Salon Windows

[Cat Tales]

I'm missing some of white washer/spacers from the outside screws that hold the wrap around salon windows. Does anyone know what material they are or where I can find them?

Thank you,
Chris

[Bob]

My windows have stainless finish washers with only a few plastic washers here and there. I've had to periodically tighten the screws as they loosened just enough for the window to begin leaking. As soon as I read your post the light went on. The stainless washers probably do not maintain tension on the fastener to prevent loosening during temperature changes. Evidently the PO must have substituted when the plastic washers split. I think what you are looking for can be found at http://www.mcmastercarr.com. Type in 90262A009 for the look up item.

[Cat Tales]

Bob,

That's a great website. Those washers look like they may work. But my vinyl washers look more like the stainless steel finishing washers - 98466A009. Though I haven't looked yet, I believe what I need may be found in many hardware stores.

Thanks for the info,
Chris

[Dan White]

Interesting topic. I don't have ANY screws in my salon side windows.

I discovered today, while tracking down a leak, the windows are totally held in place by an adhesive. Probably silicone. The one on the starboard side was literally delaminating from the adhesive. I've just finished putting a bead of silicone on the existing sealant, and left it weighted down to cure. Hopefully that'll work.

Anybody had this problem or condition?

I am thinking it might make sense to drill in some stainless self-tapping screws to help hold it down?

[Ed Ellis]

My experience with silicon has not been good at all. While it works as a temporary stop-gap measure, it usually does not hold up under uv rays. As weird as this sounds, I've been using a black sealant used in roofing applications, and it has worked really well. So well, in fact, that I don't have to use screws to hold the windows in place. I can't remember the name of the product, but the next time I'm at Lowe's, I find out and post it here. Ed

[carib sailor]

The windows in high rise office towers are held in with adhesive. Often no mechanical fasteners at all are used.

GE makes a product for this application called Silpruf.

[Allezcat]

I am in the process of replacing all the windows in Allezcat, 36010. I am considering using Sikaflex-295V which is designed specifically for this purpose. See http://www.sikaindustry.com/ipd-marine-window-295
Has anyone else used this stuff?

Chet
Allezcat 36010

[Bob]

I'd be interested to know how you handle the curvature when bedding the windows in. Is the curve gentle enough to massage them into place or is heat required?

[SecondWind]

Chet,

We should talk when we get back into town. I've noticed some new leaks lately and need to do some re-bedding too.
(Currently in Oriental, NC).

[Tanah-Keeta]

Thanks Caribe Sailor for the tip on the Butyl tape. I have a 34 powercat with a leaking port. I googled this tape and found that it is widely used in the RV industry to seal windows. Most of the brands I found were 1/8 inch thick. Where did you find 1/16 inch tape?

[carib sailor]

I looked online (years ago) for 1/16" Butyl tape and back then found nothing. I dropped in on a local glazier and asked what they had. The owner sold me a roll of 1/16" thick black butyl tape that was large enough to rebed all four Bomar hatches with enough left over to do the job again someday should the need arise.

[Lady of the Lake]

Check McMaster Carr on the web for this kind of stuff.

http://www.mcmaster.com/

Sam

[maxicrom]

Chris,
I purchased tubes of GE Silpruf sealant from Maritime Plastics in Annapolis - they specilaize in marine plexiglas and they told me that Silpruf is what Lewmar uses to bed the larger hatch ports (they might know of a distributor in FL). When I replaced my salon ports I had them fabricated there, they did a nice job using a little thicker UV treated plastic and polishing the edges. They are not inexpensive but do good work. I met these folks a number of years ago when building a large sliding hatch on another boat - they walked me through building a form for heating and shaping the 1/2" plexiglas that formed the top of the traditional style hatch (building the form myself saved a considerable expense).

Mike

Contact Info:
http://www.maritimeplastics.com
110 Severn Ave
Annapolis, MD 21403
(410) 263-4424

[Cat Tales]

Thanks for the info!