Aft cabin side windows leaking at the base

[rickalan35]

Regarding my aft cabin side windows, (the long, narrow, sliding windows on each side of the boat) - The tracks in which the windows slide back and forth fill up with water during downpours (design flaw) and mine are currently leaking straight down into that space between the stateroom's interior teak wall and the outside fibreglass wall. In other words, the water doesn't directly appear on the inside. Trojan installed those trough shaped plastic window slides that we all know and love. Mine must need replacing, although they aren't cracked or broken.

I removed the interior teak panel last summer (no easy job) and waited for a storm, then I laid on the bed (with my head where my knees would usually be) and shone a spotlight up into the cavity and watched the water trickling down from under the windows.

I would like to remove the windows and then remove the plastic slides. Then I'd like to put down a layer of epoxy and re-install the slides and windows.

I would like some thoughts and advice though on solving this leak. I'm not completely sold on my solution. Thanks.

[ready123]

Are there not holes on the outside of the channels to vent the water away? They may be plugged with dirt... This happens on my F32..... I am not familiar with the Tri which is what I'm guessing you have.

[rickalan35]

Hi - Good point and yes, I do have those built-in holes within the window frame and I make sure that they are cleaned out (an ice pick works well). I think there are three of them on each side and they are probably one eighth of an inch high and one inch long.

Those limber holes do work and during a storm, water flushes out through them - yet the water is also impacted by gravity and is leaking through whatever surface is directly beneath the window channels.

The windows were designed to be on a slight slant so that the water pooling in the channel will run toward the rear of the boat. It is at the very rear of the window channel (the last three inches or so) that this leakage is occurring.

I've always assumed that the base of the windows (I've never had the windows removed) was fibreglass. Now I'm beginning to wonder if the fibreglass is possibly pancaked with the wood of the superstructure in some manner - thus attributing to the development of a leak over time.

[lawyerdave71]

I betcha Beacon marine has the tracks you are looking for!!!

[rickalan35]

Thanks for the tip. Yep, I believe Beacon has the tracks but tracks are not entirely the problem. The area beneath the tracks has pin holes near the aft end. I've got to seal those leaks up before installing new tracks over top. The plastic tracks help, but don't present an entirely waterproof surface. Just wondering if anyone on the forum had already done this job but apparently I'm going to be the first.