I just finished sealing the hulls on my 2001 Wave and decided to share some information.

Last year my Wave started taking on 2-3 gallons of water in 1 hours of racing @15-20kts on sheltered water so I decided it was time to seal the hulls. I pressure/soapy water tested the hulls and found:

1) a tiny hole(<1.0mm), on the bow. Looks like I was hit by or hit something sharp.
2) the portholes had pulled away from the hulls in several places. I don't think they were installed properly, just lots of silicone.
3) almost all the holes for the tramp rail were leaking
4) 3 of the 4 ports under the hull pads were leaking.

I fixed these by:

#1 plastic welding rod and a soldering iron

#2 replaced the portholes. I bedded them with 5200 and then used 5-6 clamps to make sure the porthole was touching the hull and just left it there for a week. Before I removed the clamps, I installed 3 screws.

#3 pulled the tramp and rails off and found the sealant had turned to powder, I resealed everything with 5200. WARNING -THERE ARE 4 ALUMINUM BACKING PLATES. LEAVE AT LEAST 1 SCREW NEAR EACH END OF EACH BACKING PLATE. If you forget, take all the screws out and the backing plates moves, it takes hours to get the damn things back in place.

#4 the sealant had deteriorated in all the ports under the pads. Only one was not leaking was, I think, because the pad was sealed to the hull with 3M trim adhesive. I cleaned out the old sealant and resealed them with 5200 and for extra protection used lots of 3M trim adhesive to seal the pad to the hull to act as a gasket.

Lessons learned. I was surprised by the hole in the bow. Whatever sealant they used to assemble the boat does not last forever. Always check for backing plates before you take all the screws out.

NOTE: I don’t know that 5200 will stick to the hulls better than anything else but the 3M trim adhesive and the 3M 77 spray really seem to stick and last. I am going to check into a sealant with similar chemistry. The trim adhesive is what auto mechanics call “gorilla snot” and they use it to seal gaskets to engines and I have even seen it used as a temporary gasket by itself.

Thanks...I was thinking of Checking my hull Also...I have a 2009 and have sealed the Back port under the Blue Pad....Does anyone know if there is a front port under the Front pad???...

I was wondering if all those screws for the tramp rail were sealed??? I get some water in my hull also, I haven't been able to tell if its from rain or sailing..

Is the 3m Trim Adhesive in a Tube or is it a Contact Cement? I used some Sea Fit contact cement for the pads....got it at west marine....worked real good...dries in 20 minutes then just Press the pieces together.

A while back I posted some photos from when I sealed my ports. Search this Wave forum for a thread called "Leaky boat". I have had no leaks since then. Apparently mine was from rain pooling on the seats and getting in through those ports.

To answer your question about Trim Adhesive:

My tube is old they now call it 3M 08001 Yellow Super Weatherstrip and Gasket Adhesive

http://www.amazon.com/3M-08001-Yell...p;ie=UTF8&qid=1332337891&sr=1-10

Most auto parts store carry it. You want the nasty looking yellow stuff.

3M makes a whole line of similar products. For example, is also a spray called 3M 77, that does not dry. It's always sticky.

3M replied quickly. 5200 does not stick to HPDE, it just provides a gasket. The yellow gasket adhesive provides a mechanical bond. However they do list a adhesive that will bond to HDPE but, it will be a weak bond It has possibilities for fairing scratches and such. It is in the professional line so it will be expensive and hard to buy.

3M is wrong....5200 sticks very well to a Wave skin. We have made a number of remarkable repairs including gluing on two wooden replacement keels that you would be hard pressed to tell, and a transom that was partially ripped loose.

I would fear that it would be too aggressive to install the underseat port covers if you EVER wanted to get them loose again.

Just repaired one of our Waves that had holes at the skegs. Filled with 5200, then formed 18 gage aluminum sheet over skeg, and secured with 3/16in rivets. We will see how it works. After several years of hard use, the skegs was wearing through. Also, had problems with 2004 models, weak transoms. Fixed by putting 3/4 in plywood brace inside hulls, and bolting with upper rudder pintle bolts, and additional bolts, with fender washers. After several years of service they are doing fine. Also added access ports on hulls. Another fix for shroud chain plates. Added backing plate, and thru bolts on chain plates. You can access thru ports under the forward hull pads. We have seven Waves at Sail Sand Point in Seattle, that get severe use.

Patrick Green and Skip Kaub rebuilt the skegs of a boat that is now called Phoenix, appropriately.
Skip wrote a story on how and I published a year or so ago.
Rick

WOW!!! As if anyone thought there has never been a good enough reason to NOT beach your boat every time you come in, this is it for sure!!!

Mike

WOW!!! As if anyone thought there has never been a good enough reason to NOT beach your boat every time you come in, this is it for sure!!!

Mike [/quote]

True, but our Waves at Sail Sand Point are sailed by kids, and adults, up to 12 hours a day. Some of the Waves are 12 years old. I can not think of any boat that can take that use, and still be sailed. So, a little repair is not a problem. Also, we just rotated, sold, two Waves, and replaced with two new Waves. Sold them for about one half the cost of a new Wave. Try that return with any used sail boat.

Last year I sold my old 14 year old Wave for the same price I bought it and bought a new Wave (8 YO) for same price.
Tough on the wallet.., NOT

Oh, I know the deal with Sand Point (abuse and hard beaching is obviously part of the program for newbies), I was really referring to the rest of us.

It kills me to watch people drive brand new boats right up on the beach, then go looking for their Cat Trax. Especially when I know some of them have been sailing Hobies longer than me.

The market for Waves is ridiculous (as in, great)! Decent ones going for any sort of reasonable price don't last more than a few days on Craigslist, even up here in New England...

Mike