Saloon windows replacement questions

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Boo2

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Hi,

I'm going to replace the saloon windows in Sunrunner (UFO 34) this month following a survey recommendation and have a few questions :

  1. Who is the best firm to use for this (I'm in Sussex) ?
  2. Should I use Acrylic or Polycarbonate ?
  3. What thickness material should I use ?
  4. Tinted or not ? If tinted bronze or blue ?
  5. What should I cover the holes with while the existing windows are off being copied ?

Many thanks,

Boo2
 
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Speaking only as a satisfied customer, Hadlow Marine from Hadlow in Kent. J-P did mine this winter, they are long single pieces bolted with Interscrews over the outside of the deck moulding. He came to Mersea, removed the old, sealed up the resulting holes, took them away and came back and installed, all at a very reasonable price... Well, I thought it was!

Contact details are here...

http://hadlo-43547-001.dsvr.co.uk/Pages/Introduction.html
 
Have a look in local Yellow Pages or Google for a sign maker, usually cheaper than "specialists" and have the kit to cut and drill properly. Polycarbonate preferred, probably 4mm or 5mm if large. Stronger than acrylic but more prone to scratching 9not usually a problem on windows). Have the edges routed to a chamfered finish and the holes slightly oversize to allow for some movement. tint is your choice. Personally I have used bronze, mainly because it blends better with varnished coach roof sides. Just look at samples and make up your own mind.

Heavy duty polythene taped on to cover holes. If you get your supplier well organised it will only take a day or two.

Worth getting 2 or 3 quotes because prices can vary significantly.
 
I used Eagle Boat Windows when I tackled his a year or so ago, very good service. Used ply off cuts to cover the openings in the meantime but the boat was under a winter cover so the ply was just a back up.
 
Add to Hadlow marine

Seaclear Marine windows in Maiidstone

Sunlight Plastics in Waterlooville

Also a little further afield

Project Plastics and UK Plastics Fabrication
Both in Colchester

Some of the above may be able to do "drape moulding" using the originals as patterns if required. Some may not


I covered the openings with polythene sheet .... but it was big mistake to use parcel tape to stick it in place

Polycarbonate is just about unbreakable .. It's what riot shields are made of, but it scratches more easily than acrylic. It is also more susceptible to solvent damage.

Any of the above... they all do marine windows ... should have the thicknesses and tints usually used for boat windows

Shop fitters will probably be cheaper but may not have the tint you require.

You dont say how these are being fitted !
 
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Polycarbonte softer and tends to scratch easier
Suggest you take out old windows and get exact copies made. Did this 10 years ago with 12 windows, and Sunlight in Waterlooville did the business
 
I'm a DIY guy as well and I'm truly glad to have forums such as this when you need help. There would be times though that if you really can't do it yourself eventually, it is best to consult with professionals because in the end it will save you time and money.
 
I just looked at a few images of UFO 34s on Google and there seems to be an array of window patterns and materials! I assume you have the "normal" arrangement of plastic screwed through to a wooden inner frame?

I prefer acrylic as it's easier to work - polycarbonate can be difficult to cut and drill, more like metal working! A friend and I replaced all the windows on his T24 with 10mm smoked acrylic, cause that was what we could get. It was easy to work so long as you cut and drilled slowly so as not to melt it. The screw holes want more clearance than other materials so as to allow some movement without causing stress, so we used panhead screws with nylon washers. It's a good idea to also put washers between the window and coachroof so that you don't squeeze all the mastic out.

My own boat has laminated glass windows,which on sunny days forces me to draw the curtains to prevent bleaching of the woodwork. Even apparently dark tinted acrylic lets a surprising amount of sunlight in.

Rob.

P.S. Don't forget to label the old ones with position and inside/outside or the last new one won't mate up with the existing screw holes! Thin ply is probably the best temporary cover for the holes.
 
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I've used Abplas in South Wimbledon. I gave them the old windows off nof the old boat. The copied them and sent them back.
They will just sell you the material so you can DIY it. I've done this before and to finish the edge I used a torch to flame polish the edges.
 
More important is what you use to seal them.

I have never had any trouble with single-sided adhesive foam. Liquids sealants are doomed to fail because the curvature forces almost all of it out as the fastenings are tightened.

Having written that, I've just had an idea. If the window was warmed enough to match the curvature then a really sticky sealant would be even better. But do it my way:-

Put on the sealant. Put the window (or other fitting) in place and nip the fastenings up until the goo is oozing.

Leave for a few days and add a bit more tension in the screws. Not much though. This avoids squishing it all out and leaves plenty of flex availability.
 
