# 5200 vs Sikaflex



## seafrontiersman (Mar 2, 2009)

I've used Sikaflex but its been MANY years now, mostly I use 5200. Can anybody give me a comparison between the two? It seemed to me that Sikaflex made a better seal but that may just be the way I remember it
I can't find Sikaflex down here but I'd order some if I thought it might be worth it.

Thanks in advance!


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## sailvayu (Feb 3, 2013)

There is no silver bullet, before you pick a sealant you need to understand what to use and where.
Understanding Marine Sealants


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

5200 has no place on a fiberglass sailboat.


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## Delezynski (Sep 27, 2013)

For what application??

I like Sikaflex (for some applications) MUCH better than 5200. I NEVER use 5200 as I expect some day to have to remove parts from the boat.

BUT, having said that, I MUCH prefer Dolfinite bedding compound for almost all things like ports and hand rails. It's easy to put in and the excess can be removed and re-used. It never hardens so it withstands flexing. I have also used Lifesafe Butyl Caulking Tape for bedding the outside of our chain plates.



















Greg


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## xort (Aug 4, 2006)

5200 is pretty much PERMANENT. Do you really want that? Almost impossible to remove


o


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

5200 is an adhesive, NOT a sealer! If you EVER expect to take it apart, then never use 5200. The next owner of your boat will repeatedly curse the day you were born, if you use it on your boat.
I have seen it tear apart layers the of a fiberglass cabin side, trying to remove ports, and we were using tiny wedges and razor blades to do it slowly and carefully.
Definitely many minus points in the Black Box Theory.


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## christian.hess (Sep 18, 2013)

why do people constantly say 5200 is permanent non removable etc...

what crap

I can remove 5200 just as easily as any "sealant"

simple razor, acetone and bye bye

yeah of course 5200 can be used to bed keels, and toerails and deck to hull sandwiches but what on earth makes people think its permanent?

never understood this

ps. just used sikaflex for my chainplates and most deck hardware...I also rebedded backing plates and will be doing my window frame with it

5200 is 35 bucks a tube
sicka is 7 bucks a tube 

take your pick! ajajja


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## mitiempo (Sep 19, 2008)

Christian

With properly prepared surfaces a ballast keel, bedded with 5200, will stay on the boat after the keel bolts are removed. It has excessive adhesion for most anything on a boat, except possibly the hull/deck join. Its adhesion is greater than the adhesion of the gelcoat to the fiberglass structure. If the item of hardware is going to be attached with bolts or other good fasteners you need not glue it on but use a bedding compound that will expand when the hardware moves, as it will.

Sika Flex, 3M 4200, Boatlife, and Butyl are all good at this without damaging the fiberglass when the item is removed.


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## TQA (Apr 4, 2009)

5200 is REALLY good as an adhesive esp. on hypalon dinks that are one step from the grave.


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## christian.hess (Sep 18, 2013)

mitiempo said:


> Christian
> 
> With properly prepared surfaces a ballast keel, bedded with 5200, will stay on the boat after the keel bolts are removed. It has excessive adhesion for most anything on a boat, except possibly the hull/deck join. Its adhesion is greater than the adhesion of the gelcoat to the fiberglass structure. If the item of hardware is going to be attached with bolts or other good fasteners you need not glue it on but use a bedding compound that will expand when the hardware moves, as it will.
> 
> Sika Flex, 3M 4200, Boatlife, and Butyl are all good at this without damaging the fiberglass when the item is removed.


my point was REMOVAL...its just as easy to remove a razor and acetone and its good to go...

I just bed my keel hull joinb with 5200 fast cure...Im very familiar with it...just never understood why everybody says its so permanent

its not


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## christian.hess (Sep 18, 2013)

TQA said:


> 5200 is REALLY good as an adhesive esp. on hypalon dinks that are one step from the grave.


we used 5200 on my very very old zodiac way back when...it worked great for the transom mount patching and attaching a new rubber bottom...but you really cant save uv damaged fabric that well with basically anything...

its simply disintegrates before your eyes...jajaja


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## seafrontiersman (Mar 2, 2009)

Thanks to everybody for the good info. That's some handy stuff to know!


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