Window leaks

[Seif911]

Hey Jab,
Did u ever finish your window project? I am about to start mine and looking for your experience

[Seif911]

Morn' all,
I am finally getting to my window project. Yay! This far I have found that pulling the bottom board off will be a nightmare so I pulled the top board off, and pull the tracks out. Pretty interesting. There is a good bed of silicon but towards the edges the silicon is gone and a little rot. I am digging all of the rot out, and putting some sort of 'Git rot' on it, solidifying it. I think this will work out well, kind of exciting.

Next will be a bed of something, probably silicon, tempting to do 5200. Then put the tracks back in. Might even fill the weep holes with fiberglass resin and drill them back out, who knows.

[waybomb]

Consider using BoatLife caulk instead of silicone.

[Seif911]

I looked that caulk up. It is some really good caulk, a tad expensive though.

I just broke some of the tracking for the windows. I just ordered all new tracking last night. I also found from another website, that part of the window problem is the top deck just drains straight down and overwhelms the windows. I just ordered EZE RV gutters. I will put that above the windows to route the water around them. It should help out quite a bit.

[waybomb]

Many people misunderstand how silicone is to be used. Generally, silicone should be applied to a certain thickness on ONE of the sealing surfaces that has been excruciatingly cleaned, allowed to be cured completely, then the sealing joints assembled to a certain compressive force. Silicone does not have the attachment properties of a good caulk. If you think BoatLife is expensive, we use some caulks in the factory that cost twice as much, and we buy it by the case.
BoatLife is a bargain. Go shopping!

[Jab]

Just got the boat out of storage today! Will start tackling windows tomorrow. I'll post pix and experience as I go. I am a complete novice. Any and all comments welcomed!
JAB

[Seif911]

I bought 3 tubes of the BoatLife caulk, I hope it is enough. My window tinting is coming along slowly. I had to order my replacement window today for the one I broke. I am tempted to make the weep holes bigger or maybe more of them, still considering that. I suspect that the RV gutters will help me quite a bit. I'm moving but moving slowly!

[Seif911]

Hey Jab,
My biggest suggestion is to drop the cabinet above the sink and remove the top board above the window to get the windows out. It is really pretty easy. If you had any thoughts about tinting, this is the time!

[Jab]

You are absolutely right.
I made some progress today. Will post pix later when I have more time.
Removing the top board is wayyyyy easier. The window double channels are trashed- partly age, partly damage from owners screwing things into the board (shades, etc).
I ordered some Beckson marine vinyl double channel. Hopefully will work.
Once it arrives(and I have a few sunny days in the forecast) I'll remove all windows and tracks and clean out the space. I gave 6 drain holes along the outer run. I hope to be able to caulk the inner board some more as well.
I'm optimistic that it will end up looking better, working smoother, and being drier!
But you know what they say about best laid plans........
JAB

[Seif911]

Dang, you are almost the same as me for progress. I have all of the windows out on the one side. I also ordered the same tracking. I am going to use a wire brush to clean out everything that was under the old tracks. I am then going to use a few coats of some petrified wood hardener. That should solidify all of the wood and give a great adhesive surface for the BoatLife caulk, which I will use as a bed for the new tracks. Before I put the new tracks in, and after the petrified wood stuff, I am going to sand all of the teak, stain it with Maple stain, then coat with Cetol Marine Light. This stuff is awesome. It makes the teak look brand new. I replaced the hatch roof board with a sanded birch plywood, surrounded by teak edging. I coated it with Cetol, and you would never know I went cheap

Did you take the cabinets down over the sink? I can tell you I was not thrilled with my wife's idea, but man, she was right! What a difference. It just makes it seem larger and more open.