Hi
Has anyone had any experience of removing the rub strip to check for leaks, re sealing and re fitting ?
I think we have a leak, and don't what to pull the rub strip off without the knowledge that it will go back on without a problem
TIA
—
Stephen and Julia
Francesca
Macgregor 26x (2003)
Hi nice to hear about Francesca which I once owned. If you are collecting water in the bilge check around the chain plates which can let in water use a good sealant. I have owned four Mac 26 x never had water getting in between deck and hull. The rubber is fitted really tight so may have a problem getting it off and on.
I have a 26M but Im pretty sure the rubbing strip system will be the same. Yes I have had leaks from the deck/hull seal on both sides of the cockpit mainly at point where I guess there is maximum load level level with traveller. I have now removed and resealed both sides over 2 seasons and I would advise just do one side at a time . I didn't bother with the bow area since I wasn't really getting any sign of leaks there and thought not much stress there . Initially I had tried to flow liquid sealant along the rubber strip , thinking that was where the seal was but I found the benefit didn't last so I decided to remove and do a proper job . The first side I did pon one summers day with an assistant and we managed to get boat out and back within the day but the second I did along one winter on my own and that was quite a different nightmare mainly because the cold rubber would not stretch back to original length . The process is as follows .
Don't attempt while mast is rigged .
At the stern there is a cap that you have to prize off and peel away the solid sealant to reveal a screw that has to be released after which you can yank off the rubber strip . There is a fair amount of sealant along the inside of the rubber and you should do your best to clean that off . Next there are bolts about every 6 inches along the deck/hull join and I advise having a hand held driver to assist in releasing them . Don't lose them since they are a specific size to fit the rubber. Next use a bar of some sort to wedge open the gap and a large file or rasp to clean up the edges . Then apply ample sealant to edges and re-fasten the bolts , smoothing down any sealant to get a nice seal all along . The , either straight away or as a second stage apply ample sealant along the groove in the rubber and along the deck surface of the join before reapplying the rubber working from bow to stern while a great deal of stretch ( full body weight ) is applied by assistant . Refasten the screw at the stern , fill the cap with sealant and stick it back on , maybe holding it there with something till it sets .
PS.....its worth trying to be sure that is where the leak is from .In my case the liquid sealant trial showed ,which stopped the leak for short while ,identified that as the source. However in the past I have had leakage from the fixing bolt for the cable steering system which gets a lot of stress . That needed lots of big washers and plenty of sealant .
Good luck , Roly
Thanks David & Roly for the feedback
I did notice the sealant around the plate at the bottom of the stays was looking very old, so removed & resealed it
We have had a few downpours since then and fingers crossed no water in.
However like all the other sailors on here I'll be keeping and eye on our bilges. Part of the upgrading I did during lockdown was to add a bilge pump in either side of the hull. Trouble is our boat is still (only for another week) on our drive which has a slope, hence any water ends up at the stern not under the midposition once in the water.
Anyway thanks again
Stephen and Julia
Francesca
Macgregor 26x (2003)
Roly is spot on I have just gone through the same process, starboard side. The rubber strip isn't intended to seal the joint, applying sealant to that will only be a temporary repair. I removed all the screws putting in some longer ones every few hole to make sure I could keep the alignment of hull to super structure. Cleaned out all the old rubber solution and then replaced all screws adding a few extra where there seemed to be a shortage and slight bulging in the seem.
Like Roly the rubber strip needs to be stretched back on which is a challenge. I wouldn't like to tackle that with the boat in the water. I was able to tension the strip back behind the boat leaving the stern part loose so that could be fitted without releasing the tension. It was warm enough for the rubber to stretch OK.
Regards Jonathan