I went the Plexus route and I was very pleased with the results. The gun was air powered making it easy to use and the newer products have a better working time than the original stuff. I'm on 4 years and happy. This is my second attempt however. In the original job I think I squeezed too much goo out and the seal Failed later that year. I was excited to try the 3m double sided structural aviation tape but the method was untried at the time and I was concerned about the resins attacking the acrylic like 5200 will. Don't fear the Plexus.
Brent 27-5 Lake Winnipeg Sent from my iPhone > On Feb 12, 2015, at 9:49 AM, Frederick G Street via CnC-List > <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: > > For all the people on the list that have had some success with the Sika > option, I’m with Rick: the original Plexus solution still seems to be the > best option to me, so long as it’s done carefully and with the correct > materials. This means that you need to use cast, not extruded acrylic for > the lights, and it needs to be the proper thickness (3/8” for pretty much all > of our boats). On my first C&C, a 1981 30mkI, the original installation > lasted until about 1997 before the windows started to leak; that’s sixteen > years. On my current 1979 Landfall 38, the windows were incorrectly replaced > by the former owner before I purchased her in 2005; he used 1/4” cheap > acrylic, and it’s split in many places. When I replace them this year, I > will be using a Plexus product and high-quality 3/8” acrylic, along with > LifeSeal for the final edging around the cabin sides. > > Fred Street -- Minneapolis > S/V Oceanis (1979 C&C Landfall 38) -- on the hard in Bayfield, WI :^( > >> On Feb 12, 2015, at 9:40 AM, Charlie Nelson via CnC-List >> <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: >> >> My windows were replaced by a local yard about 10-12 years ago before I was >> paying attention to this list. There appear to be screws >> involved whose heads I can see from the outside--probably screwed thru the >> windows to the fiberglass in the 'frame'--but I am not sure. >> >> Some of them are beginning to leak again and over the years I have seen some >> spitting of the fiberglass on the inside around the windows. >> I think this was a result of hull stresses while sailing. >> >> I have solved this with thickened epoxy and a pressure clamp to squeeze the >> splits together while the epoxy cured. >> >> My question for the list is if I decide the windows should be replaced >> again, should I bite the bullet and go with the Plexus/glue >> route or return to a glued and screwed solution, which the first repair >> seems to have been. >> >> Since the factory window installation began leaking early in the boats >> history (5-10 years), I am not sure the windows were installed with the >> best solution originally so returning to a similar fix seems at least >> counter-intuitive. >> >> Further, I am less interested in a 'pure, original solution' fix than a >> simple fix that works, which the original fix did for ~ 12 years. Since most >> of the repair cost is likely to be in the labor involved (not the cost of >> the windows), any solution will likely cost about the same. >> >> Charlie Nelson >> Water Phantom >> 1995 C&C 36 XL/kcb >> >> >> >> cenel...@aol.com >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Rick Brass via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> >> To: Edd Schillay <e...@schillay.com>; cnc-list <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> >> Sent: Thu, Feb 12, 2015 9:22 am >> Subject: Re: Stus-List Window Installation - 1985 41 >> >> I have the aluminum frame windows on both my boats, which I consider to be >> less stylish but much more practical, so I'm basically just an interested >> onlooker to this discussion. But it seems to me a point made several years >> ago in a similar thread has been lost here. >> >> The frameless windows were glued into the deck/cabin structure and helped to >> stiffen it, which also helps to stiffen the whole boat. >> >> Plexus seems a right PITA to use, but it has lasted the better part of 30 >> years on our old boats. And the comments about damaging gel oat when >> removing old portlights speaks to its tenacity as an adhesive. >> >> Sika 295uv, and the 3M equivalent, are great adhesives and sealers. (And >> also a PITA to use. Don't even THINK about not using the primer.) I used >> Sika 295 on my rebuilt hatches, and it is great for car windshields (which >> are bedded in rubber so the window does not crack as the car body flexes) >> but it remains flexible. And from the previous discussions on the list I've >> gotten the impression that the hull and deck flexing leads to leaks in a few >> years, and polycarbonate portlights held in by screws tend to get cracks at >> the stress points. >> >> As I said, I have no real experience with the glued in portlight solutions >> and I'm happy with my simple, cheap, durable, but not stylish aluminum >> frames. I just wanted to remind the group about why the frameless portlights >> were glued in by C&C in the first place. >> >> Rick Brass >> >> Sent from my iPad >> >> On Feb 8, 2015, at 20:38, Edd Schillay via CnC-List < cnc-list@cnc-list.com> >> wrote: >> >> We have the frameless windows and did the replacement last Spring. We used >> 3M fuselage tape - and although the prep was a lot of work, we are very >> pleased with the end result. >> >> >> All the best, >> >> Edd >> >> ------------------------------- >> Edd M. Schillay >> Starship Enterprise >> NCC-1701-B >> C&C 37+ | City Island, NY >> www.StarshipSailing.com >> ------------------------------- >> 914.332.4400 | Office >> 914.774.9767 | Mobile >> ------------------------------- >> Sent via iPhone 6 >> iPhone. iTypos. iApologize >> >> On Feb 8, 2015, at 8:24 PM, Frederick G Street via CnC-List < >> cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: >> >> That might work; but butyl’s NOT an adhesive, so you would definitely need >> the screws/bolts. >> >> Fred Street -- Minneapolis >> S/V Oceanis (1979 C&C Landfall 38) -- on the hard in Bayfield, WI :^( >> >> On Feb 8, 2015, at 7:22 PM, Gary Zuehlke via CnC-List < >> cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: >> >> Would the butyl tape work on frameless windows that were attached by screws? >> What about bolts all the way through to some nice wood trim that would >> "clamp" the cabin top sides between the windows and interior trim? >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> Email address: >> CnC-List@cnc-list.com >> To change your list preferences, including unsubscribing -- go to the bottom >> of page at: >> http://cnc-list.com/mailman/listinfo/cnc-list_cnc-list.com >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> Email address: >> CnC-List@cnc-list.com >> To change your list preferences, including unsubscribing -- go to the bottom >> of page at: >> http://cnc-list.com/mailman/listinfo/cnc-list_cnc-list.com >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> Email address: >> CnC-List@cnc-list.com >> To change your list preferences, including unsubscribing -- go to the bottom >> of page at: >> http://cnc-list.com/mailman/listinfo/cnc-list_cnc-list.com >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> Email address: >> CnC-List@cnc-list.com >> To change your list preferences, including unsubscribing -- go to the bottom >> of page at: >> http://cnc-list.com/mailman/listinfo/cnc-list_cnc-list.com > > _______________________________________________ > > Email address: > CnC-List@cnc-list.com > To change your list preferences, including unsubscribing -- go to the bottom > of page at: > http://cnc-list.com/mailman/listinfo/cnc-list_cnc-list.com >
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