Sailing Zephyr IVvideo
EVA Foam Teak Decking – I have a problem with caulking after two years.
December 7, 2023 · 2 min · 2K views · Gosport
What this video covers
EVA foam teak decking on Zephyr IV's bridge deck held up well for two years, but the caulking in the central panel turned sticky and shoe-fouling, requiring full removal and replacement.Watch The surrounding panels, caulked at the same time, remained sound, suggesting the central panel's Sikaflex may have been the wrong product type.0:41 Dave stripped the failed sealant using a screwdriver to break seams, then removed residue with a scrubbing pad and methylated spirits, followed by a spray-on kitchen cleaner wash.0:58 Seams were masked, cleaned with acetone, vacuumed, and re-caulked with SIS 440 deck sealant applied with a motorized sealant gun.0:53 The powered gun sped up the job but over-pressured sealant at seam ends, pushing it under the masking tape and widening those ends visually.1:53 After a month's cure, a Stanley knife trimmed the excess cleanly.2:13 The EVA foam itself showed no deterioration over the two-year period.0:28 Matching caulk product to the specific EVA foam application matters; switching to SIS 440 and a motorized gun resolved both the adhesion failure and the application speed problem.
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