The Gougeon Brothers on Boat Construction - WEST SYSTEM Epoxy

Chapter 26 – Interior Construction 331
Lexan window bedded in silicon sealant
and screwed directly to cabin side.
Lexan window set in
plywood frame glued
to cabin side.
Frame
Figure 26-25 Non-opening windows.
Lexan
Cabin side
Section AA
provide holding power for fasteners. If it isn’t thick
enough, the area around the edge of the window will
have to be built up with more wood in the immediate
area of the fasteners.
Plastic glass comes with stick-on protective paper. Leave
this paper in place to protect the plastic until the
window is installed. Mark the window on the plastic—
you want the window to overlap the cabin side by
about 1" (25mm) —and cut it with a band saw or saber
saw, file edges smooth, and radius the exterior corners.
Drill fastener holes and fit the window in place. Just
before you install it, peel off the paper from part of the
plastic that overlaps the cabin. Rough up this area of
the window with sandpaper and bed the window in
position with silicone sealant, carefully removing any
excess. Insert self-tapping screws or machine screws if
Section AA
Window opening Cabin side
Fashion the hardwood handle to a
smaller radius than the cabin side so
that the top of the finished window
presses out against the cabin side as
the window slides down into the frame.
Hardwood handle
Lexan or Plexiglas window
Limber holes
Figure 26-26 Low-cost lift-out window.
Frame
Plywood cabin side
through bolting is desired. Adjust the number of
fasteners used to the anticipated severity of loadings. If
you are going offshore, the joint between the window
and the cabin wall should be as strong as the cabin
wall. You can remove the paper on the window if you
need light below, but it’s sometimes better to peel it off
after you have painted the interior.
Another way to install windows, also shown in Figure
26-25, is to bed them in silicone sealant as described
above, but to finish them off in plywood frames which
are bonded to the cabin sides. This is a little more difficult,
but framed-in windows are more attractive than
screwed-in windows, and this method is particularly
effective for installing windows on thin cabin walls.
Frames may be attached inside or outside, but we
prefer to use them to enhance interior beauty. Wherever