Window seals

[Opener]

I've a 20yr old boat and a number of the window seals have shrunk in length. Probably a bit hard as well. Mainly fixed glazing with opening hoppers at the tops. Does anyone recognise the profile of the seals on the outside? They just 'jam' the glazing in position and don't grip the glass. Most of the products on-line seem to fit onto the glass. The straight profile to the left in the piccie is all that remains visible when fitted.

[Tony Brooks]

As no one has replied, I suggest that you email that photo to Seals Plus Direct to see if they can come up with a solution.

[rusty69]

Or browse their website. There are somelikely looking candidates, but best to ask. I have used them in the past, and they are very helpful.

 

 

https://www.sealsdirect.co.uk/shopping.asp?intDepartmentId=4#75

[Tony Brooks]

I suspect that a suitable diameter rubber/neoprene cord would do the job, it would just be larger than the cord used on modern windows.

 

If you do take the whole seal out and you have drain holes through the frame, make sure you wedge the glass up in the bottom of the frame, otherwise the drians may block.

Edited June 1, 2023 by Tony Brooks

[Opener]

Thanks for the comments and advice, guys. From the lack of replies, I'm guessing that, once again, I've got something obscure........ I'll order a sample pack of rubbers and see which one fits best (if at all!!)

Thanks, Tony, for the comment about about drain holes. It answers a longstanding puzzle about one of my sliding side windows and why there is glass visible through the drain hole from outside. Sounds like the glazing has 'dropped' at some point and I may be able to 'persuade' it up again if I can loosen the rubber bead a bit.

[Tony Brooks]

1 minute ago, Opener said:

Sounds like the glazing has 'dropped' at some point and I may be able to 'persuade' it up again if I can loosen the rubber bead a bit.

 

I am not sure how draining would work on sliding windows unless the window on small plastic blocks. FWIW, and I do not recommend this because a slight mishap could have toughened glass shattering, but I gently levered my glass upwards with a thin flat blade screwdriver through the holes from the outside. I left the rubber glazing cord in place.

[Opener]

7 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

I am not sure how draining would work on sliding windows unless the window on small plastic blocks. 

OK - not well explained. Window comprises two smaller half-panes which sit in trough/tracks - one fixed, one sliding horizontally. Any condensation on the inside will fill a track 'cos the drain hole to the outside is blocked by the ?dropped glazing. I'd always assumed the glass was oversized but maybe not. Certainly worth investigating based on your comment. Ta!

[adrianh]

Be very careful trying to lever the glass up without removing the rubber cord first.

My glass shattered when I tried this.

The breakage meant the window had to be removed, dismantled at the top corners ( old BA thread screws and 1/8 dia pop rivets ) and toughened shaped glass obtained ( took about 10 days to get.

Also the rubber cord needs to be quite a soft grade of EPDM grade rubber ( called 40 shore hardness).

Can you post more pictures to show which rubber you are looking.

 

[Mad Harold]

Sliding widows are a pain to get absolutely watertight.Remember old Minis and Land Rovers!

Tony's advice is sound, in that there must be space for water to run out. 

My boat had a 2" ally strip screwed and glued to the bottom of the frame inside. 

It gave more time for the water that gathered in the sliding grooves to percolate out and not overflow inside.

[Opener]

9 minutes ago, adrianh said:

 

Can you post more pictures to show which rubber you are looking.

 

Only got a couple of mobile phone piccies taken for my own benefit to try and source via t-internet. I'm now buying a sample pack 'cos I can't identify the right one visually. I only freed one end to check on the profile but a few of my windows are affected. Weirdly, it looks like the seals have shrunk longitudinally. I've filled the ends with gunge but would prefer to replace with the proper length. 

[Tony Brooks]

6 minutes ago, Opener said:

Weirdly, it looks like the seals have shrunk longitudinally.

 

All rubbers seem to do that, I think it is because they get stretched during assembly, rather than compressed, so over time they revert to their manufactured length. Although mine were round rubber cord, I cut one top corner and pushed them back. That left about a 3/4" gap, but as it was at the top it did not cause any problems.