through the skeg control and ran down through the channel in which it slides and into the day hatch.
I fixed it very easily. I just took 3M 5200 (quick dry version) and used it very generously abound where the skeg cable housing comes through the bulkhead in the day hatch. Problem solved.
Don’t be shy with it…slap on a bunch to ensure you got it thoroughly sealed.
Matt
Silicone
Thanks for the tip Matt. That might be my approach, but unfortunately there is so much silicone in that area of the day hatch (hard to reach, or see), that it would take much time and effort to remove it, and I believe that it leaves behind a troublesome residue.
Aquaseal will also work
Bnystrom has posted about silicone residues.
In my Explorer LV, the dealer used GE Silicone II to seal the skeg tube at the back of the cockpit. After reading Bnystrom’s posts, I wish she hadn’t. Fortunately, the silicone does seal it well.
Anyway, I used Aquaseal on the remaining possible leak points (in the day hatch and in the rear hatch compartment). The hatch compartments now ALWAYS stay drydrydry even after prolonged rolling practice. Aquaseal is strong and flexible; it can be used to repair neoprene cuts and holes.
That’s one of the few places…
…where you could use silicone and get away with it, since it’s not a structural bond, but a simple sealing job. Personally, I won’t use silicone anywhere in my boats.
Whew!
I had an unused tube of Silicone II and promptly gave it to my husband for household use. Not sure why I bought it in the first place, probably was something on my wood boat. Now I’m glad I never used it.
Lexels?
Sticks to about anything. I’ve had leaks at the small box that houses the skeg slider. I’ve used lexel and 5200. Both are easy and foolproof.
Mike