My best friend Mark has just bought Rosina of Beaulieu - Jeremy Rogers’ very own personal Contessa 26. She is an utter beauty, fabulous to sail and moored quite local to your yard i think. Thank you - you have absolutely inspired the total refit of my own Fayaway, a Sigma 41 windows which are still the original 1984 ones and long past needing replacement. Great video! Well done.
In the antipodes, just discovered your channel and very much enjoying your well put together content thank you. The mix of sailing and projects is v good. This one of interest as I need to re-do the windows on my '70's boat.
Is it possible to list products names and maybe manufacturers of products you use. I am in the US. I also have a big window project to complete. Thanks.
Superb craftsmanship, as usual! Production and audio quality both outstanding! Gimbeled tripod rocks! And, as always, George, your content is fascinating. Thank you for being the best sailboat channel online now. Hands-down, the very Best!
Well said. If you're inclined take a look at the.......Boat painting and restoration with Frankie Bushong ...... channel. IMO another good example of great work, but I'm certainly not an expert! He talks a little different that's all ⛵🤣
Great video, and one of the few on that style of window, I have an old Norman GRP boat, and it uses them for the front windows, now in a late 70's boat you can imagine they have failed, and the previous owner fixed it with nylon rope and bathroom silicon, it would be nice to have a video of how to strip and refurbish one of them, as with mine they are a custom size not seen since Norman went bust in the 80's
Love the two stickers. I have the original Bill of Sale of my boat when my grandfather bought her - May 15, 1973. Had it professionally framed to preserve it. ---------- I'm curious George ... there is/was no filler material (foam or plywood?) between the inner and outer "shells" where the windows mount? On my boat, there is plywood between the outer fiberglass and inner Formica-like material. I would think there would be something there to provide strength/rigidity.
thanks, stay tuned. need to edit the hatch episode, it ended up being a much larger project than the normal, remove old and fit new but that's old boats for you....
Thanks for info, you mentioned you own a Westerly, what are they like for osmosis problems , I like the bilge keel westerly ketch 30 footers. I'm dreaming. Great informative videos , and good craftmanship, superb! 🐼🐼🏴🏴
Westerly yachts can and do suffer a fair bit with osmosis, the resins used were not the best available at the time but most boat built in that era suffer after so many years have past. On the positive side the hulls were laid up very thick so blistering is unlikely to case a major structural issue for even if really badly blistered into the laminate rather than just under the gelcoat. Like all boats everything is fixable but always worth trying to get the best example that finances and availability allow. Pleased you like the vids
In Scotland I noticed a cruising yacht with perspex bolted on over the existing windows bolted on but stood off from the existing windows by about 10mm what was that for? 🐼🐼🏴🏴
Haha, you are not the first to say that it’s just everyone knows what a dremel is, I prefer rotary tool a die-grinders are generally much heavier duty bits of kit.
Having replaced all the windows on my cruising boat with modern opening port lights the contessa windows are about the same price, good job they last a long time but nothing lasts forever.
Very interesting for a future project yet again George, thanks! I believe my windows (not a CO32) are a similar basic design but with a wooden interior trim instead of being metal, and the inter screws are some type of brass or bronze instead of stainless. So questions; - Is the window glass tempered glass or acrylic? - Any specific supplier for your inter-screws? - what type of previous owner paints anodised alu frames with some grey paint, and more importantly, how do you get the paint off without wrecking the anodising? ;-) Thanks again for your informative and no-bs videos!
The glass in these windows is tempered/hardened glass, when I dropped (on purpose) one of the large windows onto the gravel beneath the boat is did not break. Stupid test really as cleaning up the glass would have been a real pain. There are lots of online suppliers for inter screws. Can’t really advise on paint removal but assume they were painted because the anodising had failed due to old age so maybe it’s a repaint or replace job.
always great videos A few years ago, I had to do the same butt with a twist. I went with butyl tape as it was becoming popular. I even hit the around the window trims with a power washer and was pleased to see no leakage into the cabin 4 years later...stil dry Have you tried it yet ?