I've just done mine. Had the frames reglazed by Houdini Marine in blue tinted toughened glass. Excellent. Toughened glass is marginally cheaper than perspex (which is oil based) and will not craze or scratch. They provided two tubes of grey Arbomast which is a butyl based sealant applied to the frame with a normal mastic gun. The trick is not to try and clear the excess straight away but just score round the frame with a blade to break the bead. Leave for a day or two to skin over then it comes off easily.

The worst job was getting the glue off that was left by the gaffer tape that stuck down the polythene that I taped over the windows for a couple of weeks. That stuff is evil :eek:

I also bought some Perspex washboards made by Hadlow as referred to above and they are beautifully made.

Very please all round :)
 
boguing said:
More important is what you use to seal them.

I have never had any trouble with single-sided adhesive foam. Liquids sealants are doomed to fail because the curvature forces almost all of it out as the fastenings are tightened.

Having written that, I've just had an idea. If the window was warmed enough to match the curvature then a really sticky sealant would be even better. But do it my way:-

Put on the sealant. Put the window (or other fitting) in place and nip the fastenings up until the goo is oozing.

Leave for a few days and add a bit more tension in the screws. Not much though. This avoids squishing it all out and leaves plenty of flex availability.
Click to expand...

A more precise way do doing this is to tuck the edge of a washer under each corner of the frame. Then when you tighten the screws you get an even film of sealant equal to the thickness of the washer. When the sealant is cured remove the washers and tighten up the screws to compress the sealant ensuring a permanent weatherproof seal.
I had new windows fitted by a Pro and he did it this way using clear silicone, 12 years later they are still leak free and because it was silicone should I ever need to get the frames out it shouldn't be too difficult.
 
I need to replace/refurb the 2 small saloon windows on my 'new to me' Hustler.

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Seabrume83_zpsfa3b6dea.jpg


Seabrume109_zps062deff7.jpg


Lost cause for refurb and go with new plastic off the shelf or what? :confused:
 
When I had windows off for refurbishing I covered the holes with heavy duty polythene held in place with duct tape. survived several Scottish winter months
 
boguing said:
More important is what you use to seal them.

I have never had any trouble with single-sided adhesive foam....
Click to expand...

I used the foam on our previous boat, and it's fine - certainly much easier than liquid sealants. I had to tighten all the screws up after a couple of years, though as the foam had taken a 'set' and the the windows had begun to leak a little - OK afterwards.

However: I've just re-done one of the long perspex/acrylic windows on our current boat using non-setting butyl mastic tape, and it's the mutt's nuts for this job!

Abroseal GZ tape

It's the consistency of 'blutack'; Is simplicity itself to apply neatly and consistently (like the foam tape); is tacky enough to stick to the perspex while you lay it all out;rigid enough not to get squeezed out when you tighten the screws, but squidgy enough to form a good seal; and sticks to both window and hull so screw pressure isn't important. (Comes in white, black or brown).

I got mine from a glazier's supply shop (C S Glaziers in Buckley, N. Wales) but it would have been cheaper off ebay, etc.

Early days yet, but I just can't imagine the stuff ever leaking. It stays 'chewy' so can be scraped off again if you ever remove the window (unlike sikkaflex type silicones).

I would always use acrylic rather than polycarbonate for the windows as polycarbonate is too flexible, a pig to machine, scratches easily, and always seems to look 'milky' (IMHO). Grey / bronze tint, rather than blue, as blue makes everything inside the boat look a funny colour (our previous boat had blue, which I replaced with grey - much better IMHO). The tints look a lot lighter from inside the boat than I expected.

You can get a very neat finish using a router to trim the new windows (use the originals as templates & cut the replacements roughly to size first).

HTH

Andy
 
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KevO windows

Kev, your windows seem to be past redemption if they're all like the one illustrated. The aluminium has corroded probably due to electrolytic action with S/S fixings. I would replace like with like - there are several firms that will do it for you, one of them was exhibiting at Southampton.
 
ghostlymoron said:
Kev, your windows seem to be past redemption if they're all like the one illustrated. The aluminium has corroded probably due to electrolytic action with S/S fixings. I would replace like with like - there are several firms that will do it for you, one of them was exhibiting at Southampton.
Click to expand...

I strongly suspected that would be the case... It's just the 2 smaller windows, the larger ones were replaced some time ago by the looks of them. I didn't get to the show, can anyone suggest a company that can make me up some new ones or am I better off just getting an off the shelf solution?
 
KevO said:
I strongly suspected that would be the case... It's just the 2 smaller windows, the larger ones were replaced some time ago by the looks of them. I didn't get to the show, can anyone suggest a company that can make me up some new ones or am I better off just getting an off the shelf solution?
Click to expand...

Doubt you will find off the shelf windows to fit the holes. Sea Teach in Emsworth have a big stock, Lewmar make them, as do Vetus so you can try them. Otherwise Eagle or Hadlow (and no doubt others) will custom make.
 
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