Windshield Tightening

[Secret Spot]

Has anyone had to refasten or tighten their windshield to the cuddy.  The window frame moves around  and is loose on my 17' SR.  It may even have a broken fastener or two.  If so, what's the trick to fixing the problem I described?  I'm just not really sure how to go about it.

Thank you in advance...

Larry - Secret Spot

[Markshoreline]

Most of us with older boats have done it.  In particular, Seattleflyfisher and DSCS have done very fine jobs on theirs.

Take a pencil and scribe the fit of the windshield onto the fiberglass, so when you place it back in position you will have a guide. 
Remove the plastic trim pieces near the bottom of the windshield, then removed the screws.  You need to do one side at a time because the windshield is in two pieces, one holds the opening window.  Also remove the screws holding the supports to the fiberglass at the opening window.

Fill the holes in the fiberglass with MarineTex and allow to cure. 

Meanwhile, remove the old gasket material and glue from the bottom of the windshield, get some new gasket and cut and glue into place.  SFF says that Arima has a new gasket that doesn't have seams that is the best choice.

Line the windshield up with your scribe lines, drill and screw and you're about done.  My plastic trim pieces were very brittle so they broke and I have not replaced them.  Perhaps someone here knows where to find the trim.

DSCS disassembled the window panes and had his frame sandblasted and powder coated.  It looks great!

[Sea DewD]

Any rv store will have rolls of replacement filler that works great,
I think our local store has black & white.
When installing the new filler ,try an install the longest piece that you can possibly get in.. so when it shrinks you won;t get gaps on the ends.... you got to work at it a little .

Sea DewD

[Secret Spot]

Thanks guys!  Great detail -- thanks again...

Larry - Secret Spot

[DSCS]

I didn't go to the great lengths that Mark did to reattach the windshield once I reassembled it. I just hit the screw holes with some water-thin super glue to harden the fiber glass in the holes and put the screws back in the original holes. I missed the corners when installing the foam so filled with Life Seal. Will see how it works out. If I have leaks I will have to pull the windows again and make sure I have foam under everything.

I also have a problem with the gap under the moveable center windshield section. It always had a bigger gap under the starboard side than the port side. When I put the windshield back in I spent a lot of time getting the center braces on the windshield just right so the gap under the door was even. After about a week I looked at it again and the gap under the door was back just like it was before.   :hoboy:   I "fixed" it before by having a piece of weather strip attached to the bottom of swinging windshield section and an overlapping piece attached to the deck where the windshield closes. I did that again until I have time to mess with the windshield some more to see if there is any way to even up the gap permanently.

Alan

[Markshoreline]

SFF mentioned that Arima now has a new one piece seal that goes under the windshield- that would eliminate the corner leakage!!!

[DSCS]

SFF mentioned that Arima now has a new one piece seal that goes under the windshield- that would eliminate the corner leakage!!!

If I have leaks I'll look into the new seal. To tell the truth I was just happy that I was able to reassemble the windshield from the thirty-some pieces I had in boxes in the garage!     It's good for now until I can give it a thorough leak test.