All flocked up!

SCORPIO

Well-Known Member
Apr 7, 2008
2,742
Delaware
Boat Info
1989 300 DA
Engines
Twin 5.7 Merc Alpha I
Went to the boat today to finish some odds and ends and while I was there I took a look at the window flocking. The bottom sections were as brittle as a hard pretzel and in a number of pieces. I had lots of time so I thought I'd see if I could do one side. I started on the starboard side and was able to break out the bottom section with a thin screwdriver. The top section was supple and came right out. I drilled a 3/16" hole in the lowest part of the track to help drain the water that makes it past the weep slots. After cleaning the track with Windex and some papertowels, I moistened up a papertowel with WD-40 and wiped the new flocking and the inside of the track. Installation was very easy and I had enough time to do the port side. Overall, the job was much easier than I was expecting. Now I just hope nothing leaks.

I made some teak inserts for the area under the grab handles on the helm seat to replace the black Lexan that was cracked and broken. After some fiddling, I got them in and I think they look nice. I'll post some pics in my album for anybody that wants to see.

Finally, I'd like to say a big Flock You to the #$@!@% people with the boat in front (and up wind) from me for sanding their green bottom paint with no tarps or vaccuums. I think the part where they emptied the sander bag and then blew it around with the exhaust air from the Dewalt palm sander was the straw that broke the camels back! I have green dust all over my boat and all over me! I didn't have a change of clothes so I had to work in that green stuff all day. I will have a big clean up job in a few weeks to get that all off the nonskid. These two guys looked like Leprechans(sp), they were green from head to toe and even had it under their paper dust masks. I think the funniest part was their dog, a black lab, kept going under the boat while they were painting, it now has a green stripe running from its head to its tail, kind of like some weird St. Patricks day stunt. They did apologize for making a mess (like that really helped). I think they knew I was pissed when I muttered out loud (ok probablly more like shouted) How the H$%# much more sanding are you going to do!

Well home now and going to take a long hot shower.
 
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Get that bottom paint dust off of your boat before it rains or the morning dew gets on it. Your boat is about to be green for a while if it gets wet then dry.
 
:smt038Thats right Chris, You tell em were the flock to go, and how to flockin get there! And your you flockin green dog too!! LOL
 
I thought I knew almost all terms on the boat, but what the flock is a flocking flock?

As for the bottom paint, you should insist the flockers pay a professional to come out and clean your boat. Bottom paint dust has been known to work it's way into the gel coat and in a worse case scenairo, wet sanding is the only way to get rid of it. I'd be getting medieval on their flocking heinies.

Flocking is what Taylor calls their rubber and felt window channel. I think most of us would call it weather stripping but they insist its called flocking.
Every year we have the bottom paint dust to contend with, one of the problems with a DIY boatyard. Usually, people don't sand while there are others right nearby or else they put up plastic to catch the dust. These horses arses were somebodys "hired" help. Kind of reminded me of Larry, Daryl and Daryl from Newhart, I think it was Daryl and Daryl, maybe the striped dog was Larry. I'd love to know how they plan to get that off of his fur.
 
I replaced all the flock on my 88 300DA. Looks great! Still leaks though. About cut some relieve holes at the aft corners of the trim.
 
I replaced all the flock on my 88 300DA. Looks great! Still leaks though. About cut some relieve holes at the aft corners of the trim.
Well thats not very incouraging. I was thinking of having my glass co. make 2 fixed plexi windows, and have them urethaned in. I never open them anyways. Any thoughts from the team?:huh:
 
unfortunately its the aluminum casement that will leak after sealing up the plexi,the forward part of the plexi has window sealing tape around it that can be purchased at rv centers easy to put on plexi but it wants to stick while reinstalling into extrusion,took me three times of taping ,cleaning it off tapeing ,cleaning it off.... anyway there is a thread about drilling a weep hole on herethat akbassking started and his windows arent the same as ours because he has a db but if you read it look at pics then use the same principal on your windows ti will work.also you must cut reliefs in the new flocking before installatrion to keep it from sealing the water to the inside of the track.
 
Every year we have the bottom paint dust to contend with, one of the problems with a DIY boatyard. Usually, people don't sand while there are others right nearby or else they put up plastic to catch the dust. These horses arses were somebodys "hired" help. Kind of reminded me of Larry, Daryl and Daryl from Newhart, I think it was Daryl and Daryl, maybe the striped dog was Larry. I'd love to know how they plan to get that off of his fur.

This should be addressed by the Marina owner. But obviously is not. I would type out a 'DO NOT DO' list, then tell the Marina owner you would like to tape it to his front door also make enough copies to distribute to each boat owner. That way they have all been warned properly before you go ballistic on the next clueless Jack Ass.
 
I drilled the holes in the bottom of the channel. Its kind of obvious where they need to be just by looking at the accumulated gunk at the low spot. I only made them 3/16" but may have to increase that if they clog up.

OLDS, on those cuts, Did you make them to both sides of the flock channel or only to the outside? Mine was so badly falling apart I couldn't tell even if there were any cuts. I put mine on the outside in line with the weep slots. I made them about an inch or so long. I didn't want to take out too much for fear of removing too much support and allowing water to past and inside. If I need them larger or on the inside, I can easily do that now since the material is new and very flexable.
 
I think i put a few all the way through as there is a trough on the inside that will drain to the outside.I think i even went and drilled through the flocking at the weep slot covers while they were removed ,carefully.I am sure they were originally all the way through ,i had a few ft that wasnt destroyed when i removed them.but i had my windows completely off the boat and in the basement when i did it.
 
I think I will do the last three slots all the way thru, I don't think much water stays in the foreward part of the channel as its much higher than the area further aft. I just cut slots in the rubber with a razor blade. I'll pull the flock up out of the track at each slot and make my cuts while the stuff is still soft and pliable.
 
sounds about right.
 
These two guys looked like Leprechans(sp), they were green from head to toe and even had it under their paper dust masks.

Depending on what was in that bottom paint, they could be flocking sick. On the upside, they won't have any barnacles in their lungs.
 
Oh I'm certain it was good quality copper based bottom paint. I still want to know how they cleaned the dog, hopefully they didn't bathe him in acetone. I wish I had my camera handy, that was certainly an unusual looking dog.
 
Well thats not very incouraging. I was thinking of having my glass co. make 2 fixed plexi windows, and have them urethaned in. I never open them anyways. Any thoughts from the team?:huh:

Hmmm, I open mine all the time...and I thought they called it schlagle or something, not flocking?????
 
isnt shlagle the short vertical piece inbetween the sliding window and the fixed window?I just know my bill called it flocking straight from taylormade.
 
I never heard af a schlagle, I got shingles, but there on my roof, I dont flocking know!
 
My bill says flocking as well. Just ordered a piece to do the aft cabin window and the girl on the phone called it flocking.
 
Hey Chris, looks like we got a pretty good week end coming, might actually be able to cut off the shrink wrap ! I'm going to take a real close look at the side windows, particularly the drain holes. Are you already in the water?
 
No, I'm still in the boatyard, probablly not going in until mid May.
 

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