Seals; the silent silicone heroes

Q. What's a boat's least favourite vegetable?
A. Leeks!

Let's talk about a vital but often overlooked aspect of boat maintenance: seals. No, not the adorable sea creatures basking on rocks, but the unsung heroes that keep our boats watertight from rain and greenies over the decks. Amidst the seemingly never ending jobs list of keeping our vessels shipshape, it's easy to forget about them. But trust us, leaving them out of the annual maintenance chores can make for a frustrating voyage of hard-to-trace leaks, corroded wiring, damaged woodwork and possibly the worst bit, wet bunks...

So why are seals so important?

Picture this: It's September and after a hot summer you're cruising along, enjoying a last hurrah weekend of good weather. The odd wave splashes over the deck. Suddenly, you notice water creeping in through the windows and hatches. Cue the panic! That's where seals come in. They're like the bouncers of your boat, keeping the water out and the good times in. But like everything, they need a little TLC to keep doing their job effectively.

Mick Carney, one of our boatcare specialists at Portland, says that the most common job request he gets in the summer is to look at leaking seals.

"Everyone forgets about them and then it rains and the hatches and windows start dripping, and I get a call! The problem is, the source of leaks aren't usually obvious on a boat, so you'll be pulling apart everything trying to work out where the water's coming from, when it's been tracking in from the forehatch all along, probably damaging woodwork, soft furnishings and wiring along the way."

Mick's top reasons for leaking seals are;

• Hot weather and salt water drying out rubber and silicone causing it to shrink or crack
• Propping open hatches and windows open which crushes the seals so they no longer work properly

So, how do you keep your seals happy? Fear not, you don't need a bucket of fish! Here are Mick's top tips for keeping your boat nice and dry;

• Inspect your window and hatch seals as part of your routine each time you jump onboard. Look for cracks, gaps, or any signs of wear and tear. It's like a treasure hunt, but with less gold and more silicone.
• Keep those seals squeaky clean by giving them a gentle scrub with soap and water. Not only will they look better when there's no moss garden in residence, but you'll get an early warning if there are any leaky spots which need attention.
• Treat your seals to a little TLC with a silicone-based lubricant. It'll keep them supple and ready to fend off any water invaders.
• If you spot any damaged seals, don't wait for things to get worse. Patch them up pronto with a suitable sealant or adhesive or if the rubber or silicone has dried right out, dig it all out and start afresh with new.

If you're short of time and can't do a proper repair, a product like Captain Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure, a water-based adhesive/sealant which seeps into even the tiniest of cracks, can solve the issue in the short term, but it can make things harder when you go to do a proper repair as it will have literally glued your windows together. Mick's final words of advice are "a short fix isn't always the best, get onto repairs a soon as you can, don't leave them!". 

Our boatcare team can help if you need help or advice on repairs or replacement seals. Email them on portland@boatcare.co.uk or give them a call on 01305 818550.

 So, there you have it, folks—don't forget about your seals! They may not be as cute as Sammy, but they're probably better at keeping the water out...