Self-sealing silicone tape

[Michael Rogers]

I got a roll of this from Rutland Tools. I don't know if it's available anywhere else. It's expensive - nearly 20 quid for a 30 metre roll. And it's extraordinary stuff.

It comes with a polythene backing strip, to prevent it sticking to itself: yet it apparently has neither glue on it nor inherent stickiness. Wrap it round something so that it meets itself, and it grips immediately. Then you can stretch it to an amazing extent, go on wrapping as tightly as you like, and smooth the free end down. Then try to unstick it from itself = absolutely impossible, it seems to become fused. It is apparently everything (water, heat, you name it)-proof, and claims to be very durable. The 'silicone' bit of the description some how led me to expect a slippery outer surface: quite the opposite, it has a shiny black but remarkably NON-slip finish. Altogether a bit weird, but potentially very useful.

My unstayed mast needs to fit snugly through the partners to eliminate mast-wobble. A bit of (not much) play had developed, so I needed a thinnish wrap of something, which would stay in place, round the mast, over a length of about 1 1/2 inches, to deal with this. I'm sure Duck tape would have done the trick, and much more cheaply: but I thought I'd try this new stuff. Brilliant and very neat result.

I wonder if anyone else has used it, and for what?

Michael Rogers

[David Hudson]

This product sounds very like self-emalgamating tape.

Very useful stuff.

[Graham W]

One of its uses was mentioned here, on what to do with split rings http://www.swallowyachtsassociation.org/smf/index.php/topic,581.msg3479.html#msg3479

Good stuff!

[michaeln]

Lots of self-amalgamating tape available on Amazon from £3 including delivery. Useful for cushioning and thickening eg butt of plank bowsprit to ensure snug fit.

[Peter Taylor]

Self amalgamating tape is excellent for waterproofing electrical connections - for example round a vhf radio plug either up the mast or at the deck. To undo it you have to cut through it with a knife and peel the cut sections away.  It's used on electrical connections in oceanographic cables which must work even at full ocean depth.
Peter