Manatee window project

Ftbinc · Jun 19, 2020

Hi all

Our spring Manatee projects were delayed but now going full bore on Salon window replacements. I have the window part resolved but the interior “paneling” on the aft side of the port window is deteriorating due to water penetration.

I am looking for suggestions on how to best repair this damage. You can see the damage in the picture in the upper left

Thanks
Paul
KK Manatee Oma

Comodave · Jun 19, 2020

In a previous boat we repaired the damage with thickened epoxy and filler and then painted the paneling. I sprayed it with a HVLP painter.

HiDHo · Jun 19, 2020

Paul, we are doing new curtains for our windows. The PO applied heavy textured wall paper, this might solve your problem after you apply some fillers.
The brackets pictured top left and right support a teak cornice.
Bill.

healhustler · Jun 21, 2020

Gee Paul... That’s kind of a weird place to have water damage without having leakage below the window as well. Fortunately, these manatees have the paneling glued plop down on the fiberglass exterior, so there’s usually no problem with a wet core. Both Dave & Bill above have great ideas of how to resolve, but if you’re a stickler for detail, use a dremel tool to cut out a square of the panel, chisel it off (and I mean you’re probably going to have to chisel that stone-hard glue) and replace it with a water resistant material you can drill or screw like the panel.

The wall paneling on mine was painted solid teak board with a thickness of somewhere between 5/16” and 3/8”. After finding a deal on windows, I replaced the bottom 6” or so of mine with solid teak board to level it out, then covered both walls with tongue & groove PVC honeycombed paneling from Home Depot for some extra insulation. I still have to finish the framing on bogh windows but haven't decided on teak or matching PVC. (There’s already so much teak in these boats, you know.)

If I had your situation, I’d do the filler and texture. Easier.

Ftbinc · Jun 22, 2020

Damage to windows...

Quick question. Can I use bondo on this? Or is epoxy better for some reason?

It loooked like the window openings were originally cut poorly and sit with an abundance of caulk... we ordered new windows from Mark Plastics the original window manufacturer. The openings on Oma do NOT match the plans... (Mark plastics is working with us to resolve and so far have been great). This seems to be the source of this problem We also had some water from the above deck, which last spring I overdrilled and filled and rebedded the stantions and deck hardware. I will scrape out the damage and fill with bondo I think. Is this a good use of bondo?

[[/I]

healhustler said:
Gee Paul... That’s kind of a weird place to have water damage without having leakage below the window as well. Fortunately, these manatees have the paneling glued plop down on the fiberglass exterior, so there’s usually no problem with a wet core. Both Dave & Bill above have great ideas of how to resolve, but if you’re a stickler for detail, use a dremel tool to cut out a square of the panel, chisel it off (and I mean you’re probably going to have to chisel that stone-hard glue) and replace it with a water resistant material you can drill or screw like the panel.

The wall paneling on mine was painted solid teak board with a thickness of somewhere between 5/16” and 3/8”. After finding a deal on windows, I replaced the bottom 6” or so of mine with solid teak board to level it out, then covered both walls with tongue & groove PVC honeycombed paneling from Home Depot for some extra insulation. I still have to finish the framing on bogh windows but haven't decided on teak or matching PVC. (There’s already so much teak in these boats, you know.)

If I had your situation, I’d do the filler and texture. Easier.

HiDHo · Jun 22, 2020

I would not use Bondo.
For a strong repair I would read up on West Systems Epoxies and fillers.

healhustler · Jun 24, 2020

Agree with Bill above. Pictures of the areas you’re concerned about would help. The side walls of the Manatee do a bit of flexing. If you look at the boat from the side, you’ll see that the pilot house aft wall ends right in the middle of the salon window below. This puts a little more flex force than usual on the window openings. Bondo alone might not lend the adhesion necessary to flex “with” the rest of the wall. After some use, it will probably crack and break out. If the window cutouts do not match the window size, order the windows for the size cutout you have. Krogen Manatee‘s are very forgiving here. I put a new set of Krogen 48 North Sea windows in my boat, and they are about 16 inches wider and an inch shorter in height. No problem in just cutting the sides further out and using that material to fill the inch difference in height.

West System Epoxy resin, filler, hardener, thickening agents, etc. are easy to work with. If there is some deep gouges or cracks, adding some fiberglass matting or cloth may be appropriate. Check out the “repairing fiberglass” videos on YouTube.

