Ken Surplice
2020-11-04T09:25:03Z

Hi Folks,

How do I remove the wooden panels that surround the cabin windows?

BACKGROUND
At the delayed start of the 2020 season my Parker 275 had suffered a lot of mould damage on the wood bulkheads in the front cabin, on the doors in the cabin and around the window in the cabin. Prior to this I could see wiggly lines showing through where the veneer glue had been applied. The damage seemed to be at waist level and up. After much experimenting with bleach, oxalic acid and more, it refused to budge. I spent ages with a sander to remove a good layer of the cracked varnish veneer until I reached bare wood. To make sanding easier I removed the side panels in the fore peak. That was easy to do. I then applied three coast of West System clear epoxy, lovely stuff, to all affected panels, removed and in situ, and then added coats for varnish for UV protection. It was hard work, especially the sanding, but I should be protected for a good few years. Alas the panels in the cabin that surround the doors are blotchy due to heavy duty sanding that was necessary. Maybe one day I will attempt to apply new veneer. The rest of the treated panels are much improved and I am happy with the results.

NEXT STEPS
Now I want to treat the rest of the wood in the cabin before it deteriorates. After much unscrewing I managed to remove the front starboard wooden panel the goes from toilet bulkhead to aft of the chart table. It’s huge and only just fits through the companionway. I was baffled for a while trying to detach the strip above the chart table but eventually found two small screws that held the wood to the roof with two small L brackets. You can feel for the either side of the chart table lock.

HELP PLEASE
Now I want to remove the wood panel around the windows. We have stuck on windows with white fibre glass or plastic surrounds on the inside. I can see the panel slots under a longitudinal strip in the roof and is held by the transverse strip that goes around the loo door. Nothing obvious is supporting the back. I tried unscrewing the popper fittings thinking they may also secure the panel to the cabin sides. They don’t. I’m baffled. How do I removed the wood panel that surrounds the windows from loo to chart table? Thank you for sharing if you know how to do this.
Ken
Phill
2020-11-12T12:30:35Z
Ken,

When I removed Flamingo's windows to reseal them, I found that the screws securing the windows go right through into the panels that you are trying to remove. So without removing the windows (another can of worms) the panels won't come off. I wonder if they might be glued too? As a side issue I had great success sealing the windows using self adhesive closed cell polyurethane foam, detailed in my blog entry below.

Phill


https://parker275flamingo.home.blog/blogs/page/5/ 
Ken Surplice
2020-11-14T17:44:16Z
Hi Phill,

Eureka! Of course it makes complete sense now you explain it. If I can't see how the wood is secured inside the cabin then it must be secured from the outside. I would have never have thought of that. As it happens, like me after a few pints, my windows need to be re-bedded. A lot of forum chat elsewhere suggests butyl tape but I would prefer to use a tried and tested method closer to home so I will happily dig into your blog and learn from your experience.

Many thanks - Ken
Ken