26D -Swapping in new windows & cutting hole bigger question.

[Loala]

Changing my faded out windows on my 26D this weekend. Have read the window mod; all great points and advice!

While I have the old glass out I want to dremel or sabre-saw the openings out just a bit more for better view and to let a little more light in. Esp. the bathroom. Is there anything to beware of or is it pretty much simple straight foward? Any advice? (Just cutting 1/4" or so...)

Is there any issues with cutting this area ie., possibly the bond between the inner and outer hull shells at the window where I would need to rebond them together?

Also, if I cut away the edge of the window opening will I have raw fiberglass exposed? It seems smooth now with some sort of paint or something smooth applied, will I need to repaint where my cuts are made and with what?

Would be great if anyone has done this before and could shed some light on what to and not to do.

TIA!

[RobertB]

I believe the windows probably mount in an inset flange so they appear flush with the outside of the hull - cutting the opening larger will remove this mounting area. If you cut larger, how do you plan to mount your windows?

[Loala]

I was thinking left to right not upper and lower. All the screw holes would still be intact. I was mainly thinking of the bathroom. There is a tiny hole for light there and it could be much larger without going into any mounting areas.

[Loala]

Update:

Ok the windows came off fairly easily by one person pushing from the inside and another gently pulling from the outside.

Started scraping the silicone off with a plastic scraper. Disaster. Doesn't work too well. Used a razor blade scraper and gently slid back & forth underneath the silcone and it separated from the hull slowly but surely.

Now the problem I'm having is there is a very small, I mean tiny, film of silicone on the hull that I cannot get off. Goo-Gone, Laquer Thinner, and alcohol doesn't seem to be working. Is there a chemical out there that I can use to dissolve all the silicone off the hull so I can be working with the fiberglass surface again? Or does it not matter? Just silicone the new windows over the old silicone film? Again, its a super thin film. Not even the razor blade can get it off. Thats why I figured I'd need a chemical to dissolve it...

[Loala]

Update:

This is a complete & utter disaster! I did one windoe and silicone is everywhere and the alcohol just turns it white and smudges it. I cannot clean it up at all. I'm forced to wait till completely dry because the more I try to clean it up the more it sticks to everything and starts pulling away from the window/seal. There's smudges all over the inside of the window that is half dried now and I have no idea how to clean or what chemicals to use. I'm afraid to use a scraper because it just pushes it around and makes the mess even worse and laquer thinners or alcohol just turn it white and harden it.

Silicone is nasty and I never want to work with it ever again!

Help!!!

[Ormonddude]

I am so sorry I did not see this thread sooner - I use masking tape around the edges when I want to make real clean seams with silicone, so maybe before you do any more windows STOP and lay some 1" masking tape like a quarter inch around the lexan and the opening then squeeze a fine bead of silicone around the window and carefully finger smear it flush and remove the tape before it skins to much as long as not only silicone is holding in the window - if only silicone is what you plan then Tack bead it like in welding make a few small dabs while it is taped in place let them cure over night then do the rest of it as described above. - Also YES stop let it all kick off and use http://www.acehardware.com/product/inde ... agpspn=pla it is a very mild solvent and will take elbow grease and scotch brite pad but should not harm anything - the best of Luck and I hope this helps So again
1. Tape it in place
2.tack it with small beads
3.mask all the way around it and the opening
4. lay the bead and smooth it
5.carefully remove masks pulling away from work and not letting it hit something else bunch it up as you go

[Loala]

Rereading the instructions that came with the windows says to not touch the silicone, let it ooze wherever, then when dry cut with a razor blade and peel away. Sound logical? I went ahead and did another window with the masking tape laid down. I was thinking to cut with a razor blade and peel away the masking tape after it dries. Sound like a better plan?

Thanks for your help.

I'm going to try to locate some of that Dap Silicone be gone. I called the local Ace near me and they've discontinued it but I'll try a few more in other areas.