I have tried butyl tape and there are a lot of folk online that really love it, it’s only down side is that it takes quite a lot longer to apply that using sealant in a tube that you can gun onto the windows and it’s that time that is probably why I don’t see it’s use by professional shipwrights who are working on the clock. The sealant I use is butyl based but quick to apply and clean up. The vacuum tape used when I dried the hull laminate (see osmosis repair videos) is butyl tape.
Thanks for another great video! Will you do a video on restoring oxidized gelcoat to its original whiteness? I have a 1970 Mistress 32, with a deck that is quite matte and yellowed, with some spider cracks. Do you think applying new gelcoat everywhere is the best option? Looking forward to the next!
Maybe at some point I will. It may be that you can use some stain remover and then polish the deck on your boat if it’s not too far gone. Re gel coating is a lot of work and may not be worth it, depends on what non-slip you want. It may be better to use a mix of polishing (or painting if necessary) and then using a non-slip paint where needed. The spider-cracks may need repairing or they will show though any new coating that is applied as it flexes and cracks in the same area again.
Hi George. New to the channel - catching up on previous videos. Very informative with meticulous attention to detail - pleasing to see. Regarding the sealant used for portlights, have you considered using butyl tape? Interested in your professional point of view. Shaydon, Australia.
I know lots of people (DIYers) rave about the use of butyl tape and I have tried it myself. It’s ok but I don’t know a single professional that uses it, partly (possibly) due to the extra time it takes to use it. Most people I know tend to use an adhesive sealant because it’s not their problem when that fails and the window needs to come out again. So I go the halfway house with the sealant in the video. It works well, easy to clean up, relatively quick and when the window seal fails (and whatever you use it will fail eventually) then the window can pop out and be resealed easily and without damage. If you have the time and not having to charge a client then by all means give butyl tape a try but I won’t be swapping over to use it unless a client specifically specified it but most are just happy to go with my suggestion and experience.
Hello, I have an old Invicta 26 which has the huge rear windows that on my boat are in a terrible state. I'd prefer the look of the Contessa 26 of having 3 smaller (8"?) along each side. I can get to the stage you show of having the window out, can you advise on the viability (method) of filling in the large window holes and then cutting the smaller apertures for the new windows please? ie just using mesh, or the need for a backing plate.
I’d normally say that this is a consultancy job but if the window you want is smaller than the hole you need to rebuild the grp structure, normally by making a backer of some type (so you having soothing to lay up the glass on), you will need to grind a taper on the existing deck to give sufficient surface area for the new material to bond to and then layup the glass and resin of your choice. I don’t know the shape of the deck on your boat well but another option could be to put thick acrylic over the hole and then fit a windows in the acrylic but that will only work if the area is reasonably flat. Hope that makes sense.
Thanks again George. New windows are definitely on my wish list, but I think I will need to remove & refit the existing ones in the saloon in the short-term, as they are leaking. I assume the same principles apply, but anything particular to watch out for?
Are you sure it’s the windows leaking and not the handrails above (which I think are original), may be worth double checking with a hose before they are removed.
@@RefitandSail It's definitely the two saloon windows on the starboard side plus the galley window. I sealed these windows completely using clear gorilla tape on the outside and all the leaks stopped. Have now done a temporary repair by sealing the outside joints between aluminium, glass and gelcoat with clear silicone sealant, and no trouble since. Replacement handrails also on the wish list!
Hi George, I hope you see this post! I have and S&S34 from Winfield pre-Aquafibre and am interested in who made your windows for you, they are exactly what I am after though I am worried how many arms and legs they might cost.
The manufacturer is a trade only supplier so not much help to you but I can get them made. Full set of co32 windows (8 in total) are about 2k but can get them made to the same size as your existing if supplied.
@@RefitandSail Thanks mate, I might run with acrylic over the outside for now and save up for a full set over the next couple of years via you if you are interested?
The longer winow openings seem to have a slight curve as per the coachroof shape. Are the new windows made to a curve or will they stand being "bent" into position?
The coachroof sides have a gentle curve the whole way forward and so the windows (which are not curved) have to be persuaded to take the shape, the first time it’s done is rather nerve racking in in reality they take the curve quite easily.
I have had them refurbished and refitted before now, it depends on the condition of the frames, if they are ok then it’s worth getting it done, if the frames are heavily corroded then it’s not worth the effort.
