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I know that are some articles on (black art) but the windows are out and had some surprises when I cleaned and found some cracks in the seating and some stress crack on the surouding frame. Help!!!!
Will gelcoat work for a filler?
By seating, I assume you mean the coachroof itself (f'glass & gelcoat) and frame, the aluminum frame.
There is bound to be some stress cracking in the gelcoat of this area. As long as it's not a flag to the star cracks and softness that you see in the pics of Critical Path in the section on deck repair it's probably okay. And filling stress cracks is a waste of time. They will just come back unless you can also remove the reason for the local stress (as for instance, when stanchions are reinforced).
The cracks in the frames are more of an issue, long-term. At this point, with the season about to begin, I'd either put them back in and watch them to ensure that the cracks don't get bigger. Or call South Shore (in Contacts) and ask for replacements to be sent, quickly.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Offline
When I talk about seating , I mean the location where the plexi sit in the window frame. Thank-you for your help. The boat is a MarkIII and I am going to try to install the original way ( glewed in)
Towser has little stress cracks in that area. I ignored them (on the advice of an experienced glass worker).
As noted in the Black Arts item on windows, Sikaflex has a hatch-gluing system that I used for the portlights in the head. I don't know if that's suitable for the main ports. I'd call Sikaflex and ask.
The alternative is to rent a special methacrylate glue gun from South Shore (they had it on display at the boat show). They make you pay a huge deposit -- the value of the gun -- but methacrylate may be stronger.
Digression: Current Corvettes are put together with methacrylate glue. This means that in 20 years or so, all Corvettes will leak or fall apart or something, just like our windows.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Last edited by (2007-04-23 09:59:28)
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Offline
In our club here at Bronte Harbour, we have had a few C&C's replace the modern-style windows after they started to spring free and leak. If we repeat the mounting approach originally used by C&C, because they felt that it looked 'sexier', then we let ourselves in for the same problems all over again. Rather than using the methacrylate glue gun, the optimal method appears to be one initially used on a 27 Mk IV, and later adopted by others.
He had new acrylic windows cut which were just a hair smaller than the old ones, to allow for the differential in expansion (perhaps a 1/8-inch difference all around). He then bedded the windows with the black mastic which is used by auto window replacement specialists. This comes in strips much like the grey butyl tape used on our toe-rails. The windows were then through-bolted into the frames, to hold them in place and press them into the mastic. When drilling the holes in the window acrylic, it is important that the holes be slightly oversize, to again allow for the differential in expansion under the hot sun. Using stainless cup washers against the window under the bolt heads provides an excellent cover for the oversize holes. On the inside of the cabin you can use 'Acorn' nuts, which will cover the end of the bolt and look nice.
These windows have been in place for several years now without any problem. George claims that if he ever does see a leak, all he needs to do is tighten a couple of screws and the leak stops. I intend to replace the windows in Carriden in this fashion sometime this year.
Good luck with your project!
Marcus, from Carriden
Just to add to Carriden's comment. I used black silicone for the bedding of the windows and used the through bolt technique. Be sure to avoid putting a bolt directly in a corner since that will likley cause it to crack. Reguardless of what goo you use make sure it is compatable with the acylic and slightly countersink the inside of the bolt hole too so the goo is forced into the hole as the widow is bedded. It is also a good idea to mark the inside contact face of the window and scuff up the contact surface with sandpaper so the goo has a bit more "tooth" to adhere to the window ...MURR
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