Leaky windows MS 400

[dsleme]

Hi guys!

I have a 2004 Mainship 400 trawler with leaky windows and I would like to replace them.
Does anyone know how to choose and where to order replacement new windows? There are millions of different windows on market and I can’t find the exact model that is currently on boat.
I am 300 kilometres away from my boat and all I currently have is (I suppose) serial numbers of 3 windows that are leaking:
BOMAR 200329394, BOMAR 200329395, BOMAR 200400513. Is it possible to determen model from serial number?


Please help.


Thank you for your help.

[Bay Retriever]

I also have a 2004 MS 400 and am very curious about this thread, however I do not want to divert your topic.

My vessel has one small sliding window on the port side that has started frosting. And eventually I’ll need help with researching the three largest windows (two stationary and one moveable, all bow facing). All three have rubber seals that are stretching and wearing down. And, the porthole window in the guest cabin has only one of two tightening knobs attached. It detached at the soldered connection.

Any tips for how to replace and/or repair would be appreciated. I figure these are good things to tackle during the off-season.

T MacDonnell
Bay Retriever
2004 MS 400

[Comodave]

Welcome aboard. Have you contacted Bowmar? They may be able to help. Or you could go to a company like Diamond Seaglase and have some custom made.

[bill.kimbell]

I used a local glass company. They measured etc and sent to be tempered. Had no luck finding "original."

[Mermaid]

I’ve been down this road...first, is your leak due to corrosion of your window frames? Are they pitted and heavily corroded? If so, then you might want to bite off on the BIG job of replacing them. There are companies that make replacement fiberglass replacement frames.

Or, is the water seeping in between the glass and the frame?

More often than not, especially in a boat of this (lack of) age, it’s the bedding of the glass itself. In that case, I would uninstall the glass, clean it up, and reinstall it. I’ll have to look it up, but I think it was a black Sikaflex product I used.

If having to pull the frames and re-bed, that’s a butyl bedding compound.

You have to first identify the leak to know how to proceed, but “replacing the window” due to a leak, I think is a waste of money.

I’ve done both jobs. Pulled the fixed glass and rebed in my pilothouse. Pulled the frames and rebed in my trunk cabin sliding glass windows. The latter was a much messier and involved job which included having to replace teak walls in the affected staterooms due to water damage.

[Mermaid]

This is what pulling the frames and rebedding looks like. Not fun, but the problem was not the glass and not the frame. It was the bedding that finally gave up between the window frame and the hull structure. I will say, it lasted for more than 30 years before I had to do this, so yay!! That was on a Hatteras. I won’t get that kind of mileage out of a Mainship.

[dsleme]

Hello.

Thank you Mermaid, great advice! Leaking was because of deteriorated sealant between glass and the frame. However this was not visible to naked eye until I applied pressure to glass from below and then it was instantly clear where water was coming thru.
I cleaned everything and applied new sealant (KENT) and I hope this is it.
So thanks again Mermaid for great advice! You saved me a lot of money, nerves and work.