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Window Sealing

peterboy

By peterboy
in Boat Building & Maintenance

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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

Posted
Posted

Hi, does anybody know who manufactured the windows on Evans and Son Hulls around 1997/8? I need some new seals and cant see the name of the manufacturer on the windows themselves.

 

Thanks in anticipation !

 

Pete

Our's is a couple of years earlier than that, and I'm fairly cerain uses a Channelglaze window.

 

I'll check next time I'm there.

 

However, as ours are badged on the glass itself, if yours are not, its quite possible they are from a different source ?

 

Do you have a picture of one ?

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DHutch Veteran II

DHutchDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

A picture would be good, a lot of the rubber seals used seam to be fairly generic.

- I talked to the worcester marine guy, and he seamed very confident that he could source the correct rubbers for our 15 yo windows, which although made in worcester, on the same site, where from the prevous, and apprently totatly separate company.

- I just said to email him some photo of the units, in specific the crosssection of the rubber, and he should be able to sort it.

 

 

Daniel

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Moley Experienced

Moley

Posted
Posted

If I may hijack this thread, our windows are bedded on silicone.

 

By this I mean the aluminium frame is stainless-steel screwed through the steel cabin into the maple window surrounds, with a bead of silicone between the al and the steel. A couple of our windows still give an occasional drip through (inadequate or wrong sealant).

 

Has anyone used weed hatch tape between the two metals?

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stuart Experienced

stuart

Posted
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If I may hijack this thread, our windows are bedded on silicone.

 

By this I mean the aluminium frame is stainless-steel screwed through the steel cabin into the maple window surrounds, with a bead of silicone between the al and the steel. A couple of our windows still give an occasional drip through (inadequate or wrong sealant).

 

Has anyone used weed hatch tape between the two metals?

 

I've tried some putty type substance too and this wasnt that good. I'm going to try silicone next !

 

I think this thread is relating to the actual seal between the glass and the alu frame ?

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canalcruiser Explorer

canalcruiser

Posted
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I've tried some putty type substance too and this wasnt that good. I'm going to try silicone next !

 

 

Caravan accessory shops sell a Mastic strip with a paper backing on a roll. On our last boat I used this to seal behind all windows, mushrooms and an Houdini hatch with excelent results, no signs of a leak.

 

Chris

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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

Posted
Posted

If I may hijack this thread, our windows are bedded on silicone.

 

By this I mean the aluminium frame is stainless-steel screwed through the steel cabin into the maple window surrounds, with a bead of silicone between the al and the steel. A couple of our windows still give an occasional drip through (inadequate or wrong sealant).

 

Has anyone used weed hatch tape between the two metals?

 

Caravan accessory shops sell a Mastic strip with a paper backing on a roll. On our last boat I used this to seal behind all windows, mushrooms and an Houdini hatch with excelent results, no signs of a leak.

 

Chris

 

Sorry for staying :blush:, but a subject close to my heart.

 

A search will find lots of previous stuff on this.

 

Some people swear blind that a silicone seal is ideal between ali window frame and steel boat, and seem to get on fine with it, for many years, at least.

 

Others, such as the engineer at my marina, are equally insistent it's a poor choice, and say they have seen too many cases of an apparently good silicone seal not actually staying sealed to one of the surfaces. I can only say that on our boat, virtually every window sealed with silicone had ceased to be fully watertight within the 10 years before we bought it, so I'd only use it again if doing a quick fix, and not planning to keep the boat that long :o

 

I was recommended to use the "putty strip on a roll" type products, with a strong reccomendation to use "Glasticord". This was an Evostick product, that proved quite hard to source in suitable quantities.

 

So far so good, but the jury is still out for me, because it's designed to stay soft, with the window "floating" on a bed of it. Despite originally cutting back flush to the line of the frame edge, ours has crept out somewhat, so is not not now as tidy as it could be.

 

However it does seem to be a very effective seal, and because it's designed to ne thicker, probably copes better with cabin sides and or windows that are less than perfectly flat. I'll tell you in 109 years if it's better than silicone :blush:

 

Gary Peacock also mentioned something called "Arboseal" (I think!) in a previous post. This sounded like it may be similar to "Glasticord", but I'm not sure, as I couldn't find any to look at.

 

Midland Chandlers also sell something on a roll that LOOKS similar, but has no obvious branding. The problem with it was that it's "stickier", (a bit like a cross between BluTack and Chewing Gum in texture), and easily gets dragged out the screw holes, by the action of screwing the screws in. It may "creep" less than Glasticord, though ?

 

If there's a definitive answer to this, I'd love to know.

 

I previously asked "what do the better builders use ?", but got slapped down by one or two people for being naive that the professionals would make a better choice than the DIYers, I seem to remember!

