Block up window … good idea?

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Scotsailor

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I have a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 32.2. 2000 vintage. In good order except the front window leaks. I know the usual remedy would be to replace the window. But I’m actually considering just glassing it up. I don’t really know why Jeanneau put a window there. It’s close to the mast and I think the structure would be better without it. You can’t really look through it. It’s almost horizontal actually … what do others think? Is this a good idea or stupid? … I’m thinking of epoxying marine plywood in the space and finishing on the outside with glass mat and white gelcoat. And on the inside fitting a teak veneered panel to match the other ceiling panels. Would be interested what others think?
 
I doubt it was put there for the view, more likely for additional light in the main cabin. So long as you're happy with lower light levels I can see no reason why you can't block it up. I presume it doesn't open, so no effect on ventilation.
 
If you are going to all the bother of glassing it up, I would rather fit a proper opening hatch which didn't leak.

Donald
 
Hoolie said:
Nevertheless the OP is proposing rather a sledgehammer approach to dealing with a leaky window
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Fred-drift warning:-
If anyone can tell me how to stop my cabin side-windows leaking I'll be forever in their debt. I have Sikaflexed them to distraction and yet still the blighters leak/weep.

Good luck to Scotsailor in eradicating your leak - sounds a drastic way, but I well know the frustration of the situation :(
 
Robert Wilson said:
If anyone can tell me how to stop my cabin side-windows leaking I'll be forever in their debt. I have Sikaflexed them to distraction and yet still the blighters leak/weep.
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As in, taken them out and rebedded them in sikaflex, or just dobbed some over the top?

Captain Tolley's worked on the leaky windows on our previous boat - it's supposedly temporary rather than a permanent fix, but it lasted several years till we sold her. Very easy to apply, so if you haven't already I would strongly recommend it.

Pete
 
If this is the 'window' that you mean I see your point. Even if you remove it and re-bed it the only purpose that might be behind it would be to have a peek at the sails when you are below? There seems to be enough light coming through the hatches. One consideration though is the possible effect on the re-sale value, if that is important for you.

6391140_20171012032234523_1_XLARGE.jpg
 
prv said:
As in, taken them out and rebedded them in sikaflex, or just dobbed some over the top?

Captain Tolley's worked on the leaky windows on our previous boat - it's supposedly temporary rather than a permanent fix, but it lasted several years till we sold her. Very easy to apply, so if you haven't already I would strongly recommend it.

Pete
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Again, sorry to Scotsailor for the drift:

Carefully and diligently "dobbed" ;) some Sikaflex all round the frame - both frame/cabin and frame/glass.
Taking then out, I fear, will wreck the fittings - and six new fittings are beyond my purse.
I've tried Captain Tolleys (several times !!)

But thanks.
 
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Yes. That is the window. I’ve tried sikaflex and Captain Tolleys many times but it still leaks … I’ve owned the boat for six years now and I think this must also have been a problem for the previous owner as there are two non standard screws holding the window in place. I realise that the normal course of action would be to remove the window and re fit properly. However the plastic is very crazed on this window. Maybe because it has curvature to it? … so I would need to fit a replacement window. I’ve been unsuccessful in obtaining a replacement from Jeanneau. Not surprising I suppose on an 18 year old boat. I would be interested in recommendations for a company who could make me a replacement window. It’s 10mm thick and has curvature to it which I think needs to be created by thermoforming. I’m not sure of the material. Either acrylic or polycarbonate … the two side windows don’t leak at all and aren’t crazed. So I would be reluctant to disturb them at all … so a couple of days ago I started to think why don’t I just glass the front window up. I take on board the comment about resale value. This was on my mind when asking for people’s thoughts on this. My feeling is that if I make a very good hardly noticeable job then it wouldn’t make much difference. If I make a hash of it then it would detract significantly … I think I could do it ok and if not I could always refit a window.
 
Robert Wilson said:
Carefully and diligently "dobbed" ;) some Sikaflex all round the frame - both frame/cabin and frame/glass.
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I suspected as much. :)

Sealants like Sikaflex and silicone are meant to act as a kind of formed-in-place gasket between two parts. If you can't get it inside the joint and just blob it over the outside, it never really works reliably.

Pete
 
I agree that it's a bit sledgehammer/nut, but I also get when enough is enough with a job like that.

Just a thought, the exterior gelcoat will be a nightmare to get right and even if you do manage to colour match it, it will weather and oxidise at a different rate to the rest. So I'd be doing the GRP work, spraying the inside of the existing window black, and then sikaflexing it back in place. At least that way you preserve the original look of the boat.
 
I had a flue deck hole filled in about where the edge of your window is. Consulting various people ranged from you need to make a full strength repair to daubing some GRP over the opening. The former involved a lot of grinding back to produce a taper both inside skin and outside deck and bonding in new balsa core where the old had been removed; the latter was well, daubing some GRP over it. As usual a compromise was the final result. I hired a GRP person, who advised that because the hole has been there for at least one Atlantic circuit a full strength repair was pointless and clearly the strength was not compromised. The repairer ground back a sight taper, over an inch, as opposed to about 9", bonded in new balsa and then built up the GRP layers inside and outside, finished with gelcoat. The repair is good but the gelcoat colour match is not so good and the repair is obvious.

I think what you propose is likely to be acceptable but try and bond the new stuff into the old stuff throughout it's thickness. Also no need to grind back according to West System guides as that would be huge amount of GRP to repair but also don't just but up against the existing GRP at right angles, have some sort of taper. I would not fill the hole with wood and then just add a skin of GRP and gelcoat, I would use the wood to match any core thickness, bonded to the core, then fill in with layers of cloth over a small taper and finish with gelcoat. I know that there will be internal sides to the window but I think if you try and fill the space with just a board glued in, then GRP onto it, the same stress that cause the window to fail will cause the repair to crack. A window like that should be capable of being sealed but if this is an issue with the model, then there is something else going on than just degrading sealant.
 
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Robert Wilson said:
Again, sorry to Scotsailor for the drift:

Carefully and diligently "dobbed" ;) some Sikaflex all round the frame - both frame/cabin and frame/glass.
Taking then out, I fear, will wreck the fittings - and six new fittings are beyond my purse.
I've tried Captain Tolleys (several times !!)

But thanks.
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You should really start your own thread.

However, to back up what prv is suggesting. My own windows had been sikaflexed to death with every form of sealant by the previous owner, and still they leaked. Even as prv advised they had been removed and bedded on sikaflex, the glue type. I removed all the windows and sent them for refurbishment. Before sending them off I opened one up. The problem was that the glass sits in an aluminium channel and that had corroded through. The leak was from water passing down the glass, entering the channel, then pooling inside and corroding the aluminium, it then flowed through the hole in the channel base and between the window an internal lining. It was never the window flange to hull seal although it looked like that from inside the cabin.
 
Scotsailor if you are in Scotland, I would give Ian Thomson at QD Plastics a phone on 01389 762377.

Donald
 
Aja said:
Scotsailor if you are in Scotland, I would give Ian Thomson at QD Plastics a phone on 01389 762377.

Donald
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Thank you. I will give them a call. … I’m thinking BoB is correct and blocking window would be more involved than I had imagined. So will try to obtain a replacement window I think. Thanks for all of the useful comments. Much appreciated and thanks to the poster that posted the pic
 
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