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Butyl Tape

Kenneth K

1985 32-3, Puget Sound
Blogs Author
Getting ready to rebed some deck hardware with butyl tape (winches, clutches, cleats). I have a roll of butyl I picked up from an RV store a couple of years ago. I'm wondering if anyone who has used MaineSail's "Bed-It" butyl tape can comment on whether it may really be superior to what I already have.

When you get to this point in a project and start adding up the hundreds of $$ in parts and labor it hardly seems worth it to skimp on the butyl, IF there is a difference. I also don't mind supporting MaineSail to some extent for his very helpful website. Still, $50 for two rolls of butyl (+ shipping) seems a little excessive.

Comments appreciated.
 

kapnkd

kapnkd
Getting ready to rebed some deck hardware with butyl tape (winches, clutches, cleats). I have a roll of butyl I picked up from an RV store a couple of years ago. I'm wondering if anyone who has used MaineSail's "Bed-It" butyl tape can comment on whether it may really be superior to what I already have.

When you get to this point in a project and start adding up the hundreds of $$ in parts and labor it hardly seems worth it to skimp on the butyl, IF there is a difference. I also don't mind supporting MaineSail to some extent for his very helpful website. Still, $50 for two rolls of butyl (+ shipping) seems a little excessive.

Comments appreciated.

Hi Ken,

...We also bought butyl tape from an RV place a couple years ago when redoing all of our window ports. Not sure of the brand name but it was a good price and has worked very well on the ports as well as on life-line stanchions, chain plate covers, winches and clutches.

We noticed the butyl will ooze (expand) for some time since it never dries/cures - but it is very easy to clean VS using silicone or other goopy sealers - and if you need to remove a fitting, it is much easier to do. We also liked the butyl tape for the equal consistency around the ports for bedding them.

I’ve seen/heard/read some complain about the butyl leaking but in fact our boat has never been dryer than it is now - and I’ve owned her for 45 years.

Fair Winds
-kerry
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
I am dissatisfied with the West Marine white butyl tape I bought a year ago. It's sticky. Leaves residue on the fingers.

The butyl sold by Maine Sail didn't do that and I will buy from him next time.
 

toddster

Curator of Broken Parts
Blogs Author
Hard to judge the price without knowing how much is in the roll. I've been working for several years on a 2" x ?? foot roll (about 5 inches across) that I got from an RV place. It weighed a couple of pounds. This year, I'm systematically taking every single thing off the deck. It's possible I might finally use it up!
 

kapnkd

kapnkd
I am dissatisfied with the West Marine white butyl tape I bought a year ago. It's sticky. Leaves residue on the fingers.

The butyl sold by Maine Sail didn't do that and I will buy from him next time.

Hear you! ...Also bought some on the Internet that behaved the same way. Still have lots left so will try putting it in the fridge for a bit to see if that helps. Other wise, it’s back to the RV place.
-kerry
 

bigd14

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
I have used both. Maine Sail's butyl tape is far and away superior. It is much more stretchy than the RV type I got for the last boat. It has no fillers that leave residue. In fact its a great finger cleaner! That said, the RV tape I used has not failed yet to my knowledge. But if you are starting out I would highly recommend the former. Two rolls is probably enough to do an entire 30 foot boat or longer (new hatch lens install and rebedding frames, all deck hardware rebedding, portlight rebedding, pretty much everything that needs it).
 
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bgary

Advanced Beginner
Blogs Author
I have used both. Maine Sail's butyl tape is far and away superior.

Same here - I bought the two-roll pack for bedding my winches/clutches, and it is night-and-day better than the stuff I got at West.

I have a bunch left over from my jobs... let me know if you want to try some before you plunk down the cash.

What did you end up deciding to do for your winch-and-clutch configuration? Inquiring minds wanna know...

Bruce
 

Kenneth K

1985 32-3, Puget Sound
Blogs Author
Glad you asked Bruce--this give's me one more chance to broadcast the plan before making it permanent.

The current plan (plan #G, I think) is:

STBD:
- Double-stacked 4X (2 over 2) organizer for -main halyard, -mainsheet, -vang, and -reef1 outhaul
- 3X Garhauer clutch for -mainsheet, -vang, and -reef1 outhaul; all running to #17ST winch
- main halyard goes to a dedicated #10 winch

(I'd like to run a reef1 downhaul aft as well (to a cam clutch) but I don't have a fifth spot in my organizer to run it--still mulling over how to do that)

PORT:
- Double-stacked 5X (2 over 3) organizer for - jib halyard, -spin halyard, -reef2 outhaul, -reef2 downhaul, -spare
- 3X Garhauer clutch for -jib halyard, -spin halyard, -reef2 outhaul; all running to a #18 winch
- reef2 downhaul running to cam clutch

(I realize that if I put the 5X organizer to STBD and the 4X to PORT, I'd have the right number of turning blocks, but the boat already has a triple to port and
double to starboard so I don't want to have to drill & fill more new holes)

Winches & bases: I played around with pouring my own winch bases and I'm pretty happy with the result. Winch location was pretty much dictated by the dodger. The multi-use winches have to be located aft and inboard to allow a full swing on the winch handle. The #8 halyard winch (STBD) will be outboard and forward which will only allow about 120 degrees of handle swing.

