Window frame leak

I am as puzzled as you are and not sure how it solves anything!
 
There is flocking in both the upper and lower parts of the window frame. Think of the flocking as a rubber track the glass runs in that also functions as seal. The cross section of the material is like a capital "H". The glass sits on top and there is a space underneath that forms a channel to allow water to flow to the weep slots. I drilled some holes in the H to help let water get under the flocking and into the track. Also, I cut some slots in flocking where the weep slots are to make a bigger space for the water to get out of the track. Remember, these boats sit stern heavy and water in the track will run aft until it either finds its way out thru the slots or over flows into the head or hanging locker on the port side.

The install is really not hard. The new flocking is as supple as a licorice whip and with a little WD-40 can be pushed into the track. Only the small sliding panel at the back actually moves in it. The rest of the flocking forward of the galley only helps retain the fixed panel and makes a channel for water to flow.

After I installed the new flock and fixed the backwards seal on that moving panel, my windows don't leak a drop.

Take a good look at a piece of the old material and it will begin to become obvious what you need to do. I did the job myself in less than a day both sides. I did it with the boat out of the water using a ladder to get better access to the outside. I used my fingers and a small flat bladed screwdriver to help tuck the flocking into the track and to help push it if needed.
 
Carve1957, your windows look just like mine but you don't seem to have any weep slots or covers. Feel under the bottom of the aluminum track with you fingers, maybe they put the drain holes in the bottom of the track. I always thought that would be the best place for them anyway. Pay attention to that short verticle piece in the thrid pic, thats what was backwards on my boat and what was causing a huge leak. Yours looks correct in the pics if I'm seeing it right.

Do a search on here, I seem to remember a post where a guy drilled a small hole at the aft end of the aluminum track to allow water a place to exit the track.

If you don't have any drain holes, I can see how water will build up and enter your boat. Its got to have a way out of the track.

You could try an experiment, on a nice dry day, pour some water into the bow end of the window track, maybe add a bit of food coloring, and see where it come out of the track?

Perhaps what ever drains you have are blocked with debris. There was all manner of funk under my old flocking, everything from dead bugs and spider webs to leaf matter and dirt.
 
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Yes, you may want to call them, they had great customer service when I called and knew exactly which type I needed when I told them the year and model of the boat.
 
I SURRENDER....been chasing this leak hard to no avail. I have siliconed everything inside & outside, dam area etc. Short of re-f locking and finding that I to be harder that expected I am going to have to live with them until weather permits pulling windows. Whats strange to me is just how the water finds its way to the inside track because everything forward is fairly well sealed. Then even if weep holes were working how would it jump back to outside to drain. Weep holes the dastardly things I now know they are exist. However, they are so low relative to the walkway to the bow that they are inaccessible from outside of the track. Oh don't even mind the water coming into the head because it finds its way to the sump. But, I am worried some is ending up elsewhere on the boat. Still looking for solution comments welcome
New piccs on photobucket

Thx. Mike
 
Looking at your new pictures I see your frame is completely different than our "85" 270DA. The weep holes w/ covers we have been mentioning are not there and the slide and latch appear to be different. This water issue may be the reason for the change in later models.

I clean our weep holes out with a blast of water from the hose when washing the deck down.
Can you see the drain/weep holes from below the frame with a mirror? Maybe bend a piece of stiff wire to poke around in them from below then try blasting the drain slots cut in the seal to flush them out? Worth a try, worst thing that could happen is things get wet - :huh:

Best of luck!
 