Are those new windows sourced from JRL, or from another manufacturer? Maybe I missed the explanation, but I was surprised that the gaps between the coach roof and the headliner around the window openings were not filled with goo - was that because the window frame had a flange that fits in that space?
The outer flange of the window forms an adequate seal against the coach roof sides so no real benefit to filling all the gaps with goo. While I’m a great supporter of JRL and often buy bits from then I get my windows direct from a window manufacturer.
Which manufacturer do you use? I need to do this on my Rival 34. Do you need to provide the original windows for them to copy individually or do they have different boat patterns ready?
@@kevingriffiths8089 the company I use only deals with trade, but if you are in the uk then I’d suggest you give eagle boat windows a call as I have only heard good reports (although I think the business may have changed hands in the last year or so).
yes, its considerably quicker to use, I have tried butyl tape and it works fine but takes a little longer to work. I'm sure warm weather would make it easier to use tape but as far as I can recall don't know a single professional shipwright that would use it out of choice.
@@RefitandSail Thanks for the quick response! So do you use the butyl goo when installing deck hardware as well as windows, or do you use something different for hardware?
Yes they are expensive fee’s but is such a well known platform others may not been keen to use an alternative platform. I have never used either of the options you suggested. Also looked at patreon and ko-fi. Hard to know what the right thing is to do. Maybe PayPal and ko-fi.
Heaven knows why the openings were cut so large leaving little to fix and seal to, especially as there is plenty of width to the window frames. Surely that is not the case nowadays? Jeremy Rogers Ltd would be a little embarrassed to see this given their reputation I guess!...she is coming together nicely.
They were leak-free for most of the last 47 years that the windows have been fitted so I guess the hole being cut slightly oversize wasn’t a major issue so I can’t be too scathing about the original build. Compared to the build quality of other manufacturers back in the 70’s the build quality of Contessa’s is very good.
Thanks, it’s hard to know what the right length is and the amount of detail, it would be much easier for me to skip over stuff but the feedback I get is that viewers like to see the detail so who knows. For now it’s a bit of fun and while growth is nice I’m not too concerned either way.
If the aluminium frames are in decent condition then they can be refurbished with new glass or acrylic, it all comes down to how good or not the old frames are. On my Sealord I had the original westerly windows but decided to replace with Lewmar opening portlights, I now see that many other westerly owners have done similar
My best friend Mark has just bought Rosina of Beaulieu - Jeremy Rogers’ very own personal Contessa 26. She is an utter beauty, fabulous to sail and moored quite local to your yard i think. Thank you - you have absolutely inspired the total refit of my own Fayaway, a Sigma 41 windows which are still the original 1984 ones and long past needing replacement. Great video! Well done.
The cat turned to see what on earth was going on during the interior rotary bit. 😂
In the antipodes, just discovered your channel and very much enjoying your well put together content thank you. The mix of sailing and projects is v good. This one of interest as I need to re-do the windows on my '70's boat.
Is it possible to list products names and maybe manufacturers of products you use. I am in the US. I also have a big window project to complete. Thanks.
Superb craftsmanship, as usual! Production and audio quality both outstanding! Gimbeled tripod rocks! And, as always, George, your content is fascinating. Thank you for being the best sailboat channel online now. Hands-down, the very Best!
That’s very kind, thanks
Well said. If you're inclined take a look at the.......Boat painting and restoration with Frankie Bushong ...... channel. IMO another good example of great work, but I'm certainly not an expert! He talks a little different that's all ⛵🤣
Great video, and one of the few on that style of window, I have an old Norman GRP boat, and it uses them for the front windows, now in a late 70's boat you can imagine they have failed, and the previous owner fixed it with nylon rope and bathroom silicon, it would be nice to have a video of how to strip and refurbish one of them, as with mine they are a custom size not seen since Norman went bust in the 80's
You should consider setting up a Patron for your account. It's almost too easy to support awesome channels like yours that way ;-)
Thanks, you are not the first to say that, I may do so down the line.
Love the two stickers.
I have the original Bill of Sale of my boat when my grandfather bought her - May 15, 1973.
Had it professionally framed to preserve it.
