The windows on my boat need to be replaced. They're fitted into those
old-style channelled rubber strips that are used to hold vehicle windows in
place - the rubbers are rather perished and the acrylic is clouded and
crazed. I'm considering putting tinted acrylic on the outside of the cabin -
any thoughts on the wisdom of this approach?

By fitting on the outside surface, I have the opportunity to change the
window shape - here's a couple of side views of my vast, ocean-going,
18-foot mega-yacht, showing the original window shape, and the proposed new
shape...

http://community.webshots.com/album/136291482TgUkPQ


--
Wally
www.artbywally.com
www.wally.myby.co.uk/music

Wally, I see nothing wrong with you alternate, more modern window. Looks good,
though I think I prefer the original by a slight margin.

RB

I like the new version you've designed. It has better lines and looks more
rakish.
I would think you would want to cut the opening to match and place the
tinted panel on the inside though if you intend to reseal the works with a
rubber strip again.

Will you be beveling the edges of the new acrylic panels prior to outside
mounting to reduce water entrapment and possible leak development?

CM




"Wally" wrote in message
...
| The windows on my boat need to be replaced. They're fitted into those
| old-style channelled rubber strips that are used to hold vehicle windows
in
| place - the rubbers are rather perished and the acrylic is clouded and
| crazed. I'm considering putting tinted acrylic on the outside of the
cabin -
| any thoughts on the wisdom of this approach?
|
| By fitting on the outside surface, I have the opportunity to change the
| window shape - here's a couple of side views of my vast, ocean-going,
| 18-foot mega-yacht, showing the original window shape, and the proposed
new
| shape...
|
| http://community.webshots.com/album/136291482TgUkPQ
|
|
| --
| Wally
| www.artbywally.com
| www.wally.myby.co.uk/music
|
|

Capt. Mooron wrote:

I like the new version you've designed. It has better lines and looks
more rakish.

It came out better than I was expecting. I also removed the stanchions and
lifelines, so it looks cleaner in the doctored photo.


I would think you would want to cut the opening to match ...

Not keen on that - I'd be concerned about weakening the structure. I think
there's a (hollow GRP?) beam on the inside, forward of the leading edge of
the existing windows - the mast is deck-stepped.


... and place the
tinted panel on the inside though if you intend to reseal the works
with a rubber strip again.

I wouldn't be using the same type of rubber strip (where the window is cut
smaller than the hole), but something flat that goes between the surfaces.
Someone mentioned (elsewhere) that butyl tape between the acrylic and the
cabin wall would make a good seal. I've seen this stuff mentioned as sealing
in building work that I've been involved with, so I guess it's pretty good -
not as sticky as mastic, but tackier than plain rubber. It should apply in a
nice straight line, rather than squidge like gooey sealer would, and it
should be easier to remove if I ever have to replace a window.


Will you be beveling the edges of the new acrylic panels prior to
outside mounting to reduce water entrapment and possible leak
development?

Yes, they'd be fared towards the surface of the cabin side, with the sealing
strip brought to the edge of the acrylic. Screws/bolts at about 2" centres.
The likely shape is a bevel, with the remaining angle radiused - the
smoother the transition, the less likely it is to be painful if anyone takes
a knock against the edge (works on guitar scratchplates, so...).


--
Wally
www.artbywally.com
www.wally.myby.co.uk/music

Bobsprit wrote:
Wally, I see nothing wrong with you alternate, more modern window.
Looks good, though I think I prefer the original by a slight margin.

The new shape makes the boat look half its age. :-)


--
Wally
www.artbywally.com
www.wally.myby.co.uk/music

Capt. Mooron wrote:
I like the new version you've designed. It has better lines and looks
more rakish.


Hmm-mm. Is "rakish" good? To me it sounds like a lawn care product....


Wally wrote:
It came out better than I was expecting. I also removed the stanchions and
lifelines, so it looks cleaner in the doctored photo.

Yes but it would look better without those in any case. A better
comparison would be with (harder to draw in, I know)

I would think you would want to cut the opening to match ...


Not keen on that - I'd be concerned about weakening the structure. I think
there's a (hollow GRP?) beam on the inside, forward of the leading edge of
the existing windows - the mast is deck-stepped.

I'd be very afraid of weakening the structure... DON'T cut that beam...
in fact don't cut within 3 or 4 inches of it. The fiberglass flange
where it joins the coach roof molding is sure to be a structural
element. You can add fiberglass channels around the edge of the new port
opening for stiffness, but it'd be a major engineering job to design &
build a new mast step support.