The tolerances below the weep holes are so tight i can't even get a bendable small wire in ....such as a bobby pin. I think when I can I need to pull the flocking to see weep holes and blast! Oh its very tough to even see where to cut the flocking foe the weep holes! Funny, I am a novice at lots of this but even engine stuff I have been able to figure out. But, the window track and water I am now stumped.

my options as I see
1) pull flocking and redo all window parts
2) reframe and rebid the windows

Thx. Mike
 
Nice looking boat!
I agree with KC Sundancer, try to find and clean your weep holes. Pulling the flocking isn't all that difficult. If it isn't hard as a stone, just take an ice pick or awl or small pointy scewdriver and start in the head at the back of the track and dig up a corner. Once you have it coming up, it will pull out rather easily. If its hard, you may have to use a mallet and an old screwdriver and chip it out in sections. Thats what I had to do.
Have fun. :)
 
Nine feet won't do both windows, maybe not even one. Measure the preimter of your frame to get the amount you need. I needed two 9 foot sections plus a small piece on my 300DA on EACH side.
 
I had a leak in my bathroom window so I removed all four windows on sunday.
The question is does any one know were I can get four new windows or a part number would help

Thanks
 
SCORPIO said:
Nine feet won't do both windows, maybe not even one. Measure the preimter of your frame to get the amount you need. I needed two 9 foot sections plus a small piece on my 300DA on EACH side.
Click to expand...

Yikes! That's going to be a bigger expense than I thought.
 
SCORPIO said:
Nine feet won't do both windows, maybe not even one. Measure the preimter of your frame to get the amount you need. I needed two 9 foot sections plus a small piece on my 300DA on EACH side.
Click to expand...

Sorry yet another question on the flock. I got to my boat today and looked at my windows. It looks like I have two different kinds of flock, a rubber one on the bottom and on the top there is a different kind that has a fuzzy texture. Is that what you had? The top stuff looks good and in tact. It's the bottom flock that is all brittle and broken rubber. Interestingly, my neighbor's boat (an 89) had all the same flock around the windows. It was the fuzzy stuff. Is there any real purpose for the bottom flock past where the window slides? I wonder if I can just remove the stuff beyond where the window can slide. It seems that the track at that portion could just remain empty. Is that correct?

J
 
Mine has a very light nap fuzz on both top and bottom. Maybe your bottom stuff is just worn off. I don't know if your windows need the support of the flock beyond where the glass slides. Maybe you could do with less, you'd have to try and see I suppose.
 
As a follow up to this leak I have been chasing, I studied and studied, spoke with Taylor, siliconed etc. Finally, had kind of given up. So, I wanted to seal the windows up until I could get back after them when the weather is better. I hesitate to tear into a project that I have little experience with. Then I took out the duck tape and taped off the outside bottom track. Then thought I should have domne this previously. Guess what .....dry! That I believe isolates the problem to weep holes and flocking..... which was indicated by someone here early. I just had to understand the way the whole frame functions

Thank Mike
 
Sounds like you have it narrowed down. I suspected as much when you first described your problem. My problem was fixed in the same manner as I describe in the beginning.
Order up some flocking and replace. While its removed, locate and clean the track drains. May as well get all the flocking to do both windows now as Taylor charges that $25 handling fee every time you order so get enough and get it at one shot and don't duplicate that handling charge.
 
Congrats on finding the leak. Looks like we'll both be paying Taylor their $25 extortion fee this week.

Scorpio, my bottom track is definitely different than the napp fuzz on the top. That stuff looks to be in good condition. It's the bottom track that is all broken up, hard, and brittle. There are large chunks missing. It was hard to capture in a picture, so this is the best I could get. I wonder if that is what they did in 87 vs. 89.

http://i1305.photobucket.com/albums/s545/Tritone12/Tritone Season 2012/Window/photo2_zpsbf3e46f3.jpg
 
That looks like what I had in my bottom track, hard and cracked. I actually used a scewdriver and a hammer and broke pieces out of the track. Hard as a beer pretzel. I replaced both the top and bottom with the fuzzy 'H' shaped flock from Taylor and it worked fine. I thought about keeping the top stuff as it wasn't all that bad, but I decided to go all in and just do everything at once.
 
Does anybody have the flocking part number for the window trim of a 1989 sea Ray 300 weekender thanks in advance
 
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