Resealing Windows

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roblpm

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The windows on my Parker 275 are leaking. They are the height of 90s engineering sophistication. Perspex screwed into the fibreglass with a butyl or something strip as the seal. They come off easily.

Plan is to drill out holes and put in wood inserts with a bit of Epoxy in the hole. The windows can then be bolted back on. This article describes someone else doing it: http://www.parkerseal.org.uk/articles/modsmaint/p27windows.aspx

The bit I don't like is the sealant bit. The one saving grace of the existing ones is that as it is tape there isn't a massive mess.

So butyl tape? Silicone strips? What is good.

Also I am extremely lazy so the faster the better!
 
There are also sealant tapes other than butyl - some are plastic foam. See selection here -http://hadlowmarine.com/Pages/Sealants.html

There's also advice sheets somewhere else on the website, or if you ring him he'll probably advise what's suitable for your particular job.

[I've no connection except satisfied customer.]
 
I will be re sealing my windows and like the idea of the heli inserts as I don't think I will be able to use inter screws (bolts) due to the wood finish inside. The self tappers don't hold tight for ever.
 
The Land Rover had a leaking front windscreen (don't they all?) so I bought a bottle of Captain Tolley's a couple of weeks ago ..... and it works!

I've still got some leaks around the doors (as usual) which I can't use the Tolley's on, but at least it's one down!

Richard
 
RichardS said:
The Land Rover had a leaking front windscreen (don't they all?) so I bought a bottle of Captain Tolley's a couple of weeks ago ..... and it works!

I've still got some leaks around the doors (as usual) which I can't use the Tolley's on, but at least it's one down!

Richard
Click to expand...

I ended up in hospital with a cut finger tendon after a Stanley knife incident which was caused by a leaking front window on my old landrover. I still can't feel the finger very well 20 years on. So i might be a famous rocj guitarist if it wasn't for that landrover......
 
LittleSister said:
There are also sealant tapes other than butyl - some are plastic foam. See selection here -http://hadlowmarine.com/Pages/Sealants.html

There's also advice sheets somewhere else on the website, or if you ring him he'll probably advise what's suitable for your particular job.

[I've no connection except satisfied customer.]
Click to expand...

Mastic strip looks good!
 
I bought a roll of butyl tape from the caravan shop to seal my window frames to the hull. About a tenner for a big roll, very sticky but easy to use and cleans up with turps.
 
Hmmm. I should have done a poll.

Butyl seems popular. But sticky and might ooze out in the sun?

Foam?

Silicone strip?

Any other opinions?!
 
When I resealed the deadlights in the coachroof I didn't want to use screws again as they are the usual source of leaks.
I took a tip from this site and used VHB tape for the mechnical fix with butyl tape to seal.
http://www.thecoastalpassage.com/windows.html
Four years on and my windows don't leak.
A word of warning, take care when mating up the window witrh the coaming. Once placed, it won't come off again!
 
I replaced mine last year and tried a number of methods, having read a variety of articles!

On a previous boat I used just marineflex and it went everywhere and was a sod to get the (quite large) windows lined up and then clear up what was left of the oozing mess afterwards.
So, on current boat I liked the idea of closed cell foam, as it would provide a bed to align the windows, a second line of defence and a spacing to prevent my choice of sealant being squeezed out. The foam worked really well. (I spent time to get a good fit and finish with it - scalpel recommended)

My technique originally was to cover half the width of the overlap (window and coachroof) with foam tape and then squeeze in the sealant once the window was in place and then tighten. It proved difficult to get the sealant in to what was around a 10mm deep gap, so I bought wider tape for the other windows and left around 5mm gap which was much easier.

As far as sealant, I went for arbomast br (that a number of articles rave about). It is messy, takes a long time to get remotely 'set' and has now squeezed out in a few places leaving gaps. I have had to re-tighten the window bolts twice! I would not recommend this stuff.

So this year (third time lucky?), I plan to retry fitting one with the foam, a 5mm gap around the edge and the dow corning 791 (recommended in the article Gordonmc's mentions above). This should set and give the necessary resistance to keep the screws tight.

As an aside, because I have only a medium tint on my windows, I used light grey tape and sealant instead of black, which I think looks great as you cannot see the sealant, it looks the same as the coachroof behind the windows.

Hope this makes sense. :)

Edit - I should say that even with the arbomast squeezing out, the windows have remained completely watertight - bar a couple of drips through 2 of the 100 or so screws, so I will look at bedding the screws as well next time. I also like the look of those brass inserts, but could be an issue getting them square :confused: and look to be £1 to £5 EACH!
 
Last edited:
Muddy Boat said:
I replaced mine last year and tried a number of methods, having read a variety of articles!

On a previous boat I used just marineflex and it went everywhere and was a sod to get the (quite large) windows lined up and then clear up what was left of the oozing mess afterwards.
So, on current boat I liked the idea of closed cell foam, as it would provide a bed to align the windows, a second line of defence and a spacing to prevent my choice of sealant being squeezed out. The foam worked really well. (I spent time to get a good fit and finish with it - scalpel recommended)

My technique originally was to cover half the width of the overlap (window and coachroof) with foam tape and then squeeze in the sealant once the window was in place and then tighten. It proved difficult to get the sealant in to what was around a 10mm deep gap, so I bought wider tape for the other windows and left around 5mm gap which was much easier.

As far as sealant, I went for arbomast br (that a number of articles rave about). It is messy, takes a long time to get remotely 'set' and has now squeezed out in a few places leaving gaps. I have had to re-tighten the window bolts twice! I would not recommend this stuff.

So this year (third time lucky?), I plan to retry fitting one with the foam, a 5mm gap around the edge and the dow corning 791 (recommended in the article Gordonmc's mentions above). This should set and give the necessary resistance to keep the screws tight.

As an aside, because I have only a medium tint on my windows, I used light grey tape and sealant instead of black, which I think looks great as you cannot see the sealant, it looks the same as the coachroof behind the windows.

Hope this makes sense. :)

Edit - I should say that even with the arbomast squeezing out, the windows have remained completely watertight - bar a couple of drips through 2 of the 100 or so screws, so I will look at bedding the screws as well next time. I also like the look of those brass inserts, but could be an issue getting them square :confused: and look to be £1 to £5 EACH!
Click to expand...

Good stuff. You have convinced me that I am right to worry about gunk!! I wonder if there is a completely gunk free way to do it?!

I think the prices for the brass inserts are for 10 so something like 37 p each.
 
roblpm said:
Good stuff. You have convinced me that I am right to worry about gunk!! I wonder if there is a completely gunk free way to do it?!

I think the prices for the brass inserts are for 10 so something like 37 p each.
Click to expand...

People have done it with just butyl or foam tape. I guess deck fittings are done with butyl tape, so may work, but could raise the 'one shot' locating issue if it is adhesive on both sides (and also the potential for squidging out?). The foam on its own would invite greenery to grow around the edges.

I would be interested to find out where to source the inserts for reasonable ££, so do let us know where to buy if you go that way.
 
Muddy Boat said:
People have done it with just butyl or foam tape. I guess deck fittings are done with butyl tape, so may work, but could raise the 'one shot' locating issue if it is adhesive on both sides (and also the potential for squidging out?). The foam on its own would invite greenery to grow around the edges.

I would be interested to find out where to source the inserts for reasonable ££, so do let us know where to buy if you go that way.
Click to expand...

Well by googling I found this

http://www.theinsertcompany.com/brass_hex_drive_insert_for_wood_unheaded.php

No idea whether they are any good but they seem to have all the sizes! The guy on the parker site used m4 10mm ones.
 
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