Well I bought myself a Cat 30. I Was really bumming after haveing a Cal 25 sold out from under me but found this 30 footer listed the same evening. I was told they sold the cal I'd put a deposit on but since got it back so they were not ripping me off. Went next day to see it and bought it. It leaks like a sive but im pretty handy and have actually made small wooden boats and am working on a wooden cradle miniture of a pram tender as we speak. However fiberglass is pretty new to me! Im learning though and quickly. I just dont always come up with the best ideas first time around. Photo one shows windows that look like they were tarred in! And they leak like it too.
The next photos show the removal of the window. I used a stainless steel spatula to get under the existing compounds and remove the window. As you can see on the second photo there was a lot of different compounds used including life caulk on the inside. Once off I used the dull edge of the spatula to scrape off the compounds on both the plexiglass and the fiberglass then sprayed easy off oven cleaner on it and let it set. While it set I setoff removing the rest of the windows on that side of the boat. I used paper towels and a plastic putty knife to remove the stuborn compounds and clean up the glass. Before I took the window off I had cut around the old compound and pulled it off so I could trace around the window with a sharppie so I could mask off the fiberglass before applying the DC 795 (Dow Corning) unfortunately the easy off oven cleaner was a little too good and removed the sharppie matks too. However, there were plenty of razor marks from previous applications and removals that I only had to follow those to mask the window. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO MASK FIRST. You can doit without and I have but you better be immaculate with every move or you'll have a black mess to clean up trust me, I forgot to mask my second window. Apply your compound evenly enough to have at least a 1/4" of compound once you spread it out with a putty knife. Then spread it out evenly covering the entire fiberglass egde inside the masked edge. Next make sure your window is facing the correct way. Every window is cut differently make sure or redo a mess. Apply your window pressing it firmly in so that all the glass contacts the compound nice and evenly. DC 795 requires no screws so if you are applying new dont drill holes and use screws it is un needed. Another good winndow adhessive is 3M's VHB tape. But it is SOOOO unforgiving if you touch your window to it and it isnt right you ll be cutting new glass because it wont let go. However, if your like me and just rebedding windows with screws and holes already there go ahead and use them so your windows dont look a little wierd. Only tighten screws enough to insure a compltete seal do not tighten till they squezze all the compound out. Let the compound start to cure slightly but not completely or you'll be using a razzor blade too, to get your masking tape off. Carefully remove the tape. The compound will still smear so be careful. Once this is done continue to your next window. I did all eight of mine in one day and it was the first time I'd ever done a boat window in my life. Im 55 years old, I use a cane to walk I have seven fused disks in my neck and lower back and live with rhomatoid arthritus so dont tell it can't be done!
The next photos show the removal of the window. I used a stainless steel spatula to get under the existing compounds and remove the window. As you can see on the second photo there was a lot of different compounds used including life caulk on the inside. Once off I used the dull edge of the spatula to scrape off the compounds on both the plexiglass and the fiberglass then sprayed easy off oven cleaner on it and let it set. While it set I setoff removing the rest of the windows on that side of the boat. I used paper towels and a plastic putty knife to remove the stuborn compounds and clean up the glass. Before I took the window off I had cut around the old compound and pulled it off so I could trace around the window with a sharppie so I could mask off the fiberglass before applying the DC 795 (Dow Corning) unfortunately the easy off oven cleaner was a little too good and removed the sharppie matks too. However, there were plenty of razor marks from previous applications and removals that I only had to follow those to mask the window. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO MASK FIRST. You can doit without and I have but you better be immaculate with every move or you'll have a black mess to clean up trust me, I forgot to mask my second window. Apply your compound evenly enough to have at least a 1/4" of compound once you spread it out with a putty knife. Then spread it out evenly covering the entire fiberglass egde inside the masked edge. Next make sure your window is facing the correct way. Every window is cut differently make sure or redo a mess. Apply your window pressing it firmly in so that all the glass contacts the compound nice and evenly. DC 795 requires no screws so if you are applying new dont drill holes and use screws it is un needed. Another good winndow adhessive is 3M's VHB tape. But it is SOOOO unforgiving if you touch your window to it and it isnt right you ll be cutting new glass because it wont let go. However, if your like me and just rebedding windows with screws and holes already there go ahead and use them so your windows dont look a little wierd. Only tighten screws enough to insure a compltete seal do not tighten till they squezze all the compound out. Let the compound start to cure slightly but not completely or you'll be using a razzor blade too, to get your masking tape off. Carefully remove the tape. The compound will still smear so be careful. Once this is done continue to your next window. I did all eight of mine in one day and it was the first time I'd ever done a boat window in my life. Im 55 years old, I use a cane to walk I have seven fused disks in my neck and lower back and live with rhomatoid arthritus so dont tell it can't be done!