I decided to forego the angled rectangular bases below the clutches. Mounted directly to the deck, the clutch feed to the winch may angle downward by a few degrees, but it at least hits low on the winch to help prevent overrides.

20181004_071255.1.jpg 20181004_071532.jpg 20180909_231824.jpg
 
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Tin Kicker

Sustaining Member
Moderator
fwiw to add to the thread, I've used the white and the gray but the best has been the black Windo-Weld Ribbon Sealer Auto Glass Replacement Kit from 3M as Part Number 051135 08611. It's 5/16" x 15' wide butyl made to bed car windshields and available at NAPA Auto Parts everywhere for about $28. Much stickier, compresses and stretches a bit easier and farther, plus . . .

. . . when's the last time you saw a car windshield leak?
 
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Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
I would stick with Maine Sail's product. More expensive, yes.

But you want your roll of this stuff to be around for five or ten years, and his is guaranteed (in my experience) to still be usable.

Others tend to turn into goo.
 
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Tin Kicker

Sustaining Member
Moderator
Actually the Maine Sail is slightly less expensive than if you buy the 3M online ($19 vs $21). As mentioned, you can find the 3M in just about any car supply store anywhere, while you need to wait for online delivery.

However, I and others have used the 3M butyl ribbon product (NOT the tube of urethane caulk by the same name) for decades with airplane acrylic windshields. We've stayed with it because it works so well.

08611-new.jpg


It's stickier than the gray or white butyl ribbons when new and never ever gives up or hardens. EVER. In fact, my way is to put it in the freezer and install it cold so it's not as sticky. It's not as wide as the usual white or gray products so it's easier to lay nice corners without cutting or lapping too. It'll stretch just as well as Maine Sail's photos show. The only advantage to the white and gray is that if they extrude to be visible, they are not as conspicuous as the black.

To show adhesion, I placed a small piece of gray and another of the black 3M on Saran Wrap next to each other, pressed slightly, then pulled back the Saran Wrap. The difference is significant.
20191102_100003.jpg

In a channel installation like the big Ericson windows, I bedded the channel with it, set in the new glass, then used tube sealant to fill the tops of the channels. It's a belt and suspenders method.
 
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Kenneth K

1985 32-3, Puget Sound
Blogs Author
I just mounted two deck organizers and a line clutch with Mainsail's butyl tape. First time I've used it. I'm really satisfied with it. I was concerned about its use in 50 degree temps, but it's been fine. It doesn't "ooze" right away, but slowly over time. The process has been: tighten, come back in two or three days, tighten again and trim off the excess. Trimming the excess butyl has been much easier than the typical cleanup required with caulks, though you do have to repeat the process several times.

20191102_163352~2.jpg
20191102_165133.jpg
 

garryh

Member III
"I and others have used the 3M butyl ribbon product"
Be very careful with this stuff, speaking from personal experience. It does the job well but if you get even the slightest smear of it on your fiberglass, it will be there as long as you own the boat. Nothing will remove it, it becomes imbedded into the gel.
The MaineSail butyl is expensive but he did a lot of testing with various formulations to come up with this one, so the price difference is worth it. Also, it is a minor contribution to his advice and extensive website which is invaluable.
 

1911tex

Sustaining Member
Hey folks...you are above my pay grade...how and where and for what purpose is butyl tape used. Hard to play ignorant when I am.
 

kapnkd

kapnkd
Hey folks...you are above my pay grade...how and where and for what purpose is butyl tape used. Hard to play ignorant when I am.

Easiest thing to do is first Google it for the visual. Butyl has a ton of various uses in industrial applications. What and how we use it is what comes on a 1” wide roll and is a consistent thickness (usually about a 1/8” thickness). Butyl doesn’t dry and remains flexible creating a longer and better lasting seal. (Your car windshields and rear windows are sealed with butyl.

It’s used in sealing things on RV’s and boats. I used to use silicon seal or various caulks but they are messy, hard to clean up the excess and tough to pull back apart if needed to. (Especially windows/ports)

Hope this helps.
 

garryh

Member III
I had a brief exchange with Rod at Compass marine re this Bed-It tape, I was asking about availability in Canada but shipping and exchange make it twice the number of dollars to Cdn buyers vs U.S. buyers. However, some interesting information about the material below, I do not think Rod would mind me quoting. The Bed-It material is the result of much testing and trial and error and is actually a hybrid elastomer product and not actually 'butyl tape' per se. Consequently, this is a totally different material than the 'butyl tape' you will buy at a box store and more effective in a marine environment than a 'plumbing material'.
"Butyl was old school & many high quality builders such as Hinckley, Morris, CS Yachts, Bristol & Sabre all used it. They used it until the EPA forced a formulation change and the quality went into the tank. It got so bad even the automotive industry moved away from it for windshields. Most boat builders moved away from it because it is more labor intensive and "shop waste" due to sawdust was a huge factor. We currently sell Bed-It to boat builders and yards. Some as far away as South Africa.
Bed-It is specifically formulated to perform like "old school" butyl tape, but it is not a "butyl tape" it is a hybrid elastomer now. This is because we can no longer use the pre-EPA chemicals that made early butyl tape so good."
 
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