I have a WS zephyr and it looks like the bulkhead seals are a bit rough. Can I use the home depot silicon? It is a poly yak, so it would be nice to use something that will seal and last. John
Use either Lexel or 3M 5200.
Use a caulking gun and just run a line arouind your bulkhead. If you need to clean up your bead, you can wet a finger with water or mineral spirits (at least with clear Lexel) to ensure the job looks neat.
Silicone isn’t recommended usually.
Lexel is what is used at the factory
and it is what is most often recommended for WS boats. If it isn’t leaking water, I wouldn’t mess with it yet. Usually there’s a few years before they start leaking, then it might be a yearly maintenance task
No silicone
Silicone is no good for kayakes. And it is a bitch to remove.
Don’t worry about a little roughness. Wait until you get leaks, then use a product that does well in a wet environment and will flex with your boat. I have not used Lexel, but 3M 5200 is a good way to go.
Lexel
used some a couple months ago on a friend’s roto Capella - did all the bulkheads, all three hatches, and it is doing the job.
Lexel is clear, goes on neatly w. a caulk gun, and cleans up w. mineral spirits. If you want to use a finger and press/glide it along where the bulkhead meets the boat, that works and your finger will clean up too.
Expect to do this every few seasons or so, depending on usage. Plastic (and for that matter foam) bulkheads just expand and contract a lot more than fiberglass ones… this is natural, just a difference in materials.
Having to do it on a relatively new boat like the WS Zephyr is kinda early in my book (corporate boat builder QC again) but happily this is an easy fix and you’ll be doing it again anyway as routine maintenance.