I'm trying to replace the windows on my 1976 Columbia. The windows are mounted from the inside and unfortunately the surrounding wood is rotted and needs to be tossed. The top of the window is flush with the wall but the rest is a variable depth with an inset of about 1 inch at the bottom. I need to bring up the bottom of the windows to be flush with the wall in order to properly bed the window. The material would need to be marine grade and screwable. Any suggestions?
Replacing Boat windows
- Thread starter Salvonight
- Start date
Salvon, welcome to SBO. I'm sure you will get a bunch of suggestions. To make the suggestions more relevant to your question photos of the ports showing the areas of concern and the broader picture of where they are on your boat would be helpful.
Welcome to the forum of Sail Boat Owners.
It might help to understand which of the Columbia boats you are discussing They have made several.
sailboatdata.com
One thing is possible. The boat was taken out of it's Pacific home waters and splashed in the Atlantic.
No wonder the windows are leaking.
It might help to understand which of the Columbia boats you are discussing They have made several.
Columbia Yachts | Sailboatdata.com
The history of Columbia Yachts, one of the earliest, largest, and most successful American builders of production fiberglass sailing yachts, (the company did offer a line of power yachts at one time) in many ways, mirrors that of the industry as a whole, from around 1960, until the late-1980’s...
sailboatdata.com
One thing is possible. The boat was taken out of it's Pacific home waters and splashed in the Atlantic.
No wonder the windows are leaking.
The ports look like they were a prior owner's "better idea." Boats from that era were typically framed with an aluminum channel. Modern frameless ports typically have the lens mounted on the out side of the cabin. This prevents water from entering the space between the cabin liner and the deck. If you look closely you may see some cracks between the two that have been filled with caulk or epoxy.
The best solution will be to replace them with framed ports. OEM frames may no longer be available. There are a number of manufacturer that make ports, Lewmar, Beckson, Bomar, and New Found Metals come to mind. Get the dimensions and start shopping. Be prepared for sticker shock.
The best solution will be to replace them with framed ports. OEM frames may no longer be available. There are a number of manufacturer that make ports, Lewmar, Beckson, Bomar, and New Found Metals come to mind. Get the dimensions and start shopping. Be prepared for sticker shock.
I go along with that assessment ... framed ports may be the best solution. I installed 4 Bomar custom-framed ports and 4 standard-sized Lewmar ports on my Starwind years ago. It was very expensive ... the smaller cost was purchasing the ports. I had the openings newly cut and that was an expensive option, so that I could put in slightly larger window areas. If I'm not mistaken, Lewmar and Beckson are standard sizes only and Bomar and NF Metals will make custom sizes. I needed custom sizes for 4 of the windows I had installed. I also needed to cut new openings because the original plastic-framed ports had much smaller radius at the corners than the new aluminum-framed ports.
Edited: I was mistaken about the name ... Bomar makes standard-sized, non custom ports. I had 4 ports made by BOMON, which is a company from Quebec that makes custom-sized aluminum-framed (also stainless?) ports. The ports made by BOMON are very high quality and I highly recommend them. They can be glass if there is no curvature. I had them made with acrylic (if I'm remembering correctly) lights. They provided guidance for measuring and the production was very, very accurate! I can't say enough how great those ports turned out!
Last edited:
Another solution would be to mount the plexi on the outside using VHB tape with the plexi trimmed to extend about an inch past the opening.
Then make some nice trim to dress up the inside of the opening.. and the inside of the cabin sides.
Then make some nice trim to dress up the inside of the opening.. and the inside of the cabin sides.
The pictures help.
I conjecture that the previous owner looked for a quick solution to fixing his port leaks.
Here is an image of a Columbia 38 built in 1968...
Note the metal framed ports. They were expensive then and now. The forward ports (windows) are similar in size with your boat image. They are strong and can be built pretty much leak proof. The larger one nearer the cockpit is typical of a large port from that era. They often used aluminum frames with glass or plexiglas. There are boat builders using ports like this. AJR out of Vancouver Canada makes windows for boats here on pacific coast. They are strong and well made. The smaller ones can be found at several chandler shops near you.
I conjecture that the previous owner looked for a quick solution to fixing his port leaks.
Here is an image of a Columbia 38 built in 1968...
Note the metal framed ports. They were expensive then and now. The forward ports (windows) are similar in size with your boat image. They are strong and can be built pretty much leak proof. The larger one nearer the cockpit is typical of a large port from that era. They often used aluminum frames with glass or plexiglas. There are boat builders using ports like this. AJR out of Vancouver Canada makes windows for boats here on pacific coast. They are strong and well made. The smaller ones can be found at several chandler shops near you.
Thank you everyone for the suggestions. I got a quote and it was a bit expensive for me right now so I was considering doing the install myself. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to prep the surface? Most of the quote seemed to be prepping the exterior for install.
That is because on a mature boat windows are a place where leaks frequently occur. Water under the plastic surface will destroy the core. You often need to rebuild the structure and clean it of all residue (often silicone that stops the caulk sealant from working). This takes time and some skill.
Make sure the structure is sound and fits the shape of the window you intend to install.
Clean the surface opening of all dirt, oils, and contaminants. Use a good caulk/bedding material.
I appreciate all of the help, The structure appears to be solid. I'll take a fine grit sand paper to make sure all of the adhesives are properly removed followed by some acetone.
If a former owner used silicone, sand paper will inbed the silicone to the surface. You need to release it from the surface.
There are some chemicals that help. Boat life makes one.
www.boatlife.com
There are some chemicals that help. Boat life makes one.
How To Remove Silicone From A Fiberglass Boat | BoatLIFE
How do you remove silicone without damaging the underlying fiberglass? Follow these tips on how to remove silicone from a fiberglass boat!
www.boatlife.com