Contessa 26 Window Removal. Part 1 of Fixing leaking windows

Leaky windows on a Contessa 26. A short series on my task of sorting out leaking boat windows, which have been making life uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous at sea.
In this first part I am removing the windows from the boat before sending them away to be refurbished. This can be a job which varies from pretty easy to virtually impossible. When I started I had no idea how hard it was going to be, check out the video here to see how it went!

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Sailing a 1970 Contessa 26

[robinwaistell]

Good to see your doing your leaky windows. Fixing leaks can be time consuming and frustrating but very satisfying when you are successful. The cockpit drainage, dont forget the Contessa 26 was based on the Folkboat. My Folkboat cockpit drains into the bilge and is pumped out with a hand bilge pump or the automatic bilge pump when she is on the mooring.
Great videos enjoyed them all. Keep going. See you in Crosshaven some time.

[cliffrobins]

Another masterclass. I’d say this puts you well ahead in the constructors championship!

[johncurry]

I say! I always start with the last bolt to avoid the frustration of not getting it out?😎😎😎😎lol

[bennosijsjeslijmer]

Recently I found you YT channel. First you had a CO 32, why did you changed to the smaller CO 26. I had also a CO 32 17 years ago, a wonderfull boat. Now I have a Midget 31, also a very heavy and stable ship. Greetings from the Netherlands. Rob

[davidupton]

I was told by a cruiser friend, when removing windows from boats go to a boot sale and get an old fashioned carpenter’s Brace and Bit (can be had for £1 or less) and put a screwdriver bit in that, you have far more control over the tool to prevent snapped and rounded screws .

[johnhumphries]

That was a useful one. My father - an airforce engineer who worked on air sea rescue boats in the Hebrides in WWII - said that one approach to unscrew rusted things with a seal behind them was to do half a turn on each alternate screw first ( to prevent the pressure all being transferred onto the last one or two), followed by a half turn on all of them. I have not idea if that works but it sounded sensible. Nice tip about of giving them a bit of a tap first too - 'don't force it, get a bigger hammer' ;-)

[daverolstone]

Nice to see what you are up to Jim, at the moment I have my own ports out, in the past I would have bedded them back in with Polysulphide (Perspex on wood with aluminium frame } but no longer available so will use a MP sealant (modified polymer}. Also at the moment I'm rebuilding my cockpit so your remarks on your drains was very interesting. Cheers, Dave.

[ianphilp]

Another job done ready for the new season 👍

[frankboff]

Steady as she goes, as long as the plastic bags don’t deteriorate in the sun ? And wind the biggest problem will be getting the glue off. Good video all the best for the new year.

[redwood]

Whats on your sailing plans for the warmer future

[xschipper]

Hi Jim, Just a thought that almost certainly not original: could you raise the cockpit floor to allow draining? Or would the ergonomics in the cockpit suffer too much?

[davidbarrett]

good job, getting duck tape glue off is a PITA, but WD40 & elbow grease is good at it, better than white spirit, petrol, acetone or surgical spirit i found.

[mickey]

Hmmmm, 2.12 you've been told to applie maximum pressure, and turn the bas ! . Is that a new nautical term i've not heard of Jim ?

[andrewcarr]

Old biking repair tip, try an impact driver on the stuck ones.

[basilismavrogiorgis]

Hi Jim, interesting work. Where did you say you sent the the windows for refurbishment? It will also be intresting to see the end product. I have an Elizabethan 35 with same leaking windows.

[redwood]

At least you have something to unscrew.
Place some anti seize on the threads when going back in.
And a touch of butal tape around the screw head.my bildge has a drain plug in it yoj can take out to drain. Thank you

[mcallahan]

Good job! Regarding removing the adhesive from the tape, here in the US we have a product called "Goo Gone" which I've used many times and it works fantastic. Best of luck!

[stephenmundane]

Butyl tape(?) for the win. Glad it went well for you. You might want to consider using ARBOMAST BR (a Butyl mastic) when you put them back in as it is easier to apply and will likely give you a better seal. Just don't buy it from a Swindlery.

[timspurge]

The windows came out a lot quicker than I recall mine did. 🤣🤣

[netrhyda]

My Folkboat 26 had a cockpit drain under the tiller, but when underway it would actually draw water in backwards so I had to keep a sock in