Ftbinc · Aug 24, 2020

Hi all
Thanks everyone for your comments and advice

The new windows are in!

The size problem was resolved with a grinder and shims from Mark plastics that were custom made for us. The shims were epoxied into place using west systems products. Trimmed, faired and all gaps eliminated/filed with epoxy.

The wall repairs were made with west systems with their fairing compound additive. We then cut 10x4 sheets of Polywall to fit and attached per manufacturer recommendations over the existing walls. The material is 1/16th thick The finished results look great.

The stb side bookshelf is still in progress-I need access to a table saw to cut the Corrian backsplash to hide were we cut away about 3.5 inches of the bottom of that wall I’ll update with pictures when it is complete. So far it look pretty good

Paul
KK Manatee “OMA”
Saw to

Comodave · Aug 24, 2020

You may not need a table saw to cut the corian, it can be cut to rough size with a jig saw and then routed to size. If you have a pattern of what you need then a patterning bit in a router will give a really nice cut. We did the galley counters in our boat last year with a solid surface and loved it. Really easy to work with.

Ftbinc · Aug 24, 2020

Thanks for the advice. The bottom edge needs to be square to sit on the horizontal piece of corian and the tip edge needs a rabbit of 3/4 of an inch on the wall side and round over on the cabin side. I’m not goo enough with a router to cut either free hand but open to learning if you have ideas on how to make it work.

Comodave said:
You may not need a table saw to cut the corian, it can be cut to rough size with a jig saw and then routed to size. If you have a pattern of what you need then a patterning bit in a router will give a really nice cut. We did the galley counters in our boat last year with a solid surface and loved it. Really easy to work with.

Comodave · Aug 24, 2020

I use 1/4” luan plywood to make a pattern that fits the way I want it. Then clamp it to the corian and use the template as a guide for the router bit. Look for a patterning bit. It will have a roller on it that runs along the template and it cuts the corian to match the template. Try it on some scrap until you gets used to using the router.

Ftbinc · Aug 24, 2020

Were you able to cut a straight edge? I’ve not tried a patterning but ever, just roundovers and keyholes...

Comodave · Aug 24, 2020

If your pattern has a straight edge then the final piece will also. Patterning bits work well. I have even used one for opening up the side of the hull when we installed the new port holes on our current boat. This is one I have used a lot. Got it from Amazon, where else??? Although it is for a 1/2” router. I use a lot of different router bits, I think that I have 7 routers currently.

CMT 812.691.11B Pattern Bit with Bearing, 1/2-Inch Shank, 3/4-Inch Diameter, Carbide-Tipped

RT Firefly · Aug 24, 2020

Greetings,
Mr. Ft. That looks pretty darn nice.

healhustler · Sep 24, 2020

Ftbink: Great outcome. You’ll soon need to change your Manatee’s name from OMA to OMG!

Comodave · Sep 24, 2020

HiDHo said:
I would not use Bondo.
For a strong repair I would read up on West Systems Epoxies and fillers.

+1. Use an epoxy like West or Total Boat. Much stronger than Bondo.

Ftbinc · Oct 11, 2020

Thanks for everyone’s advice. Work on OMA has stalled. - back issues. The walls are in the windows are in and the back gangway/door has been fit, but still need to route a 1/16 out of the mortise to get the door fit better. Thought all that were following g would like a project update

dhorn · Oct 20, 2020

Newbie Manatee questions

Larry, I have some Manatee questions but can't post to you yet as a newbie. I doubt it will interesting for the group... Any way I can connect back channel?

Comodave · Oct 20, 2020

dhorn said:
Larry, I have some Manatee questions but can't post to you yet as a newbie. I doubt it will interesting for the group... Any way I can connect back channel?

Welcome aboard. You can send him a PM (private message). Click on his user name and a block will come up and PM is one of the choices.

dhorn · Oct 20, 2020

Comodave said:
Welcome aboard. You can send him a PM (private message). Click on his user name and a block will come up and PM is one of the choices.

Thank you but it says: "Due to abuse by spammers, new members are not allowed to send links in their private messages until they have become trusted members."

Don't know how to get trusted! LOL
-Dan

dhorn · Oct 20, 2020

Ah, just read "links"...sorry...sigh

Comodave · Oct 20, 2020

Ok, try PMing him. If you have more trouble post again and I will PM him and ask him to PM you.

Manatee window project

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