Windows

[Tamar]

One of my wheelhouse windows has a slight leak, it's been like it since I bought the boat three years ago. It's just a drip. But enough to be annoying. Yesterday I decided to tackle it. It's an aluminium window in a wooden wheelhouse.
I have been reading up and watching YouTube videos on the subject,and I have a pretty good understanding of what is required to reseal the thing.
After removal of said window, which was a job in itself, I managed to separate the bottom section and clean out every damn bit of the old rubber seal from the frame, which looked pretty good I have to say. That took a whole morning.
In the afternoon I resealed the window using the recommended butyl sealer, which sticks to everything, especially hands?.

In the evening I got the thing back in.
Last night we had a small shower...

The thing still leaks....

It's definitely coming from the window as I poured a bottle of water over the glass and eventually there was a small drip under the bulkhead beneath the window.
I'm pretty sure I sealed everything up as required.
The only thing I can think of which might not help is that a couple of screw's just spin when tightened. Hopefully this is it.
I don't want to tackle this job again.
Any thoughts?

 

[NotBirdseye]

Any chance of putting in a little water based dye? That way you should be able to see exactly where the leak is coming from and where the water is working itself through. A bright green colour might be appropriate. It may not be the window pane, it might be the wider window structure.

 

[Stemar]

Assuming it's a fixed pane, there are only two routes for water to get in, between the pane and the frame and between the frame and the wheelhouse side. If pouring water on the glass causes a drip, it suggests it's between the glass and the frame. However, spinning screws could well mean the frame isn't pulled tightly enough into the wheelhouse side, and I'd be tempted to attack them first.

What do the screws go into? Commonly they're interscrews, where the nut has a head like a screw, which may or may not have a slot, and should be a tight fit into the wheelhouse, but they do work loose, especially when disturbed.

If access to whatever the screws go into is difficult, then I'd invest in some Captain Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure from your local swindlery or Seek 'n' Seal from your local car spares place. Use either sparingly - if it runs down GRP or paintwork, it attracts dirt before it sets and is evil stuff to remove. It does work some of the time and at least it's simple to do.

 

[Tamar]

The screws are just normal ss self tapers, they screws through the frame straight into the wooden wheel house.
Thanks for the suggestion of capt Tolly's creeping fluid, tried that a few years ago, didn't work. I'm going to get some longer screws later. If it still leaks after I screws them up tight into the butyl than I'm at a loss.

 

[LadyInBed]

Did you fill the trough round the frame that the glass fits into with sealant and put sealant round and over the edge of the wooden window hole?
Sealant should ooze out all round and cleaned off at 45 degrees with a sharp edge when sealant is semi set.

 

[Tamar]

Did you fill the trough round the frame that the glass fits into with sealant and put sealant round and over the edge of the wooden window hole?
Sealant should ooze out all round and cleaned off at 45 degrees with a sharp edge when sealant is semi set.

I put enough sealant around and in and on and through this window. I think my problems lie with the screws that are not gripping.tried fatter ones but they spin too?? I think I need even fatter screws.

 

[johnalison]

I had the same problem with my fairly new Sadler 29 years ago. I also removed the frame and re-mounted it to no effect. A couple of minutes with Capt. Tolley cured it.

 

[peteK]

I had the same problem with my fairly new Sadler 29 years ago. I also removed the frame and re-mounted it to no effect. A couple of minutes with Capt. Tolley cured it.

Did you put butyl sealant in the screw holes?

 

[rogerthebodger]

Did you put butyl sealant in the screw holes?

Knocking some slivers of wood into the screw holes would help to get the screws to grip.

 

[lw395]

The joint should be designed so that the sealant is not squeezed down to zero thickness at any point. Countersinking the screw holes so there is a void around the screw filled with sealant helps. Tightening down onto a spacer so that there is a couple mm of sealant not squeezed out of the joint is good. Draw or imagina a cross-section of the joint and ensure you have a decent layer of sealant where it's needed.
A gasket or even little o-rings around each screw sometimes do the trick.
If you're wanting the sealant to seal against the screws, clean them with a solvent before use.
Some sort of rivnut or threaded insert for the stripped screw holes?

HTH?

 

[RichardS]

If the screw holes are in a position that water splashing against the screw head can work its way down the screw thread and actually drip into the boat interior, then, if the screws are not tight, I can guarantee that water will find its way into the boat. My solution has been to fill the screw hole with a good sealant and then replace the screw whilst the sealant is still soft. The screw still won't grip properly but at least water won't get down the thread.

Richard

 

[Tamar]

If the screw holes are in a position that water splashing against the screw head can work its way down the screw thread and actually drip into the boat interior, then, if the screws are not tight, I can guarantee that water will find its way into the boat. My solution has been to fill the screw hole with a good sealant and then replace the screw whilst the sealant is still soft. The screw still won't grip properly but at least water won't get down the thread.

Richard

Yes, all the screws now grip thanks to a little help from some toothpicks. All the screws have mastic on them. In fact when I tightened the loose ones up finally, some of the gloop ouzed out. I'm hoping for good things when it next rains.

 

[keithb]

You say you removed the bottom section from the glazing.......i hate to suggest it, but could the other sections not be the source with water tracking between glazing and aluminium?
I resealed mine, both sides 3 days and I was advised the key was to use little hard rubber packing strips to hold the glazing centrally (bottom of channel and inside and outside) and ensure a good depth of butyl surrounding the glazing. As others have said to also finish with a 45 degree chamber using a plastic tool, and very dilute fairy liquid.

 

[Tamar]

Yes I only removed the bottom section. That itself took the best part of the day. I realise I have to remove the whole frame when I get a spare week. But on the bright side, I managed to nip all the screw's up tight and fingers crossed last shower we had all was bone dry.