Tatty window-edging finish on a Hunter Pilot 27

[portvasgo]

In the middle of doing some small restoration work on our newly acquired Hunter Pilot. I was wondering if anyone could advise a way of repairing the torn edging to the windows. The tape is purely aesthetic I believe as the acrylic window are screwed directly into the grp. I am at a loss of how to repair the edge to give a nice finish. The tape is continuous around the corners, by that I mean that each edge of the window is not finished with a separate strip – if that makes sense. I’m a bit of a novice at all this and so any advice greatly appreciated. As Select Yachts have gone into administration I can’t go there for advice, and it seems to be early days with Lauren Marine who have taken over the building of Hunters.

Thanks in anticipation of your help.

 

[Ubergeekian]

In the middle of doing some small restoration work on our newly acquired Hunter Pilot. I was wondering if anyone could advise a way of repairing the torn edging to the windows. The tape is purely aesthetic I believe as the acrylic window are screwed directly into the grp. I am at a loss of how to repair the edge to give a nice finish. The tape is continuous around the corners, by that I mean that each edge of the window is not finished with a separate strip – if that makes sense. I’m a bit of a novice at all this and so any advice greatly appreciated. As Select Yachts have gone into administration I can’t go there for advice, and it seems to be early days with Lauren Marine who have taken over the building of Hunters.

I'd strongly recommend that you shell out a tenner to join the Hunter Association - there is a lot of technical expertise on their forums at www.hunterassociation.org.uk. Currently three separate discussions going on about Hunter Pilot windows ...

 

[tross]

That tape is the seal for the window - and they always leak. My recommendation is to screw the window back onto the coach roof and then run masking tape around the edge where the window meets the coach roof. i.e you trace the outline of the window. Now remove the window and cut the outside edge of the sealing tape that goes between the window and coach roof so you have about a 5 mm gap between the masking tape and the sealing tape. Apply some mastic in this gap and screw back the window. Once you have screwed down the window, clean up the edge to make a nice fillet and then remove the masking tape. If you just replace the tape it shrinks over time and lets the water in. You can't remove the tape altogether as the window move independently of the coach roof and if you try to bed them down with mastic the fillet is too thin and the seal breaks - and lets the water in!

 

[portvasgo]

Orbister, thanks for the advice, have joined the Hunter Association as of yesterday - now awaiting my 'activatation'!

Tross. Thanks for the information. I was hoping that I might be able to somehow (that's the problem of course) cover up the tape on the outside of the windows in some way so as to simply give a neat finish. Currently (fingers crossed) the windows seem fine in regard to not leaking - so if i could 'hide' the tatty areas somehow that would be preferable to having to remove and relay windows that currently do not leak. Are you saying that the silver tape on the outside of the windows wraps around the side of the windows and inserts between coachroof and window to act as a seal? I hadn't realised that - most look closely when I get back to the boat. However, if I can find someway of simply covering the tape/seal on the outside to improve the aestheitcs, that shouldn't interefere with the seal?

 

[fastjedi]

Hunter windows can be a bit of a nightmare. The expansion co efficient of the window material is different to the hull and so they are always on the move. I am told the factory finished boats had a different (better) fixing system. The kit built boats were set up for countersunk self tapping screws into the GRP. This ensures the screws are ripped out when ever the windows moves in the summer heat .... Not too much of a problem for the last few summers

Having said that you are not complaining of leaks ... so I am guessing you have a factory boat ... or one that has been cured as per various suggestions on the HOA site. I don't recall any advice about the vinyl tape though. If it is just cosmetic can it be peeled with the help of a hairdryer and replaced?

 

[alahol2]

Maybe put a good layer of wax on the window. Peel off the old vinyl tape. Lay a new layer of outdoor, self adhesive vinyl over the whole window. Trim the edges. Cut your aperture and peel off. Get rid of the wax somehow. Sounds easy but I bet it's a bit more fiddly than that

 

[portvasgo]

Good idea alahol2.

Have also been onto the Hunter Association website as suggested. There the problem is mainly with leaky windows - a Hunter problem (some great adviceon other issues though). However, our boat is factory fitted and the windows were sealed in a different way to kits -very watertight (hopefully) but a problem to remove if you ever need to replace a window. But one thread on there suggests masking off and spraying the edge of the window with aluminium style paint once the old tape has been removed. I think I like the idea of the whole sheet of vinyl suggested by alahol2, maybe more tricky to do but will perhaps give a better finish.
Other ideas still gratefully received.

 

[matt1]

Please ignore the post from Tross as this is wrong (Sorry, Tross)

The pilot windows were adhered to the grp using some kind of glue / mastic which was much better than the self tapping screw method employed on the Rangers and other Hunters. Most likely the windows on a Pilot will probably never leak (but will be a really difficult job to replace when they are eventually completely crazed). I assume the tape you are talking about is the silver edging strip. Maybe you get a sign writer or vinyl boat name specialist to make you up some new ones if you give them a template?