I bought a Hunter 44DS new in 2006. I have a leak in the main saloon windows. One is port side the other is forward starboard side. How can I fix the leak. Do I just cut round the sealant, inside and out. Would the glass then drop or push outwards? If so what sealant should I use to rebed the glass/acrylic? Has anyone taken out this glass. It's only a small leak but it can only get worse
leaky windows
- Thread starter chaser2
- Start date
Chaser:
I am assuming that you are referring to the fixed portlights.
I had to do this a couple of years ago too. I just removed (to the best of my ability) all of the sealant (I would assume that yours is also DOW795 (which I think you can purchase from this site. Then I cleaned it out with alcohol and compressed air.
When you recaulk it you need to be sure to mask the surrounding area. Be sure to use some disposable gloves. I also used a putty knife to smooth the caulking where needed.
It is advisable to have an assistant around to assist if thinks start getting out of hand.
I DID NOT remove the windows so nothing needed to be done on the inside.
I am assuming that you are referring to the fixed portlights.
I had to do this a couple of years ago too. I just removed (to the best of my ability) all of the sealant (I would assume that yours is also DOW795 (which I think you can purchase from this site. Then I cleaned it out with alcohol and compressed air.
When you recaulk it you need to be sure to mask the surrounding area. Be sure to use some disposable gloves. I also used a putty knife to smooth the caulking where needed.
It is advisable to have an assistant around to assist if thinks start getting out of hand.
I DID NOT remove the windows so nothing needed to be done on the inside.
Assuming that you are referring to the fixed windows I had success on my daughter's 1980 Catalina 25 with leaking fixed windows. I found a product called Capt Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure. I know, this British product sounds like snake oil but it worked. It is a very thin resin or epoxy that when applied to small leaks it wicks into voids and by capillary action fills them and then hardens. A 2 oz bottle at WM was $14. I applied it to two windows that had annoying drips and now they are tight and I still have half the bottle left. Depending on how bad the leak is I'd give that a shot before I started removing windows. I did apply the liquid several times before the leak stopped. Good luck.
Thanks for the info, I'm in Venezuela at the moment, so despite the popularity of implants here, Dow Corning is not available. Neither is much else. I return to Europe for christmas so I'll buy all thats necessary there. I may try the Captain Tolleys creeping crack cure first, if that doesn't work I'll try your method. Thanks again. Phil s/v Chaser2
Any good archeticular grade silicon will work. If you can open up the fixed port to a point where you can slip some fishing line thru it, it will cut the rest of the sealant without harming the boat surfaces when you use it like a saw assuming you are using the normal fishing line without any metals in it.
I had some small leaks in my ports on my Morgan 30. I used a product called Capt. Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure. Its a small tube but goes a long way. Stopped the leaks without having to remove the ports. Check it out, Just Google it to see how it works.
I had leaks around my ports, too. I have a legend 37.5, 1990. I took the molding off and gave the screws that hold the ports in extra turns. I was astonished to find that i could turn them 1/2 to 2 full turns! In some places, the screws weren't even biting and i need to re-tap the threads. It seems Hunter relied on the bedding compound alone. The other quick fix was duct tape for the short term.
Ben
Ben
The problem I found with the windows was that the black acrylic got so hot the expansion and contraction pulls the screws out and breaks the sealant loose. When I got my passage, it looked like the previous owners had sealed sealed and resealed the windows and the screws were all loose. I made new windows and bought gaskets at Home Depot, put stainless bolts through into the interior with nuts on the inside. This works much better. The large single piece salon window I cut in half because the expansion was so great it would just pop out the screws immediately. I also bought the vinyl film with holes like they use to print on windows of vehicles and put it on the outside to keep down the heat and gives added privacy. These solutions are working well. Made it all summer in Florida, no problem.
I had to re bed my fixed windows on my Hunter 42 Passage and after trying 2 different 3M products to just dig out the old and Resealed. That did not last long! So I removed each and bed them with Dow Corning 795. Leak is fixed! I will add some photos to show the job! I allowed 2 days per window to do it right!
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Dear CoolChange91,
Please, I don't understand how that works. You say you cut the window in half because there were expansion problems ???
It seems that cutting the window in half would create an even greater leaking problem?
I'm sure there is something I'm missing, please explain
Best Regards,
Steve
Hi Steve. I was talking about the huge salon window that's approx 6 + feet wide. The passage has a support post in the center, I cut the acrylic in half and removed about an inch out of the center, drilled screws into the inside for nuts and washers. Used gasket material bought at Home Depot to seal windows and put piece on top where I removed the center 1" and it worked. I'll try to take some pics tomorrow and post here.
Steve, here are a few pics on the windows, showing post in center on inside, cover strip on outside and the white vinyl I put on the windows to keep them cool and give us privacy. Notice wing nuts on inside and finish washers on outside.
