Replace or restore Windows on a Westerly

F

FairweatherDave

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 Sep 2009
Messages
2,099
Location
Solent
Visit site
Windows or Portlights? Boat windows. I'm not too fussed what to call them but mine are in a sorry state on my Konsort. I can't avoid the problem any longer. The opening ones in the forepeak and heads and opposite cannot be opened, have been painted and siliconed at some stage. The ones in the main cabin look a bit better,no paint, but the seals are gone and again the previous owner has used silicon liberally. I will only admit to using Captain Tolly's at the start of last season. I'm after some pointers here. I am a member of WOA and not yet found anything there, I know it must exist. My searches here have found older posts eg 2012 so the links are often useless. All I have found so far are Eagle Boat Windows and Seals Direct. I'm happy trying to pull out the units and replace but I'm quite inclined to give them to someone else to magically refurbish. Recommendations local to Emsworth/Brighton are good, but any links to useful old threads or recent experience much appreciated.
 
Last edited:
I have found this old post, which started in 2016 but got more recent contributions :)
Recommendations for window frame refurb?
which mentions HadlowMarine as well as Eagle Boat Windows. Should correct my first post, it is Seals plus Direct, although google gets you there.
Finally I already use butyl as I know what I am like and silicon is not my favourite sticky sticky sticky stuff.
 
I had my fixed “windows “ on my W25 re sealed by a mobile plant window specialist years ago. He stripped off the old seals and fitted new. Suggest you try earthmover and caravan specialists
 
I take it you are discussing those nasty nasty but iconic square scuttles. They love to leak and corrode.

A friend replaced his on a Westerly and gave us his 4 old ones as a job lot. We cannibalised them to get 2 good ones fr the forepeak one of which worked and one of which still leaked. The square frames distort which is why all normal scuttles are round. This distortion causes leaks.

All you can do is remove dissamble, clean and remove corrosion and try new seals. However make sure there is no leak between window and hull after replacing unit as then you are just changing one problem for another.
 
I am talking the iconic square scuttles, and the four long windows in the main area. I was holding off thinking really I should replace the headlining and do a full rewire at the same time. But that "ideal world" thought has made the job way too big given I want to relaunch near Easter and the rest of life gets in the way. So I will tackle the windows. I phoned Eagle and had a friendly preliminary chat.....need to take photos and measure outside dimensions. His turnaround time is about three weeks at the moment, so that fits well with me. But how much the quote will be will be interesting. I read one Westerly article suggesting 8 hours a window DIY.....not sure I'd want to do that.
 
I spent 1hr removing 2 square scuttles and perhaps 2 hours refitting, plus maybe 3 hours refurb, and then 3 hours trying to get rubber seals in on new saloon window. So 9 hours. A yard/window fiter would charge minimum of £40 p hour thus £360 plus travel, plus sealant and screws

Nothing like 8 hours per window though fiddly enough, and I may work faster than some, particularly if its losing me wages on the day job
 
A friend of mine refurbished his square portlights and that was a WOA article it may be the one you read it was recent, in the last 2/3 years.

I have just bought a Fulmar and some very kind soul previously took out the 4 windows in the saloon and changed them out for Lewmar opening ports which I imagine will be a god send in the summer. I know our boat has been to Europe so im guessing that that may be one of the reasons it was done for extra ventilation.
 
chrishscorp said:
A friend of mine refurbished his square portlights and that was a WOA article it may be the one you read it was recent, in the last 2/3 years.
Click to expand...
I shall have to manually look at my pile of Westerly magazines.....I really struggled with the new Westerly forum today and really don't want to go on Westerly facebook (because its Facebook).

And thanks for the tip Concerto (I might unwind some old brake cable......)
 
FairweatherDave said:
I shall have to manually look at my pile of Westerly magazines.....I really struggled with the new Westerly forum today and really don't want to go on Westerly facebook (because its Facebook).

And thanks for the tip Concerto (I might unwind some old brake cable......)
Click to expand...

4 Mods on Facebook,1 of them wrote the article on the portholes and I am one of the others and yes the new forum could be more user friendly (y)
 
chrishscorp said:
4 Mods on Facebook,1 of them wrote the article on the portholes and I am one of the others and yes the new forum could be more user friendly (y)
Click to expand...
Cheers Chris, I will have another go at the Westerly forum. I found two good articles (in editions 90 and 104). You might see me on FB too one day but it is a slippery slope for an addictive personality like me:rolleyes:.
 
I think Westerly window frames are secured with interscews / barrel bolts with the male part on the inside and the female part on the outside. Don't do what I did and try unscrewing them from the outside...
 
Thanks, found it.
Recommendations for Hadlow Marine if anyone else interested here.
(My issue with the WOA forum is I have failed to be able to use it to search for old threads-- bizarrely I have now cracked it, maybe I needed to go through some initiation rites :) )
 
Last edited:
FairweatherDave said:
Thanks, found it.
Recommendations for Hadlow Marine if anyone else interested here.
(My issue with the WOA forum is I have failed to be able to use it to search for old threads-- bizarrely I have now cracked it, maybe I needed to go through some initiation rites :) )
Click to expand...
I always check for postings on the WOA forum before I come on the ybw. You can tell when it is a post of mine as the photo avatar are the same.
 
Little update. Managed to undo the vast majority of interscrews yesterday with someone holding a screwdriver on the inside. A couple needed boiling water heat treatment to free off (very rewarding) and a couple span freely and had obviously got no working threads. Maybe an hour and a half. Today spent several hours and managed to get all 8 windows out. The little squarish ones push into the cabin, the big ones push out onto the gunwhales. But much cutting of ******* silicon and tapping with a mallet alround on the big main cabin windows. Took loads of old chisels as wedges. I won't be using silicon when I put them back. Now to get quotes and see how shocking things will be (or will I DIY?). Pleased to be sorting the windows out whatever, the state of the seals was bad.
Edit... I should add a thank you to the past contributors to the WOA magazines and WOA forum which I have made use of to different degrees. Found some good stuff with a bit of perseverance.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top