----------
I'm curious George ... there is/was no filler material (foam or plywood?) between the inner and outer "shells" where the windows mount? On my boat, there is plywood between the outer fiberglass and inner Formica-like material. I would think there would be something there to provide strength/rigidity.
Contain the Goo!
Nice neat and tidy work as usual George, thanks for posting.
Brilliant episode, I’m looking forward to the hatch episode having just removed mine!
thanks, stay tuned. need to edit the hatch episode, it ended up being a much larger project than the normal, remove old and fit new but that's old boats for you....
Thanks for info, you mentioned you own a Westerly, what are they like for osmosis problems , I like the bilge keel westerly ketch 30 footers.
I'm dreaming.
Great informative videos , and good craftmanship, superb!
🐼🐼🏴🏴
Westerly yachts can and do suffer a fair bit with osmosis, the resins used were not the best available at the time but most boat built in that era suffer after so many years have past. On the positive side the hulls were laid up very thick so blistering is unlikely to case a major structural issue for even if really badly blistered into the laminate rather than just under the gelcoat. Like all boats everything is fixable but always worth trying to get the best example that finances and availability allow. Pleased you like the vids
Cool stuff
In Scotland I noticed a cruising yacht with perspex bolted on over the existing windows bolted on but stood off from the existing windows by about 10mm what was that for?
🐼🐼🏴🏴
No idea, double glazing? Maybe the originals leak an this was “the fix”
Great channel, do you have a video of how to replace windows on a boat that had rubber around them and don't have the metal frame? Thanks
Thanks. Not got a video on that yet
Does he have a video of mixing up the peanut butter to seal the old holes? Curious the ratios.
FYI, your Dremel that isn't a Dremel is called a die grider or rotary tool FWIW. Another great episode.
Haha, you are not the first to say that it’s just everyone knows what a dremel is, I prefer rotary tool a die-grinders are generally much heavier duty bits of kit.
Excellent video. Interesting. . . I didn’t realise that contessa windows were so expensive 😮 …
Having replaced all the windows on my cruising boat with modern opening port lights the contessa windows are about the same price, good job they last a long time but nothing lasts forever.
Restaureren van boten,is een vak leren in de tijd van de opdrachtgever 😂.
En als ik naar de uurprijs van tegenwoordig kijk is dat een goede baan🎉😊😅
Very interesting for a future project yet again George, thanks! I believe my windows (not a CO32) are a similar basic design but with a wooden interior trim instead of being metal, and the inter screws are some type of brass or bronze instead of stainless. So questions;
- Is the window glass tempered glass or acrylic?
- Any specific supplier for your inter-screws?
- what type of previous owner paints anodised alu frames with some grey paint, and more importantly, how do you get the paint off without wrecking the anodising? ;-)
Thanks again for your informative and no-bs videos!
The glass in these windows is tempered/hardened glass, when I dropped (on purpose) one of the large windows onto the gravel beneath the boat is did not break. Stupid test really as cleaning up the glass would have been a real pain. There are lots of online suppliers for inter screws. Can’t really advise on paint removal but assume they were painted because the anodising had failed due to old age so maybe it’s a repaint or replace job.
Many thanks great chanel
Great content! Is the Arbomast Br suitable to bed pull pit feet and main bow cleat down onto our deck?
Many thanks Phil
You could use it for that but I would go for something a bit more permanent, like a sikaflex/sabatack type adhesive sealant
always great videos
A few years ago, I had to do the same butt with a twist.
I went with butyl tape as it was becoming popular.
I even hit the around the window trims with a power washer and was pleased to see no leakage into the cabin
4 years later...stil dry
Have you tried it yet ?
I have tried butyl tape and there are a lot of folk online that really love it, it’s only down side is that it takes quite a lot longer to apply that using sealant in a tube that you can gun onto the windows and it’s that time that is probably why I don’t see it’s use by professional shipwrights who are working on the clock. The sealant I use is butyl based but quick to apply and clean up. The vacuum tape used when I dried the hull laminate (see osmosis repair videos) is butyl tape.
