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Project Log:  Sunday, January 19, 2014

Picking up where I left off, I spent the day installing the windows in the pilothouse.  For each of the six units I installed (the aft-facing window would have to wait till later, after the cockpit area was painted), I followed the same basic steps.

After first cleaning the window frames of old sealant and other debris, I dry-fit each window in its opening, adjusting the opening as needed to allow the window to fit.  Once fit, I drilled through-holes at each fastener location, then dry-fit the inside section of the frame, securing it with several screws and then testing a screw at each location to ensure the frames were properly aligned--an additional step that I started after installing the first window.

Once I was satisfied with the dry-fit, I removed the window and wrapped the mounting flange with two strips of butyl tape, covering the entire flat area of the flange and wrapping slightly onto the section of the frame that would fit into the raw opening.


Finally, I installed the window in the opening, pressing it into the sealant, and from the inside installed the trim ring before installing the screws from outside, securing the window to the boat and pressing out excess sealant around the flange.

I started with the two small forward windows in the pilothouse.  For now, I left the excess sealant around the outside; I'd clean that up a little later.  Before installation, I'd removed the wooden trim over the wire chases at each pilothouse corner; I'd made these earlier so they would fit around the window frames once installed.

         

    

Next, for each side of the pilothouse, I installed the after side window, which was a fixed panel of glass; I installed this one first so I could reach through the forward opening to install and hold the trim ring in place.  (Note:  I apparently mis-labeled this window when I removed it years ago, as it is clearly the port side window; the little bag of fasteners and rubber molding that I'd also secured to the window was properly labeled.)

         


With the after window in place, I could install the forward window, which was an opening window so I could still reach both sides as needed during the initial installation steps.  Once I'd completed both windows on the port side, I moved over to the other side and installed the final two. 

    

This mostly used up my supply of screws (the large windows required over 20 screws each), and anyway I'd had quite enough of the chore for now.   I left the butyl squeezeout for another time; the good thing about this stuff was that it wouldn't cure or harden, and I could theoretically clean it up anytime.

    

I'd made good progress, and the boat was feeling more whole all the time.  I'd only briefly experienced the boat with its windows in place, as their removal was one of the first things I did during the project, so it was sort of weird to be inside the pilothouse surrounded by glass.

           

    

         

Though these windows were installed, I still had to figure out how to cover the screws from outside--important for looks, perhaps, but also to add one more layer of weather protection.  I doubted I could reuse any of the original molding, and I knew that I was missing sections of it anyway. 

The molding is rubber, perhaps 3/8" across, with a sort of omega shape.  It fits into the channel on the outsides of the window frames.  I'd start searching some of my favorite suppliers and other sources to see if I could locate a suitable replacement.

         

 

Total Time Today:  4.5 hours

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