How can I remove this efficiently?

[wesbstcroix]

With the heatwave we are having here in Minnesota I went out to the boat to get started on a few projects. One of which is resealing the round windows/skylights on top of the bow. I had noticed towards the end of last season how bad the caulk/sealant was and figured I would redo it in the spring with the shrinkwrap still on. I went at it for an hour today and realized I was making pitiful progress. Whatever is on there is just crumbling away in areas and seems I will never get it clean. I am just using a small putty knife at the moment.

What would you guys recommend to get this out? I was thinking of bringing a tool to sand in there or perhaps using some form of chemical? Or can I take this whole window off somehow, which would make this MUCH easier? I do not know how it is connected.

EDIT: Dumb question, but is this caulk or silicone?

Thanks in advance!

Wes

 

[Lazy Daze]

There's no reason to remove all of it, nor to remove the whole window. There's a number of attachments for a Dremel tool that can work. But so can a razor blade. Just slice along the edge of the fiberglass, and then along the edge of the portlight. Then come in at an angles to meet the bottom of your straight cuts. It should peel out pretty easily after that. But, again, don't worry about getting all of it. Just deep enough so there's enough room for new caulk. Fill the void with something like BoatLife LifeCalk and you should be good for 15 - 20 years. Black or white - your call. Both can look good.

 

[Dsybok]

Yeah, I had the same thing around the bottom of my windshield, the stuff started coming out in chunks the last couple times I washed the boat. Honestly I got ( or I guess the Admiral did, she did most of the work while I was resealing the bilge covers) most of it out but I didn't worry about getting all of it. I went and re caulked it with 3M 4000 and it looks fine now.