The plus side of bigger windows is more light inside (the tint looks
cool, but don't overdo it). The downside is a weaker coach roof.

I'd put the acrylic on the outside, beveled, onto a mated surface around
the edge of the port, and use small screws only to hold it in place
while the 5200 dries.

The more time & work you put into the edges, both the seating to the new
port and the channel around the inside, the stronger & tighter it will
be. I've seen this kind of thing done well on a few boats... seen a
botched "quickie" job dozens of times (including on a boat we were
considering buying until we got a close look at this and many other
owner customized bits).

Hope this helps
Doug King

On Fri, 23 Apr 2004 13:43:41 +0100, "Wally"
wrote:

The windows on my boat need to be replaced. They're fitted into those
old-style channelled rubber strips that are used to hold vehicle windows in
place - the rubbers are rather perished and the acrylic is clouded and
crazed. I'm considering putting tinted acrylic on the outside of the cabin -
any thoughts on the wisdom of this approach?

By fitting on the outside surface, I have the opportunity to change the
window shape - here's a couple of side views of my vast, ocean-going,
18-foot mega-yacht, showing the original window shape, and the proposed new
shape...

http://community.webshots.com/album/136291482TgUkPQ

I think the new ones look better. On my previous boat, a C&C 33-II,
the portlights were long and "rakish" and were attached to the outside
of the cabin top. Because there was a bit of curve to the side of the
cabin top, the portlights were required to stay in place with a bit of
bend, which they did not want to do. The previous owner had replaced
them once and there were a number of small screws which attempted to
hold the portlights in place, in addition to a sealant and tape and
they still leaked. Actually if you read the C&C mail list, leaking
portlights are a huge topic of conversation. I think anytime you get
too long a portlight with no frame, you may be asking for trouble,
especially if there is any bend required. If your mounting surface is
fair and flat, you are in much better shape.

Hopefully I misread Doug's post about using 5200 for mounting the
windows. My current portlights, which are frameless, are installed
with GE Silpruf, which seems to work well. These portlights are
installed into a routed groove around the opening so that the
plexiglass sits into the groove, just flush with the cabintop, and
has a bead of Silpruf around both the inside and the outside. There
are 4 small screws which are angled into the top and bottom which
basically hold the portlights in place while the Silpruf cures. These
screws don't penetrate the plexiglass, they just hold the portlights
at the edge. These portlights don't leak.

Good luck. I like the design, but I would be careful about doing too
much cutting for structural reasons.

felton wrote:
Hopefully I misread Doug's post about using 5200 for mounting the
windows.

5200 won't stick to Lexan IIRC, I thought it wouold stick to acrylic
polycarbonate? Anyway, there are a lot of good adhesive sealants on the
market and it's part of the prep for the job to find out which one will
work best. I happen to like 5200 & 4200 but realize that there are some
things they won't work on. Sikaflex?

DSK

We're in the process of having two windows redone. The person who's
going to do it for us claims that the proper sealant is quite toxic.. some
"professional grade" product. I believe the windows are some sort of
polycarbonate, but I'm not certain. Do you have any info about the
toxicity of these type of sealants? What's there now is ugly and leaks,
so it's got to get redone.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"DSK" wrote in message
. ..
felton wrote:
Hopefully I misread Doug's post about using 5200 for mounting the
windows.

5200 won't stick to Lexan IIRC, I thought it wouold stick to acrylic
polycarbonate? Anyway, there are a lot of good adhesive sealants on the
market and it's part of the prep for the job to find out which one will
work best. I happen to like 5200 & 4200 but realize that there are some
things they won't work on. Sikaflex?

DSK

Jonathan Ganz wrote:
We're in the process of having two windows redone. The person who's
going to do it for us claims that the proper sealant is quite toxic.. some
"professional grade" product. I believe the windows are some sort of
polycarbonate, but I'm not certain.

You should find out for sure what it is. A professional would not be
concerned with keeping a secret about what materials he used on a
customer's boat. The best professionals I've worked with would go out of
their way to make sure the customer knows what materials are used and
how to best care for them.

... Do you have any info about the
toxicity of these type of sealants?

There is such a wide variety, it's impossible to say. For example, 5200
is a butyl isocyanate, so it's not exactly healthy stuff to eat or
inhale. But it's not in the same class as Agent Orange or enriched
plutonium...

What you want is the MSDS (material safety data sheet) for the stuff
being used. They are easily googled: here is the one for 5200

http://www.tapplastics.com/uploads/p...00%20White.pdf

... What's there now is ugly and leaks,
so it's got to get redone.

Your boat *leaks*??? Get out!!

Fresh Breezes- Doug King