Resealing new acrylic in fixed window

[Kismet36]

I have a Westerly Corsair and have replaced the smaller fixed windows with new acrylic. The original rubber seal has deteriorated but I tried using the original seals and adding silicone. Two of the four I did are leaking.

The aluminum channel is 1/2 inch wide, and so far the only replacement I've found is in England, where the boat was manufactured. It's called "extruded rubber seal for fixed window", and is 3mm thick. If all went well I've attached a picture of the replacement seal and my channel.

Thanks for reading this far! I'm hoping to find a replacement here in the US or other ideas which might work.

Thanks!

[Madehn]

try an auto body shop-- they may well have something that will work- if not could you fill the channel with butyl tape, push the acrylic in and then trim the excess- would be easy and cheap to try

[Nicholson58]

Butyl tape or caulk is the best for long life and flexibility.

[SVTatia]

Maybe this type? It does not need to be exactly the same as long as it does the job of keeping the water out.

https://www.mcmaster.com/#rubber/=1dzt1iy

[Bill O]

Try a good auto glass/windshield replace shop to see what they have or try the search terms for a "marine window channel". Other places to look beside McMasters would be some local smaller older marine parts stores (not WM, Defender) that still carry rolls of various port gaskets, etc.

It's been a while, but I've seen similar type channels sold in the US, so keep looking. The search may take you a while.

If the replacements are still available it may be worth it vs. attempting to use something close and then not working as well in the long run. Could save a lot of time/effort.


Bill O.

[deblen]

The AdvanTec Store: Gaskets & Tracks/Windows/T-Bar Gasket

[aa1bflyboy]

We found a place in New England, CT I think. They sell it by the 100’ roll. I got lucky and a friend at my club had just bought a roll. They will sell you a sample selection if you are not sure which one you need. The cost is very reasonable so that even buying far more than you need doesn’t break the bank. My friend would not take anything for the stuff he gave me. BTW I believe it is called neoprene glazing.

[Lionshooter]

On my 6 ports, I used shower door glazing from Ace Hardware. I believe it was a 50' roll, maybe 100. Been 10 years and no leaks. But it was not easy getting it pressed into the channel. I ended up spreading the channel slightly then hammering it back with a rubber mallet.
Not a job I ever want to do again. Good luck.

[roverhi]

For US boats, catalinadirect.com sells a rebuild kit for large fixed ports that were used on by many different manufacturers, not just Catalina's, from the '60s and beyond. Know the same aluminum extrusion, seal, and 3/16" glazing was used on my '69 Pearson, '76 Sabre and probably many others. You might carefully measure your frame and contact Catalina Direct to see if their fix kit will work with your extrusion. Their Kit is a length of new rubbery 'U' strip to fit into the aluminum extruded frame and seal the plexiglass, Dow 795 sealant for sealing the Plexiglass into the rubbery 'U' seal and the seal into the aluminum extrusion, and a tube of 3M 4200 to seal the aluminum frame to the cabin side.

The kit works with 3/16" thick glazing but not much thicker. Apparently there was 3/16" safety glass available in the past but no longer. The thinnest safety glass is now thicker than 3/16" and won't work with the old aluminum channel frame. It's fairly easy to do the rebuild with a helper. Wouldn't want to do it solo, my third and fourth hands are sadly lacking. The 795 silicone is easy to clean up with just paper towels unlike the typical silcone sealant. Used butyl tape from Mainesail to seal the port to the cabin sides.

[Kismet36]

Thanks for all the replies and PMs. I've mostly used 4200 or similar to seal the frame to the fiberglass, but on this one I had used butyl tape. It was not easy to remove when I had to do this over. It might work to seal in the acrylic though.