Double Eagle windshield leaks

[seachicken]

Hey new to this forum and new to a 20' Double Eagle we've just purchased. I'm unsure of age, could be 70s or 80s. Great boat so far but having water coming into the cabin around the hard top and windshield. Hard top was installed with foam tape which is an obvious issue I'm working on however I'm pretty sure there is also water coming through past the base of the windshield glass. When I push the glass out and let it relax water appears. Does anyone have any insight on popping the glass out to reapply butyl tape? Is a replacement available for the plastic retainer strip on the outside? I just don't want to rip it apart without knowing how to get it back together. Cheers.

 

[Chinookslayer]

Hey new to this forum and new to a 20' Double Eagle we've just purchased. I'm unsure of age, could be 70s or 80s. Great boat so far but having water coming into the cabin around the hard top and windshield. Hard top was installed with foam tape which is an obvious issue I'm working on however I'm pretty sure there is also water coming through past the base of the windshield glass. When I push the glass out and let it relax water appears. Does anyone have any insight on popping the glass out to reapply butyl tape? Is a replacement available for the plastic retainer strip on the outside? I just don't want to rip it apart without knowing how to get it back together. Cheers.

I've got a 83 DE 20'6 ...mine leaks through the window frame. Pretty bad actually. I would suspect all the window seals are shot on mine.

 

[seachicken]

I've got a 83 DE 20'6 ...mine leaks through the window frame. Pretty bad actually. I would suspect all the window seals are shot on mine.

From what I've found out since posting this is that the outside plastic trim is no longer available. I haven't had a chance to work on it much but hopefully soon will pop the outside trim out, remove the glass and apply new butyl tape (glazing tape) and apply sealant (probably 3M 4000) on the outside to hold it in. Hopefully fixes it. I'll post some pictures of what I find as I haven't been able to find many up to this point.

 

[terrin]

From what I've found out since posting this is that the outside plastic trim is no longer available. I haven't had a chance to work on it much but hopefully soon will pop the outside trim out, remove the glass and apply new butyl tape (glazing tape) and apply sealant (probably 3M 4000) on the outside to hold it in. Hopefully fixes it. I'll post some pictures of what I find as I haven't been able to find many up to this point.

I don’t think 4200 would be a good choice as you would likely break any window that is sealed with it if you had to remove again. Take it out then talk to a glass shop and see what is recommended.

 

[Corey_lax]

Silicone for glass to frame. Sika for frame to hull. Tape it off so the caulking looks nice

 

[seachicken]

I don’t think 4200 would be a good choice as you would likely break any window that is sealed with it if you had to remove again. Take it out then talk to a glass shop and see what is recommended.

But if the 4000 is on the outside its easy enough to take off with a blade or scraper? Was going to stop by apple auto Glass in Nanaimo after I get it back from Sea Tops.

 

[seachicken]

Silicone for glass to frame. Sika for frame to hull. Tape it off so the caulking looks nice

Sika is better than the 3M 4000? Definitely will tape it off. Lay a bed down for it or just lay a bead around the inside and outside? Or butyl tape for the bedding?

And silicone? Is that the general consensus? I think it should be banned, really hate it, I know it has its place but people use it when they have no clue or are lazy which creates more work for me. Proper sealants can be cleaned up, silicone can't always be. And then nothing wants to stick to it.

Thanks, I do appreciate the input though, I'm new to the 3M products and owning this size of boat.

 

[Corey_lax]

Sika is better than the 3M 4000? Definitely will tape it off. Lay a bed down for it or just lay a bead around the inside and outside? Or butyl tape for the bedding?

And silicone? Is that the general consensus? I think it should be banned, really hate it, I know it has its place but people use it when they have no clue or are lazy which creates more work for me. Proper sealants can be cleaned up, silicone can't always be. And then nothing wants to stick to it.

Thanks, I do appreciate the input though, I'm new to the 3M products and owning this size of boat.

Sika or 3m would be fine for bedding the frame to the hull. I just meant a decent polyurethane for that. But I’m a glazier and everything we do is silicone. We only use polyurethane in our industry if it’s going to be painted eventually or have to be redone at some point.

I would dry fit the frame and get your tape down. Then pull the frame and bed the frame back down into the sealant and wipe the excess.

 

[seachicken]

Sika or 3m would be fine for bedding the frame to the hull. I just meant a decent polyurethane for that. But I’m a glazier and everything we do is silicone. We only use polyurethane in our industry if it’s going to be painted eventually or have to be redone at some point.

I would dry fit the frame and get your tape down. Then pull the frame and bed the frame back down into the sealant and wipe the excess.

Ok I'll skip the butyl tape.

What sort of silicone? Something commercially available? Something better than your average hardware store stuff? Or is it just all the same?

 

[Corey_lax]

Ok I'll skip the butyl tape.

What sort of silicone? Something commercially available? Something better than your average hardware store stuff? Or is it just all the same?

Ours is all commercial stuff. Tremco spectrum 2. Dowsil 795 or cws. Not sure where you’d get it. If you’re in lower mainland, I could give you a couple tubes

 

[Corey_lax]

Or just stop by a glass shop near you and do a cash deal maybe

 

[seachicken]

Ours is all commercial stuff. Tremco spectrum 2. Dowsil 795 or cws. Not sure where you’d get it. If you’re in lower mainland, I could give you a couple tubes

Thank, I'm in Nanaimo, I'll look into though for sure. Thanks for the info and put some pictures up when I get into it. Hopefully this weekend.

Edit: both are available on Amazon!

 

[Corey_lax]

Thank, I'm in Nanaimo, I'll look into though for sure. Thanks for the info and put some pictures up when I get into it. Hopefully this weekend.

Edit: both are available on Amazon!

I’d still buy it from a glass shop. They’d likely have fresher stock. I’ve never bought sealants off Amazon before but I’d be worried it’s someone getting rid of super old sealants. And looks like they are charging $40 a cartridge which is ridiculous. Bring a case of lucky to a commercial glass shop and see if you can get everything you need lol.

To be fair, I’ve used 795 silicone that’s expired for like 2+ years and it still cures fine. But I’ve used the Home Depot junk that’s expired by a month and it will never cure. You want a neutral cure silicone, not one that smells like vinegar when you’re applying it.

 

[Alex_c]

In my experience, Sika 291 is pretty good stuff and it’s available locally for pretty cheap ($12.99 at Harbour Chandler) compared to the 3M offerings. I don’t think the 4200 is worth over 3x the price. I have also used 3M 4000UV and was not impressed, went chalky and deteriorating after 3 years and it’s supposed to be UV resistant. Maybe I have unrealistic expectations of longevity