The biggest project I am working on is replacing the large Plexiglas port lights. They where definitely leaking. Plus they where cracked and scratched up. One large crack on the port side somebody went a drilled a whole in the Plexiglas to stop the crack from spreading!
It has 2 large Plexiglas port lights. Not the usual round or oval ones that I usually see. Also not something small, light, and easy to move around. I knew they had to be replaced and taken care of so spent some quality with Google to see what I could find.
Luckily I found a post http://reinellsailor.blogspot.com/2008/10/window-replacement.html about a 26 foot Reinell sailboat named Inkslinger. It talks about dealing with the rotten balsa wood between the plastic and fiberglass. It also has some pictures of how he did his windows.
So today I was able to clean out the last of the rotten wood. I used a small chisel and a vacuum cleaner. After getting that stuff out I poured some epoxy with some fumed sulica to thicken it up just a bit. I just put a little in the wholes I dug out. Giving it about 10 minutes. I keep reading about using a thinner epoxy to try to get a better hold on the wood. I then mixed some more of that silica and filled up the holes completely.
Here is one of the larger areas where I dug out the wood.
Adding some of the silica to thicken up the epoxy and to add some physical strength to the epoxy.
Pouring some thickened epoxy into the hole.
I just filled them in to the top. Filling all the areas on the bottom part of the port light was pretty easy. I used some painters tape to protect the boat. Just a little pour and using the stir stick to slowly add a little at a time.
The areas on the top where much harder. I had to keep adding silica until it was super thick! I learned with the last one that the epoxy had to be really, really, really thick. So I mixed enough silica in so that it could resist gravity!
I carefully worked small amounts into the hole. When it looked liked I filled it up completely, I used the stick to smooth out the epoxy.
Now it has to dry.
The next step in this project is cutting out replacement Plexiglas port lights. I got a 4' x 8' sheet of Plexiglas. I am going to try tracing out the originals onto the Plexiglas. Then carefully cut them out. I also want to make wood trim to go around them. I think that will help spread the pressure out better and help it seal on the boat. I am thinking it is my best bet at keeping the water out of the boat.
The other thing I am working on is trying to find all the leaks. When I got in the boat today there was about 10 gallons of water standing in the boat. I have to boat really well covered with tarps and I don't know where the water is coming from.
I found a small puddle in the V birth area. Feeling all over I could not find any other wet surface close to the puddle of water! Even the deck on top was dry! So I have to figure this out if I want to keep a dry bed!
Hopefully I will find this stupid leak very soon!