[Ormonddude]

if you touch it after it skins it makes a mess its important to get the tape off before the silicone starts to cure or it can actually hold the tape instead of the tape controlling the bead - I hope this is clear I always leave my finger smear starts and stops in the corners if you lay a perfect bead Don't touch it But your going to get much better professional Results if just understand if it has Jelled and you touch it - its going to like ball and bunch up So practice on the Smaller Sides with masks in place Lay the Bead and smear from corner to corner then do it at the top working comfortably fast then other side and bottom always start and end in the Corner where the slight build up is not as noticeable then wait just a few minutes and carefully remove the masks if any little dairy queen like swirls are left at the silicone edge LEAVE THEM and cut them off after it cures - If done right there should be almost no trimming at all when its done the mask and finger smear should have handled all that. If you dont want to smear it just don't but you better try to control the bead width or when the tape is removed as I mentioned before Little Dairy Queen like curly Q's will be left along the tape path. I guess what I am trying to say is they dont want you to touch it because if you dont touch it fast enough it makes a total Mess - as for me I touch it as soon as the bead is laid and have no problems
After thought on the Dap test it before using it on Lexan also goof off May work

[Loala]

Hi Ormonddude!

I see what you are saying. Ok last weekend I did the second window like you said. I came back to my boat this weekend and what I found was the silicone must have kept oozing all night because when I left it was level with the window but now see it oozed out more all around it. This morning I proceeded to take a new sharp razor blade and cut all around the window. I was surprised to see after a week how soft and gummy the silicone was. The tape was a good idea but it still stuck to the edge of the window. When I try to peel it off it smudges like sticky adhesive residue. I tried the Goof Off but it seems to work about the same as water. Nada! The cuts along the window weren’t very clean either. Kind of jagged if I had to explain it, because the razor pulled the silicone as it was cutting. This is the least fun job I’ve had with my Mac so far.

As for the Dap Silicone I bought it because it was the only thing I could find the was 100% UV protection. I am a bit disappointed with it because I thought it was going to harden up like the typical caulking you would buy for your bathtub or the stuff you see holding the glass together in aquariums. On the lighter side, being that it was so soft it didn’t take much effort to slice through it with the razor blade as long as you kept cutting a little then cleaning the little sticky balls of silicone off the edge of the blade.

So in summary, the tape was a great idea as it gave you something to peel the silicone up with and kept the fiberglass surface clean. Also for the third window what I think I’m going to do is put a thick coat of wax all around the edge of the window, lay the tape, silicone it in and let it stay like that untouched. Then next week I will come back and cut the silicone off again and hope it just peels right off the side of the window this time. Stay tuned.

Thanks again for the help and advice.

[kmclemore]

Well, the main problem is you've used "Dap Silicone"... that's NOT the right stuff for bedding windows on boats. In my posting I was pretty clear that there are only two products you should even consider using. And both clean up with alcohol.

http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/v ... 74#p248774

[Loala]

West Marine told us to use this.
The stuff you used was black & you put it on a boat with black painted fiberglass.
My boat is white.
There was no option for the stuff you used in clear.
Thanks

[kmclemore]

You could have used white. Both products come in that colour.

I'm sorry you had a mess on your hands. West Marine is not always the best place for advice... the folks that work there often haven't a clue.

[Loala]

So if this method I'm going to use on my next window works well as far as working with it, do you see any problem with using this Dap silicone product as a sealant between the window and hull?

Ps. I didn't want to have two shades of white on the boat as my white boat from 1988 is not the same bright white some of the other products come in.

[kmclemore]

Well, it's just me perhaps, but I'd NEVER use pain silicone on a boat anywhere. It ages badly, collects dirt, it eventually leaks anyway and it's a total disaster to try and remove.

I'd use the proper stuff in either white of buff colour (whichever is closer to your boat's aged colour). It's a boat folks... the main point isn't to be pretty... if it were you'd be polishing that boat down to its original white colour... the point is to be watertight, safe and as low-maintenance as possible.

[Ormonddude]

It Does sound like a product failure to me, I have used silicone for less important areas to be cost effective Like my Helm seal where I may have to get back in there again or Maybe as a Fail safe on things like plumbing connections its a Excellent gasket sealer.