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Window sealing, next project

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nputman
Deckhand

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USA
10 Posts

Initially Posted - 12/11/2005 : 19:40:52

Ok now that i have a handle on the berthing arrangements, does anyone have a tried and true method for sealing the cabin windows. I am relatively sure I am using the wrong terminology for these light (and water) transmitting structures.
Thanks,
Noel

Edited by - on

Rochester
Deckhand

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USA
22 Posts

Response Posted - 12/12/2005 : 15:10:44

When I started repairing my boat, the windows were covered with green algae. It was a major job taking out the ports. When I got one out, I found the plywood core was in bad shape.

I dug out the core around the window as deep as possible. There is a foam insulation product available from home centers sold by the foot which is cylindrical is shape. You can get it in different diameters. I inserted this foam “rod” between the outside skin and the interior liner. The purpose of this “foam rod” was to prevent the epoxy going down into the core. I then mixed a thickened two part epoxy to fill both overhead and the bottom of the window opening.

I seemed there may have been a kind of osmotic movement of the moisture into the window frame from the outside. To prevent possible moisture migration around the seal, I drilled 1/8” holes into the frame on the bottom from the outside. These holes are drilled into the space that holds the glass and seal.

Then, I cleaned or replaced the rubber seal around the glass. I re-installed the exterior frame with bead of marine sealant. When replacing the interior frame, I replaced most of the screws with a larger diameter screws.

What was done was to effectively replace the core around the window with the thickened epoxy. That allowed sufficient compression when fastening the interior frame, and giving a very good seal to the window. Also, the small holes in the exterior frame allowed any moisture that migrated past the seal to drain or at least prevent any vapor pressure from building in the seal.

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 12/12/2005 : 18:42:24

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by nputman
 ...does anyone have a tried and true method for sealing the cabin windows. I am relatively sure I am using the wrong terminology for these light (and water) transmitting structures.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

The correct terminology for those structures are "sieves"!

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grinder
Deckhand

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USA
6 Posts

Response Posted - 01/03/2006 : 12:11:24

I purchased my boat last July and the windows leaked badly. The port side window in the head was especially bad since it had been leaking onto the bulkhead for who knows how long. The water actually deteriorated the plywood at the bottom (port seat attach point).
I purchased the window seal kit from Catalina Direct for $97 and removed and resealed all the windows. It's a job, but if you have leakage where the aluminum frame interfaces with the hull it is necessary to pull the windows/frames and repair/recaulk. The hardest part of the procedure was getting a good caulk seal between the rubber seal, glass, and frame since there isn't much time to work before the silicone caulk starts to skin over. Also, the rubber does not want to conform very well (without kinking) to the window corner radii. After reinstalling the windows, I tested them for leakage and found that the two port main cabin windows STILL LEAKED at the rubber seal/glass/frame interface.
Instead of completly removing these windows again to reinstall new rubber seal, however, I cut away the rubber seal from the outside and used caulk as a new seal. The caulk I used to seal the glass on my boat is DAP Silicone Ultra for Windows, Doors, Trim, Siding and Molding. It is 100% Silicone Rubber Sealant in aluminum gray color. It's a large tube which works with a caulking gun. I either bought it from Lowe's or Home Depot but I think it was Lowe's. It cost about $6.00.

I used a small razor knife to cut the rubber seal away. I tried to cut down inside the window frame about 1/8 of an inch or so as I went around the window. Then, using a blade, I scraped away any remaining old sealant and rubber which remained on the glass. I then finished preparing the window by using a small stiff brush saturated with naptha (available at Lowes) to clean the area thoroughly. Don't be afraid to use too much naptha, it's a good all around solvent and not harsh enough to harm fiberglass.
Allow at least 20 minutes for the naptha to evaporate completely before recaulking around the glass with the silicone. I used the round end of a popsickle stick to smooth out the caulk and create a fillet between the glass and the frame. You have to work fast as the caulk skins over fairly quickly - low temperatures may help slow down the process. If you use the popsickle stick carefully, it will create a clean area on the glass where it scrapes. On one side of the clean area will be the fillet and on the other side will be the excess sealant which rolls off the stick. Remove the excess sealant on the frame with a paper towel being careful not to disturb the fillet. After the caulk cures, the excess on the glass can be scraped away with a razor blade scraper.
The process is a bit involved and time consuming, but after completely removing the windows and rebuilding them, I'll be using this method from now on instead of disassembling glass and frame and installing a new rubber seal. The glass, rubber seal, frame rebuilding process was REALLY a lot of work and, in the end, two of the windows still leaked.
The only time I'll remove and recaulk the glass/frame assembly again is if I detect water leaking at the frame/hull interface or if ten years has elapsed since I removed them and recaulked.
In your case, I'd recommend pulling each glass/frame assembly, inspecting the core (per Rochester above), cutting away the old outside rubber/glass seal and replacing it with silicone caulk. The glass/frame assemblies can be reinstalled using 3M 4200 sealant.
Good luck.

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existentialsailor
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1180 Posts

Response Posted - 01/03/2006 : 12:26:18

Or you could replace them like I did. I wrote up a description of the process on my blog. See link in signature if interested.

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