Norm,

O-Rings might work, but if you use them, I'd consider a light countersink profile
instead of a counterbore (forestener bit type). The angle should cause the o-ring
to squeeze around the bolt/screw as the o-ring is forced into the countersunk hole.
You just have to be careful not to countersink too deeply, or the o-ring won't be
pressured from the top. Your idea of some anti-corrosion greese sounds like a good
one as long as it is compatible with the o-ring material.

If you're careful about the o-ring material, it should last a long time, because it
will not be exposed to UV. Its protected by the metal on top of it.

I was actually thinking about using a flat sealing washer, and they might need the
counterbore ring to fit into.

hmm... interesting thoughts

Don W.



engsol wrote:
On Tue, 12 Apr 2005 14:23:48 GMT, Don W wrote:


Jim Richardson wrote:


What about just using orings? should be easy enough to size, and placing
them on the bolts, before laying the track down (the second time, doing
the drilling one at a time sounds like a good idea to me) Neoprene
orings should survive well, but maybe I am missing something?

I've thought about that as well. It seems to me that using caulk to try to seal
something that moves around even a little bit is a temporary solution at best.
I've now got numerous small leaks in the deck of my boat which showed up only 2-3
years after being re-bedded by the PO. It would be nice to fix these in a way
that didn't need to be redone every few years.

I don't have a solution right now, other than to point to the sealer washers around
the screws on my metal roof. A roof is exposed to terrific heat during the summer and
it gets flexed slightly by the wind, and even hail yet maintains a watertight seal for
decades.

And Wayne: The fact that boats are usually not done that way _can_ be an indication that it
isn't a good idea, but...

Anyone have experience with using a sealer washer to seal around the bolts and screws that
pierce the deck on their boat?

Don W.


Thought provoking topic.
The idea of using O rings may be a good one. I think the key would be the
installation. Just sqeezing the O ring betwen track and deck doesn't (to me)
seem quite the right method, but I can't explain why.

Would counter-boring the hole to a depth of 1/2 the diameter of the O ring to
provide a "seat" for the ring work? If all the componets were sized properly,
I can see the O ring creating pressure on the track, the sides of the hole, and
the bolt, with the deck carrying the load of the track.

Would coating the O ring with a bit of waterproof grease before installation help?

One problem I see with my suggestion....counter-boring the O ring recess
straight....but then, I wonder if a bit of "tilt" would really matter?

I may divide the track in thirds, and test a few things. It's only water grin
Norm B