The windows are leaking on my recently aquired 25. I need to rebed them... anyone have any tips for me?? Use marine silicone?? Also, my windows seem to be "glazed".... not very clear..... the windows are acrylic I think. Any tips on cleaning them? Thanks
window leaks
- Thread starter kennyb
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leaking portholes
I can't help with the glazed acrylic problem (haven't had it yet), but I can offer a couple of tips on re-bedding the portholes. I think there is some info on this in the archives as well. First, be careful removing the frame. After you have removed the screws, consider using a guitar string (small guage, like the e string) and work it under the frame to loosen the old caulk. That will help avoid breaking it. Make sure you clean the old caulk out very well. There are various products that others here can better recommend (I'm not at the boat and forgot what I used) for this job, but the window needs to be as free of that stuff as possible. As for silicone or caulk, I used a West Marine product, the name of which I do not recall, but it is a caulk, I believe, that purports to remain flexible after it dries. I understand that window caulk for your home tends to get brittle and with the constant motion of the boat, that's not good. Do not scrimp on the caulk. You should use enough so that when you put the window back in, the caulk will ooze out on both the interior and exterior sides. Somewhere I read that you should not tighten the screws down all the way until after a day or so, to allow the caulk to set. Finally, this is a great tip I learned after my first repair, before you remove the frame, place tape of some sort along the outer edge of the frame. When the caulk oozes out, it will overlap the tape, and all you have to do is pull it up for a clean edge. It beats the heck out of using a razor blade to remove the caulk. Hope that helps. Alan Johnson
I can't help with the glazed acrylic problem (haven't had it yet), but I can offer a couple of tips on re-bedding the portholes. I think there is some info on this in the archives as well. First, be careful removing the frame. After you have removed the screws, consider using a guitar string (small guage, like the e string) and work it under the frame to loosen the old caulk. That will help avoid breaking it. Make sure you clean the old caulk out very well. There are various products that others here can better recommend (I'm not at the boat and forgot what I used) for this job, but the window needs to be as free of that stuff as possible. As for silicone or caulk, I used a West Marine product, the name of which I do not recall, but it is a caulk, I believe, that purports to remain flexible after it dries. I understand that window caulk for your home tends to get brittle and with the constant motion of the boat, that's not good. Do not scrimp on the caulk. You should use enough so that when you put the window back in, the caulk will ooze out on both the interior and exterior sides. Somewhere I read that you should not tighten the screws down all the way until after a day or so, to allow the caulk to set. Finally, this is a great tip I learned after my first repair, before you remove the frame, place tape of some sort along the outer edge of the frame. When the caulk oozes out, it will overlap the tape, and all you have to do is pull it up for a clean edge. It beats the heck out of using a razor blade to remove the caulk. Hope that helps. Alan Johnson
Leaks
I would use BoatLIFE's Life-Caulk instead of silcone. I find it "sticks" better and therefore lasts longer. As for the glazed windows: Contact a company named "Aircraft Spruce" @ 800-861-3191. They sell several products that can clean-up plexiglass windows on aircraft,the same products may work on boats. Good Luck!
I would use BoatLIFE's Life-Caulk instead of silcone. I find it "sticks" better and therefore lasts longer. As for the glazed windows: Contact a company named "Aircraft Spruce" @ 800-861-3191. They sell several products that can clean-up plexiglass windows on aircraft,the same products may work on boats. Good Luck!
Window alignment...
Kennyb, The cut-outs for the ports are oversized. After you get everything cleaned up, insert the port and look at the play on the inside. I shimed mine up with a 1/4 stainless nut so that it was centered. I rebedded my ports about a year ago and shimmed all but one and that was the one that slid down so that the frame only covered the cutout by an eighth of an inch. Just did it again last weekend. r.w.landau
Kennyb, The cut-outs for the ports are oversized. After you get everything cleaned up, insert the port and look at the play on the inside. I shimed mine up with a 1/4 stainless nut so that it was centered. I rebedded my ports about a year ago and shimmed all but one and that was the one that slid down so that the frame only covered the cutout by an eighth of an inch. Just did it again last weekend. r.w.landau
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