I'm also a fan of butyl or even scapa tape. Less mess
Thanks for another great video! Will you do a video on restoring oxidized gelcoat to its original whiteness? I have a 1970 Mistress 32, with a deck that is quite matte and yellowed, with some spider cracks. Do you think applying new gelcoat everywhere is the best option? Looking forward to the next!
Maybe at some point I will. It may be that you can use some stain remover and then polish the deck on your boat if it’s not too far gone. Re gel coating is a lot of work and may not be worth it, depends on what non-slip you want. It may be better to use a mix of polishing (or painting if necessary) and then using a non-slip paint where needed. The spider-cracks may need repairing or they will show though any new coating that is applied as it flexes and cracks in the same area again.
Hi George. New to the channel - catching up on previous videos. Very informative with meticulous attention to detail - pleasing to see. Regarding the sealant used for portlights, have you considered using butyl tape? Interested in your professional point of view. Shaydon, Australia.
I know lots of people (DIYers) rave about the use of butyl tape and I have tried it myself. It’s ok but I don’t know a single professional that uses it, partly (possibly) due to the extra time it takes to use it. Most people I know tend to use an adhesive sealant because it’s not their problem when that fails and the window needs to come out again. So I go the halfway house with the sealant in the video. It works well, easy to clean up, relatively quick and when the window seal fails (and whatever you use it will fail eventually) then the window can pop out and be resealed easily and without damage.
If you have the time and not having to charge a client then by all means give butyl tape a try but I won’t be swapping over to use it unless a client specifically specified it but most are just happy to go with my suggestion and experience.
Have you ever changed the window seals in the salon on the Lagoon 450F catamaran? Do you offer your services in Miami? Thanks
Sorry, Miami is the wrong side of the Atlantic for me.
Hello, I have an old Invicta 26 which has the huge rear windows that on my boat are in a terrible state. I'd prefer the look of the Contessa 26 of having 3 smaller (8"?) along each side. I can get to the stage you show of having the window out, can you advise on the viability (method) of filling in the large window holes and then cutting the smaller apertures for the new windows please? ie just using mesh, or the need for a backing plate.
I’d normally say that this is a consultancy job but if the window you want is smaller than the hole you need to rebuild the grp structure, normally by making a backer of some type (so you having soothing to lay up the glass on), you will need to grind a taper on the existing deck to give sufficient surface area for the new material to bond to and then layup the glass and resin of your choice. I don’t know the shape of the deck on your boat well but another option could be to put thick acrylic over the hole and then fit a windows in the acrylic but that will only work if the area is reasonably flat. Hope that makes sense.
Thanks again George. New windows are definitely on my wish list, but I think I will need to remove & refit the existing ones in the saloon in the short-term, as they are leaking. I assume the same principles apply, but anything particular to watch out for?
Are you sure it’s the windows leaking and not the handrails above (which I think are original), may be worth double checking with a hose before they are removed.
@@RefitandSail It's definitely the two saloon windows on the starboard side plus the galley window. I sealed these windows completely using clear gorilla tape on the outside and all the leaks stopped. Have now done a temporary repair by sealing the outside joints between aluminium, glass and gelcoat with clear silicone sealant, and no trouble since. Replacement handrails also on the wish list!
@@CrewsFarm ahh, ok, just checking. At least they are sealed for now.
Hi George, I hope you see this post! I have and S&S34 from Winfield pre-Aquafibre and am interested in who made your windows for you, they are exactly what I am after though I am worried how many arms and legs they might cost.
The manufacturer is a trade only supplier so not much help to you but I can get them made. Full set of co32 windows (8 in total) are about 2k but can get them made to the same size as your existing if supplied.
@@RefitandSail Thanks mate, I might run with acrylic over the outside for now and save up for a full set over the next couple of years via you if you are interested?
The longer winow openings seem to have a slight curve as per the coachroof shape. Are the new windows made to a curve or will they stand being "bent" into position?
The coachroof sides have a gentle curve the whole way forward and so the windows (which are not curved) have to be persuaded to take the shape, the first time it’s done is rather nerve racking in in reality they take the curve quite easily.
Great video. I have to replace the windows on an old S&S34 and am trying to find a supplier. Any chance you'd let me know who makes yours?
My supplier is trade only so it wouldn’t help… but if you need new windows I can get them made for you.
