Getting my windows out

[Quandary]

The boat is a Moody S31, it has two Lewmar windows and four Lewmar portlights all with crazed acrylic which I want to replace, the opening portlights are easy, just buy acrylic replacements from Hadlow marine. However the two fixed frame Lewmar cabin windows are giving me grief. I have looked at the advice on removal given by Hadlow and MOA but neither seem to recognize the difficulty in getting these shifted without damage. I have removed the grp inside trim, about 2 dozen machine screws holding the aluminium inside trim to the outer extrusion but then I am faced with pushing the outer frame out. The frame has a broad flange right around the outside and neoprene gaskets around the edges of the acrylic which are set into an alloy channel, this outer frame has been bedded on a white adhesive mastic ( seems like white silicone which I am sure Marine Projects would never have used) and is a tight fit in the opening in the grp which is between 15-22mm. thick at this point. Using a Stanley knife and sacrificing the skin on my knuckles I can get the visible sealant away but the frame is so tight in the grp aperture that I can not get a hacksaw blade or even a knife blade between the frame and the grp. The flange around the outside of the opening is also bedded tight against the gelcoat surface. Obviously it is important not to bend or dent the relatively soft alloy or to scratch the grp on the outside of the coachroof. I have tried putting the machine screws back in the outer frame and hammering on them but the sealant glue will not let it budge. Any ideas? Or should I just live with the crazing.

This is a salutory lesson on why Sikaflex or CT1 should never ever ever be used on anything that might ever have to come out!

 

[sogood]

Sometimes, if you have access, a very strong nylon type fishing line can be used to get between a (frame, in your case) and the actual boar surface. It's used a lot to remove badges and decals from cars, where just an adhesive is used. Tie each end of the line onto a piece of dowel or similar, to prevent cutting your fingers off! It's the same principle as a wire cheese cutter. Might work.

 

[LoneHort]

been there done that! In my case 47yo thick white sealant between the alu frames and the grp. In my case I started with some very thin putty knives and squirted some of this magic stuff in behind the aul. It's made by the CT1 folks and it will break up the sealant. After that I put in bigger and bigger putty knives until finally the window popped out.
Multisolve

 

[npf1]

I used a cheesewire, with success.

 

[Hydrozoan]

I don’t know how closely they compare with your Moody's, but for Sadler 32 windows I found this Renovating boat windows - Practical Boat Owner very helpful and added a few thoughts of my own having done a couple Window refurbishment – a commendation, a few hints and an enquiry

 

[Quandary]

Some useful advice here, thank you all for your help. I will assemble tools and tape as described and have another go today.

 

[vyv_cox]

I have removed similar windows to yours on my Sadler 34 several times. They were all bedded on Sikaflex. The secret is to lift one end only so that the sealant shears. Pushing the whole frame out in one is a non-starter. I use a combination of wood chisels and wooden wedges to prise the flange away from the coachroof.

 

[PlankWalker]

I've just removed 6 frames bedded in sicaflex
I found that after hammering the filler knives in, I made some sharp oak wedges and hammered those in.
Eventually after much cutting with a craft knife, I managed to get a pair of small wrecking bars under the flange with their heels on lolly sticks to protect the gel coat.
Then working round the window and saving any gains by hammering in the wedges, I could prize out the frames.

Plank

 

[LadyInBed]

When I did my windows a forumite recommended Nemesis Mighty Frame & Glazing Sealant Black 290ml available in Screwfix, it worked well.
I've just looked for it and it's no longer listed, links now steer me to Dow Corning 799 Plastic Glass Glazing Door Window Frame Silicone Sealant 310ml
I wonder if Nemesis have been bought out!

 

[Quandary]

I got one out this morning using the techniques recommended above by Hydrozoan and Vyv Cox. I used a variety of spatulas and paint scraperes and old chisels, Moody set the windows in a moulded recess in the coachroof which made it more difficult but Jewsons sell a very thin bladed flexible stainless steel spatula/scraper which was bendy and thin enough to go between the gelcoat and the outer flange, but stiff enough to cut the sealant The responses here gave me the information to proceed with some confidence.
The frame is in two parts with the acrylic held in the channel by a neoprene glazing strip which I presume is one piece and U shaped, the windows are heavy and seem relatively fragile so I may be forced to attempt to reglaze myself, but only after considerable thought and some more research.

 

[Hydrozoan]

That’s good. Perhaps you will be luckier but I could not get the original rubber sealing profile for the glass (I tried Seals Direct but it was no longer made) and ended up using an Arbormast compound as I described. A bit messy but successful - as was the Scapa tape to bed the frames helpfully recommended by BlowingOldBoots and others: a great solution.