How to fix spreading windows?

[Condor1970]

The center window on my 1989 bowrider is spreading a little at the bottom of the window pane, and not seating evenly anymore due to the hull sagging over time. How do you fix this without having to rebuild the whole hull?

I was thinking of cutting and replacing that part of the flange where it rests, but not sure what would be the best way to do that.

Any suggestions?

 

[Chris1956]

I riveted a piece of flat aluminum stock over the original flange on the window. This allowed the boat to flex more, without the window falling thru.

 

[tpenfield]

You could prop up the two 'console' sides in the area of the walk-thru. Maybe 1/4" would do it to true up the window frame. More importantly, a sagging glass frame is one of the signs of structural issues, and those should not be over looked. Best to take a look in the engine bay, ski locker and other places to see if you have deterioration that is causing the consoles to sink more into the floor.

 

[jigngrub]

You can shim and trim them, but it isn't going to make the problem go away and it's only going to get worse as time goes on.

Your boat is getting weaker and less seaworthy by the season and deterioration will increase rapidly if the main problem isn't addressed.

 

[saginawbayboater]

The structure under the consoles needs looked at!!!

 

[Woodonglass]

Depends on what you're trying to acheive. If you're going to use her for a season of two more and then put her on the scrap heap, then prop up the center consoles to get her lined back up. If you want to keep her for another decade or two then as the others have said, you need to start the investigative process and you'll soon discover her "Bones" are in need of a "Do-Over"

 

[Condor1970]

I did find some slight delaminating of glass in the ski locker under the consoles. I will repair that for now with some glass and epoxy. There is also some rotted plywood underneath the glass. It is the vertical frame pieces that go forward and aft on the sides of the ski locker. I think this is it. The floor was replaced a few years ago, but not the stringers and framework underneath..

I won't be able to gut this thing this year, but will probably do it this winter, to get it ready for next season. I see no reason why it would be deemed unsafe, because the window gap is only about 1/8" on the bottom, and the flange on top is fine. So the bottom is moved out about 1/2" total.

 

[Condor1970]

Actually, now that I think about it. Since I have the carpet out, I think I may drill a line of holes along the top of those center stringers, and inject a bunch of epoxy resin down into them. Hopefully, it will give them some structural integrity, and prevent further sagging.


Sound like a good idea?

 

[jbcurt00]

I suspect you'll be surprised what you find if you dig into it. Minor outward signs can hide major problems. Boat & boat resto safely.

 

[Woodonglass]

I don't think injecting epoxy is gunna do much. I wouldn't waste my time, effort or money.

 

[Chris1956]

Gee, That sounds like my '88 SeaRay. The original keel was a piece of 1/2 plywood that was stapled on it's end, to the underside of the floor of the skiwell. The staple rusted away, the plywood fell over and the hull collapsed a bit, all due to the skiwell delamination. I ended up needing new stringers the length of the skiwell, a new floor in the skiwell an a new keel under the skiwell. Not too bad of a repair. Of course one of the strakes cracked a few years later. Now that stunk....