Thanks George, I have been trade and am now retired!
Nice Video! Those replacement windows are really pricey. Have you ever tried to refurbish old ones?
I have had them refurbished and refitted before now, it depends on the condition of the frames, if they are ok then it’s worth getting it done, if the frames are heavily corroded then it’s not worth the effort.
Are those new windows sourced from JRL, or from another manufacturer? Maybe I missed the explanation, but I was surprised that the gaps between the coach roof and the headliner around the window openings were not filled with goo - was that because the window frame had a flange that fits in that space?
The outer flange of the window forms an adequate seal against the coach roof sides so no real benefit to filling all the gaps with goo. While I’m a great supporter of JRL and often buy bits from then I get my windows direct from a window manufacturer.
Which manufacturer do you use? I need to do this on my Rival 34. Do you need to provide the original windows for them to copy individually or do they have different boat patterns ready?
@@kevingriffiths8089 the company I use only deals with trade, but if you are in the uk then I’d suggest you give eagle boat windows a call as I have only heard good reports (although I think the business may have changed hands in the last year or so).
Thanks for the excellent video. Quick question - is there a reason you prefer butyl goo over butyl tape?
yes, its considerably quicker to use, I have tried butyl tape and it works fine but takes a little longer to work. I'm sure warm weather would make it easier to use tape but as far as I can recall don't know a single professional shipwright that would use it out of choice.
@@RefitandSail Thanks for the quick response! So do you use the butyl goo when installing deck hardware as well as windows, or do you use something different for hardware?
@@jimr6281 I generally (but not always) tend to use sabatack as a sealant for deckgear.
Thank you. Very well done. What is exactly this polyester putty you use for the small holes¿
Your a pro keep this channel?
They look similar to my windows on a Sadler 29 that need replacing are they the same ?
Different shape but same idea in terms of fitment
like
I tried to send you a beer but 20% paypal fees is too much (€ to GBP). Maybe Wise or Revoult would be an alternative.
Yes they are expensive fee’s but is such a well known platform others may not been keen to use an alternative platform. I have never used either of the options you suggested. Also looked at patreon and ko-fi. Hard to know what the right thing is to do. Maybe PayPal and ko-fi.
@@RefitandSailhave you heard of the site “Buy me a coffee”? That might be an alternative
Heaven knows why the openings were cut so large leaving little to fix and seal to, especially as there is plenty of width to the window frames. Surely that is not the case nowadays? Jeremy Rogers Ltd would be a little embarrassed to see this given their reputation I guess!...she is coming together nicely.
They were leak-free for most of the last 47 years that the windows have been fitted so I guess the hole being cut slightly oversize wasn’t a major issue so I can’t be too scathing about the original build. Compared to the build quality of other manufacturers back in the 70’s the build quality of Contessa’s is very good.
@@RefitandSail Fair enough and amazing given the age, corrosion potential and possible flexing. A testament to sealant, fitter and windows 👍⛵
Sikaflex aka FTNP:-£#(& the next person
Sika and 3m 5200 both known as F-the next guy 😆
@@RefitandSail I was trying to be currant but maybe some individuals don't associate with person🤔
@@Baddco oh, man, I can’t keep up with current politically correct names for things. You are probably right.
I think your videos might do a bit better if you kept him to the 15 25 minutes. These long videos are a lot.
Thanks, it’s hard to know what the right length is and the amount of detail, it would be much easier for me to skip over stuff but the feedback I get is that viewers like to see the detail so who knows. For now it’s a bit of fun and while growth is nice I’m not too concerned either way.
Nooo! I love the long format!❤
@@RiemerWitteveen the answer is probably do a bit of both.
Fantastic thanks any idea if i can just renew the glasss running out of money on a westerly discuss lol cheers
If the aluminium frames are in decent condition then they can be refurbished with new glass or acrylic, it all comes down to how good or not the old frames are. On my Sealord I had the original westerly windows but decided to replace with Lewmar opening portlights, I now see that many other westerly owners have done similar
Sorry to trouble you again were did you get your lewmar windows from ? Many thanks Alan
I have a direct account with Lewmar but there are lots of retailers online.