What did you use for sealant?
--Alan Gomes

"RFP" wrote in message
om...
My boat was built with windows sealed on the outside of the hull.
They leaked adequately to cause enough damage that I could afford the
boat. I did replace them with acrylic and the installation leaked
after a few months. Next we tried nylon washers between the window
and the hull to maintain a minimum sealant thickness of about 3 mm to
absorb differential expansion and hull flex. This has worked well for
4 years.


"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

RFP wrote:

My boat was built with windows sealed on the outside of the hull.
They leaked adequately to cause enough damage that I could afford the
boat. I did replace them with acrylic and the installation leaked
after a few months. Next we tried nylon washers between the window
and the hull to maintain a minimum sealant thickness of about 3 mm to
absorb differential expansion and hull flex. This has worked well for
4 years.

Noted. I was considering using machine screws through both the acrylic and
cabn side, with lock nuts on the inside so that the fixings can be tightened
enough to bring the layers of material together without compressing the
sealing material.


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

"Wally" wrote in message
...
Noted. I was considering using machine screws through both the acrylic and
cabn side, with lock nuts on the inside so that the fixings can be tightened
enough to bring the layers of material together without compressing the
sealing material.

My windows are "surface mounted." I recall the builder saying they had to be
very careful to oversize boltholes a bit to allow for dissimilar expansion of
the fiberglass and plastic. Of course, I don't know what kind of plastic is
used, what the bedding is, or whether this was really a dream.

Good luck.

-jeff