Salutary lessons, or don't use un-recommended suppliers.

Becky

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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??
 

akirk

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Re: Salutary lessons, or don\'t use un-recommended suppliers.

Ask for your money back - if not, small claims court - if they don't respond within two weeks, you automatically win!

A job should be done properly...
 

MoodySabre

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Re: Salutary lessons, or don\'t use un-recommended suppliers.

A sorry tale. The trouble with suing him might be that you haven't given him the opportunity to put it right - well the court might think that. If you don't want him to do it anyway then get a surveyor to report on it, sue him for a refund but get thejob done properly by a recommended company. Moody windows are known to leak so the MOA will have some recommedned suppliers I'm sure, as well as the learned pundits here of course.
 

Blueboatman

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Re: Salutary lessons, or don\'t use un-recommended suppliers.

OK I remember doing a response to this,your question on leaking windows,some time back when you had returned from a bluewater trip (?)
My answer remains the same as then.Use Sikaflex,treat it as a bonding agent ,a filler agent,a sealant,a spacer...And yes of course you can dismantle a Sika'd window in the future (though why anyone would want to I dunno,just slide a very sharp snap off blade in and slice the joint open flush with one side.).
So there. Do it once do it right.Take too long to itemise the 'steps' unless you actually are going to go that route,but,it works,job done.
 

poter

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Re: Salutary lessons, or don\'t use un-recommended suppliers.

Yup Moody windows do leak, at least they did on my M. 30
I took all the windows & ally frames out and reseated them with rubber seals & mastic on the frames.
I did clean all the frames & the fibreglass totally, I then used a very fine sand paper on the gelcoat remounted with new ss bolts - no leaks.

I think the art is getting the frames absolutely spotless.
The seals came from a specialist here

good luck
poter
 

owen

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Re: Salutary lessons, or don\'t use un-recommended suppliers.

i reseated 2 leaking windows on my moody. the frame was set into the fibreglass in moody 2 part epoxy putty from moody. it appears to be the same as the original and as you say still sticky after 20 + yrs. the windows were fixed into the frames with sikaflex mastic but any good quality polyurethane mastic will do the same job eg 3m.
good luck, leaking windows are not only annoying they can also stain the woodwork badly
 

Cutter

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Re: Salutary lessons, or don\'t use un-recommended suppliers.

Well, I thought the clingfilm was very fetching. Bit like a F1 driver, you pull off a layer when it gets ditrty. Sorry to hear of your woes. x R
 

graham

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Re: Salutary lessons, or don\'t use un-recommended suppliers.

Hi Becky Sorry to hear of your problems .At least now you have found someone who knows what he is doing .

It sounds as if the firm you used have been fitting windows in caravans or something so thought boats would be the same.

I would push them heavilly for a full refund. Keep receipts for stuff you have had to buy since and photographs of the work being done. Could help your claim later.

It sounds as if the plastic they used could be "macralon"If so it is very strong and is used to make Riot shields etc but it does scratch easilly. Not sure what repeated scouring by salt water will do to it.
 
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