Say what?  Your boat got new glasses?  Well, technically, yes.  Our cabin top windows needed some love.  We have 5 flat windows and 4 large curved windows.  The flat acrylic windows craze (hundreds of very small cracks appear making it very difficult to see out of).  We replaced them in 2010 when we bought the boat but they’ve crazed again.  And several windows are leaking after many years of bending and flexing with the boat as we crossed thousands of miles across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

We engaged Metro Glass to replace 5 windows and re-bed all of the other windows.  It is a huge, messy job.  We wanted to replace three of the windows with acrylic windows and replace the two small hatches (front of the cabin top) with glass (“wanted” being the key word).

Matt had re-glued several of our curved windows to stop the leaking.  However, it was time to do it professionally again, so in comes Metro Glass.  Dave came out and took out the two flat rear windows first.  The goal was to remove them in the morning, use the old windows as a pattern and bring new ones back later that afternoon.  That was the “plan”.

What Went Wrong?

Dave’s co-worker Rob, accidentally painted the wrong side of the window (he painted the inside instead of the outside) so they have to make an entirely new window. They put the old window back in temporarily to keep the elements outside.

The other window was “in” but they drilled the holes by hand and the holes were crooked, so the screws won’t stay in.  Yes, they will have to come back to remake this window as well.  Not a good start.

They took out the center cabin top window next and managed to remake and install it with only a few little issues.  Next, they took out the two small hatches which were to be sent to Auckland to be replaced with glass.   So, we sat with 5 windows covered in plastic and pvc for more than a week waiting for the rain to subside.

All of our cushions have to be removed as the black glue gets everywhere.  This is the Metro Glass team working on the center cabin top window.

Moving on to the Curved Windows

Our two large, curved side windows were schedule to come out next.  These windows would just be re-bedded (come out, cleaned up, and put back in).  We thought these windows would be “fairly easy” to remove as Matt has re-glued these several times (which requires removal of old glue and reapplication).  However, they were stuck on good giving the guys a bit of a challenge. 

The team uses a stainless piece of wire that they saw back and forth (one person inside and one outside) to get the glue to come off.  They applied so much pressure at one point that they “sawed” right into the plexi.  Luckily Matt caught them in time and it was only a small 1/8” dig and won’t show or ruin the integrity of the window.  The other window was a smidge easier to come out, but not by much. 

It is two weeks into our 4-day window project and I am feeling incredibly defeated.  I actually begged them to just finish one window as each window they had touched was in mid-state of repair.  Finally, they finished the sealant on the very first window and the center cabin top window.

The two front cabin top curved windows were the last to be re-bedded.  These are the two that have the smaller hatch windows inside them. The most challenging windows.

Glasses Don’t Want to Come Off

They start working on the starboard window first and worked on it all day.  It was a stubborn one as it has never been taken off in 22 years.  Surprisingly, it had areas that were leaking and yet other areas would not separate.  They again sawed super hard to get the glue to separate and managed to cut the plexi 1.5” which completely sucks as this window is not being replaced.  It is in the corner where it is not visible, but it does create a weak point which could further crack while the boat is under stress.  We will have to keep an eye on it.

A few days later they came back to work on the other curved cabin top window.  This managed to come out a little easier.

In the meantime, the new small glass hatches supposedly came back from Auckland.  Matt asked them if they drilled the large hole for the latch handle and the small hole for the locking mechanism.  They checked and guess what, they did not drill the small hole.  When they inquired about it they discovered that they cannot drill the smaller hole that close to the larger hole because it would compromise the glass.  Seriously, they did not know this before?  So, they had to remake them in acrylic in order to use our latches.  At this point, I have discussed my displeasure many times and they had the intelligence enough to offer to do these small hatches at no charge.  Appeased a little, but we are not getting what we wanted which was glass hatches.

And Yet More Problems

Moving on…they continue to work on the last 4 curved windows in between the rainy days.  As they remove the duct tape from our two forward curved windows, we see marks by the small hatches.  Oh my goodness!!!!  Another $600 discount and over three weeks later, the windows are finally considered “done.”  What a project.

It was rather an unfortunate experience and one that we would not wish on anyone.  Thank goodness we had the time to babysit the workers and watch every step, but even still we had loads of problems.  But they are done, better than before and look much improved.

New Glasses are Done

Glasses are clear and leak free, for now 🙂

The events from this blog occurred in December.  In our last blog post, we enjoy Red Bull Flutag in Auckland.  We witness man-made flying contraptions plummet 6 meters into the water – it was great fun!