Becky
New member
Salutary lessons, or don\'t use un-recommended suppliers.
So, what has caused this diatribe?
Well, among other things that have gone wrong for us, we had Cornish Maid's windows reglazed by a local company a year or so ago, certainly no longer. They did still leak right from the start, and the guy from the company said he made visits to sort out the problem, but the boat was always away from her berth. This may well be true, but lately the boat has been firmly docked in Haslar, and despite phone calls, and direct visits to the factory, he has done nothing to sole our latest problem.
The Sunday night of the Bank Holiday before last we came back from Cherbourg and it was a tad windy. Vis was almost nil and I felt sick just staring at the compass card in the black-out. It was roughish; CM was thrown about a bit, nothing spectacular, but very not-nice-to-be-there. And it was pouring with rain. So when I came off watch and found everything below was wet, I was not well pleased.
Our windows leaked.
My side of the bed was too wet to sleep on, so I had to resort to my sleeping bag, and even that had wet patches! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
All the curtains were soaked, which meant that all the windows were leaking.
As soon as possible, I phoned the guy at Talking Plastics, and as he wasn't available, I was promised a call back. Needless to say it never came, so I visited the factory and explained the problem. I was met with an absolute promise to sort out or trouble. Nothing happened.
To cut a long story short, we took one of the windows out ourselves and found that it had been put in with the wrong adhesive (which had set hard). The plastic was seated in the wrong material too. The plastic is in my opinion of inferior quality as it is scratched by shoes. When the original windows were replaced, they left the old adhesive all over the decks. And it took HWMBO ages of scrubbing to remove it. The point is that after 20 years it was still was sticky.
So, what have we learned? And from whom?
Well, there is a man at Haslar who is basically an engineer; Malcolm Morlin is a legend in his own lifetime.
Some say he can fit a V8 engine singlehanded and carry it on board on his own. And he can breath under water. (apologies to Top Gear!!)
We know that he can fix anything we have asked him to. So when it came to leaking windows, he was a mine of information. He had one window out in seconds after HWMBO had spent hours trying. He explained that the windows mustn't be too tightly screwed in as they will move fractionally as the hull flexes, especially in heavy weather. And it shouldn't ever go hard. Also if mounted in/on mastic, there should be a thick enough layer to allow for movement. And the glazing should be fixed into the aluminium channel (on the Moody) preferably with a rubber gasket rather than mastic which will move and break its waterproof seal
Our windows were originally screwed tightly to the coachroof, allowing no room for flexing. And the plastic glazing had minimal sealant in the channels. And they now leak in light rain.
We have mounted two windows on neoprene tape, which sticks like mad to the gel coat, but is just compressed by the screws holding the windows in. This is thick enough to allow hull flexing without upsetting the window seal. We will later this summer replace the seal in the channel holding the plastic glass.
It all makes sense when you are doing it. Takes longer and costs more.
So, again, I seem to have chosen a company to sort out a problem without first checking on the Forum to make sure it is basically kosher.
Now we have to do the whole job again.
I am considering asking for a full refund ( or small claims court?)
/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
This is the first 'Name and shame' I think. Hope it is legal. The details are true.
What do the Pundits on the forum think??
So, what has caused this diatribe?
Well, among other things that have gone wrong for us, we had Cornish Maid's windows reglazed by a local company a year or so ago, certainly no longer. They did still leak right from the start, and the guy from the company said he made visits to sort out the problem, but the boat was always away from her berth. This may well be true, but lately the boat has been firmly docked in Haslar, and despite phone calls, and direct visits to the factory, he has done nothing to sole our latest problem.
The Sunday night of the Bank Holiday before last we came back from Cherbourg and it was a tad windy. Vis was almost nil and I felt sick just staring at the compass card in the black-out. It was roughish; CM was thrown about a bit, nothing spectacular, but very not-nice-to-be-there. And it was pouring with rain. So when I came off watch and found everything below was wet, I was not well pleased.
Our windows leaked.
My side of the bed was too wet to sleep on, so I had to resort to my sleeping bag, and even that had wet patches! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
All the curtains were soaked, which meant that all the windows were leaking.
As soon as possible, I phoned the guy at Talking Plastics, and as he wasn't available, I was promised a call back. Needless to say it never came, so I visited the factory and explained the problem. I was met with an absolute promise to sort out or trouble. Nothing happened.
To cut a long story short, we took one of the windows out ourselves and found that it had been put in with the wrong adhesive (which had set hard). The plastic was seated in the wrong material too. The plastic is in my opinion of inferior quality as it is scratched by shoes. When the original windows were replaced, they left the old adhesive all over the decks. And it took HWMBO ages of scrubbing to remove it. The point is that after 20 years it was still was sticky.
So, what have we learned? And from whom?
Well, there is a man at Haslar who is basically an engineer; Malcolm Morlin is a legend in his own lifetime.
Some say he can fit a V8 engine singlehanded and carry it on board on his own. And he can breath under water. (apologies to Top Gear!!)
We know that he can fix anything we have asked him to. So when it came to leaking windows, he was a mine of information. He had one window out in seconds after HWMBO had spent hours trying. He explained that the windows mustn't be too tightly screwed in as they will move fractionally as the hull flexes, especially in heavy weather. And it shouldn't ever go hard. Also if mounted in/on mastic, there should be a thick enough layer to allow for movement. And the glazing should be fixed into the aluminium channel (on the Moody) preferably with a rubber gasket rather than mastic which will move and break its waterproof seal
Our windows were originally screwed tightly to the coachroof, allowing no room for flexing. And the plastic glazing had minimal sealant in the channels. And they now leak in light rain.
We have mounted two windows on neoprene tape, which sticks like mad to the gel coat, but is just compressed by the screws holding the windows in. This is thick enough to allow hull flexing without upsetting the window seal. We will later this summer replace the seal in the channel holding the plastic glass.
It all makes sense when you are doing it. Takes longer and costs more.
So, again, I seem to have chosen a company to sort out a problem without first checking on the Forum to make sure it is basically kosher.
Now we have to do the whole job again.
I am considering asking for a full refund ( or small claims court?)
/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
This is the first 'Name and shame' I think. Hope it is legal. The details are true.
What do the Pundits on the forum think??