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Moley Experienced

Moley

Posted
Posted
Sorry for staying :blush:, but a subject close to my heart.

We're not off topic Alan, we're discussing window sealing.

 

In any case, didn't you answer peterboy's original question within 5 minutes?

 

Thanks for a comprehensive study of available options.

 

No-one's commented on the weed hatch tape though ???

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Yamanx Rising Star

Yamanx

Posted
Posted

I work in the manufacturing industry building refuse collection vehicles etc. We do not fully weld the steel structure for a number of reasons. Instead of fully welding the structure we seal the remainder with polyurethene sealant, Ominseal for instance. It lasts for many years, easily the lifetime of the vehicle and these vehicles go through a hell of a battering.

 

More than fifty years? I dont know, but its what I've used as I have every faith in it and can highly recommend it. :blush:

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David Schweizer Veteran II

David Schweizer

Posted
Posted (edited)

All the substances mention so far seem to be Building Trade materials, designed for Houses etc. One of the problems with them is that whilst windows fixed with these materials are quite easy to remove from brickwork and timber, (especially with the assistance of a sledge hammer), two easily damaged metal surfaces present an altogether more difficult dismantling problem, ie they don't like being separated without force.

 

I much prefer double sided self adhesive closed cell foam, which is specificly designed for fitting large widows into vehicles. It is easy to use, causes no mess, does not creep, remains watertight, and is easy to separate if the window has to be removed. Midland Chandlers sell it either by the metre or by the roll.

Edited by David Schweizer
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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

Posted
Posted

All the substances mention so far seem to be Building Trade materials, designed for Houses etc. One of the problems with them is that whilst windows fixed with these materials are quite easy to remove from brickwork and timber, (especially with the assistance of a sledge hammer), two easily damaged metal surfaces present an altogether more difficult dismantling problem, ie they don't like being separated without force.

David,

 

I'm sure there will be no future problem removing and cleaning up a window bedded on the Glasticord product I mentioned.

 

It's not an adhesive, and doesn't set hard in any way. I'm very confident I could remove a window bedded on it easily if I wanted to.

 

Of course, the downside, is so could anyone, I guess. So it's hardly a "security" product :angry:

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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

Posted
Posted

Getting back to peterboy's original question.....

 

I still haven't been back to my Evans & Son boat, but have just discovered that by blowing up a bit of a picture I have that I can clearly see a "Channel Glaze" logo displayed on the pane.

 

Of course, this doesn't mean it's the same as yours.

 

If you post a picture of one of your windows, I can see if they appear to be.....

 

Alan

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DHutch Veteran II

DHutchDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted
Thanks very much for your help. I'm afraid I have not worked out how to insert a picture from one of my computer files !! When I've worked that out I'll send it to you no prob.

The easyest way is to use imageshack

- Just host the image with them (assuming its under 1.5mb) and then copy/paste the "for forums (1)" link into your message.

 

 

Daniel

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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

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Posted

Hi again Alan . .

 

Ok I've made a website for the window picture . . should be on this website address !

 

http://www.suffolkgold.co.uk

 

Thanks again

 

Pete

Hi Pete,

 

A bit hard to see the detail, but I'm fairly certain this is a different window from what we have.

 

Is it the type that has a black strip inserted around the frame, towards the outside edge, (presumably covering over whatever fastens window to boat).

 

If so it's the type that the Evans & Son boat that used to moor on the next pontoon to us had, not the type we have, (where the screws that hold the window to the boat are left uncovered).

 

Although our Evans boat and the one that was until recently next door were similar vintage, I'm now reminded that they had different windows, so it looks like I can't help. (They clearly used more than one type...)

 

The other boat has recently been sold, and I guess will no longer be in the marina, so I doubt I can take a look. If by any chance it hasn't moved off yet, I'll try and see if the windows carry any logo...

 

Alan

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peterboy Explorer

peterboy

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Hi Bottle (Keith)

 

Yes thanks a lot, I did look at the link and I'm sure they will have a suitable profile. It's going to be a week before I can get down to cut a bit off to match it so I thought I'd like to see if anybody recognised the make as they would probably sell the original seals.

 

Thanks

 

Pete

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Tommo Contributor

Tommo

Posted
Posted

Pete

 

The good news is I recognize the windows in your picture as being the same as I had fitted to an Evans boat, which was built for me in 1993. The bad news is I cannot remember the name of the company that made them, and I don’t have that boat anymore.

It was not Channel Glaze or Caldwell’s. I suspect that whoever it was is no longer in business.

 

It’s really bugging me now that I cant remember. :angry: They were quite a well known make, lets have some names of window manufacturers.

 

Tommo

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