Center Window Albin 27

[JT48348]

Got my pilothouse windows out this weekend. Thankfully my pilot house walls were in surprisingly good shape. Looks like 1/2" end grain balsa core with 1/8-1/4" fiberglass skin sandwich. Maybe thinner on inside than out.

My original plan to cut and use black HDPE for new window trim has been abandoned. I thought the windows were simply glass placed in rough wood frames then trimmed either side when installed. Mine look like inner trim pieces, but the outside trim is part of the wood framing for window. Several complex mitered edges. Since they are in good shape I will proceed with refinishing the wood.

[sail149]

Hi
Back on topic(!).
Were you window frames glued on?
Mine are sealed with lots of 5200 and attempts to remove are clearly going to break the wood
Warren

[JT48348]

Hi
Back on topic(!).
Were you window frames glued on?
Mine are sealed with lots of 5200 and attempts to remove are clearly going to break the wood
Warren

Negative. Mine appeared to be glued with a white caulk that was not structurally adhesive. I'm thinking maybe 3m 4200 or life caulk or something that could be pealed off. I'm going to reinstall with 4200 I think for the frames and maybe silicon for the trim?

Suggestions welcome...

[JT48348]

Chris,

On the front windows I routed a groove on each side of the lower frame so water would run off and not collect. So far no leaks around any of the windows.

Vic

Can you provide a detailed photo of what this looks like? Sounds like a good idea

[sail149]

I think he has a groove like the rain drain grooves on the Beckson ports.
It stops the water building up in because the windows angle back yachts type rather than forward fisherman style.
W

[Vic K]

Warren,
You are correct. We just had a hell of a rain here that lasted a couple of days. Received 6 1/2 inches here at the house and more at the marina. No leaks in the any of the windows.
Everyone has raved about 'sticky tape' I used some to reset the front hatch and got rid of a nasty little drip.
Vic

[rnummi]

This question is a bit premature as I'm away from doing this. Could you use butyl tape to remount the outer wood frames throughout the pilot house exterior? I'm thinking thin barrier coat of cured epoxy on mount side of frame only which would provide suitable stick surface for tape? I bought 3 rolls of the stuff so I'm looking for innovative ways to use besides on the port lights.

[JT48348]

Here is an example of why you don't use 3m5200 to bed your windows. This is my center pilothouse window. It's put together well, the glass has been glued with 5200 into the frame. Basically the window frame is a square. The glass is inserted into the frame. Four wood trim pieces get screwed in and hold the window glass in place.

In trying to unscrew and remove the trim pieces, the first one basically cracked and broke off rather than release from the 5200. I gave up trying to disassemble the window.

The issue now is the corner joints are not tight and are unsealed. Water can leak into the interior via these joints.

To Butyl-tape-supporters how would you put butyl tape into the joints? How would you put butyl tape into the frame and get the trim pieces to fit?

This is why I say butyl tape is not the right material for this job. It needs to be a flexible sealant that can expand and contract. Yet sticks to glass and wood. The sealant holds and seals the glass to the frame. A second type of adhesive/sealant mounts the frame to pilothouse.

[Jay Knoll]

Joe

You can't use butyl to seal those cracks, it isn't structural. You could use it for the glass just like any other glazing material but I think you're going to have to seal those cracks with some gap filling epoxy. You could use the butyl to seal the window frame to the pilot house side, but you're going to have to have some type of compression to keep the frame tight to the pilot house -- screws thru the frame?

[JT48348]

Right. Hence my determination that butyl is not appropriate in this situation. I don't think butyl will work for the glass. And I don't think it will work for the frames to the pilothouse.

[Jay Knoll]

I have metal frames on my pilothouse and I used butyl tape when I re-bedded them, I was happy with the result and no leaks. But of course the metal frames have screw holes around the perimeter.

[rnummi]

Pilot House rot resolved. Window frames refinished. Window frames facing pilothouse are painted w gap filling epoxy and sanded mirror smooth (frame exterior facing away from PH Cetol'd). Tentatively plan on butyl tape mounting since my newly finished frames have no gaps. Should be similar to the metal frame mount correct? Question: do the frames hold the tracks in place on the side windows? They were out when I purchased boat. Don't see any screw holes or sign of sealant on old tracks. My frames also had screws holding them to PH. All holes were filled both in frame and on PH. Did factory just have them mounted with sealant?

[rnummi]

Are the little trim pieces holding the glass in the center frame a different size than the port and starboard trim pieces? My port and starboard trim appears to be 1/2 x 1 I don't have the original trim. Can someone take a look for me?