Sliding window screens

T

trpsurf

New member
We spent last weekend at Catalina Island and had a wonderful time.
My wife and two daughters (ages 3 and 6 mo.) are hoping to play hookey in August and meet up with the other C-Brats in the first week of August

The only downside to our island adventure last weekend were the hoards of flies that seemed to attack the boat upon anchoring in coves near the west end of the island. The only option was to close all of the windows or leave that area.

It then dawned on us that those empty sliding window frames in our side/ front windows must be for screens.

Has anyone replaced the screen material on their sliding window frames? I did a search and found lots of resources and ideas (screen for bomar hatch, front pop out window, rear windows, etc) but have come up empty handed on something that describes replacement of the material on the side windows.

Does anyone have any tips to share?
 
I've never had to repair mine, but it would seem the options are:

1. Re-screen your own frames with material from a hardware store.

2. Have the hardware store do it for you, if you prefer.

3. Buy completely new frames with screens from Diamond Sea Glaze, the OEM supplier to C-Dory over the years:

http://www.diamondseaglaze.com/index.asp

Hope this helps!

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
Sorry, I should have clarified.

How do you remove the sliding frame from the window so that I can replace the screen material?

Tim
 
trpsurf":1o1xcwoc said:
Sorry, I should have clarified.

How do you remove the sliding frame from the window so that I can replace the screen material?

Tim
Click to expand...

Push the screen frame up, then tilt the bottom out towards you.
 
JamesTXSD":29s3qt1q said:
trpsurf":29s3qt1q said:
Sorry, I should have clarified.

How do you remove the sliding frame from the window so that I can replace the screen material?

Tim
Click to expand...

Push the screen frame up, then tilt the bottom out towards you.
Click to expand...

Yup, just like a big sliding glass door :thup

Charlie
 
I'd like to ask a question on this same topic: How to remove the screen and its frame from the sliding side windows on my 22.

I figured that - as is mentioned here - I would simply push upwards, compress one of those flat metal spring-arms until the bottom of the frame cleared the track, and then pull it out. But mine don't seem to work that way. Well, they start out seeming like they will, but when the upper "springs" are fully compressed, the bottom of the frame does not clear the lower window track. And I mean, it's not like it's really close and just a bit of "English" will get it to squeeze past. It's not even that close. My buddy is one of those "big and strong" dudes, and he had no luck either, so I don't think any amount of lifting and compressing is going to work (unless it's a really huge amount of force needed)

I have two reasons for wanting to know this:

1) Just in case I ever need to repair or replace one of the mesh screens (they are fine now).

2) On my port side window, the forward vertical edge has to be slightly "encouraged" to slip into the vertical track (i.e. to close the screen the last 1/4"). I can see that if I removed that whole screen frame and "bent" it very slightly that then it would slide closed easily, like the starboard one does.

I considered that the window frame might have been compressed slightly (i.e. be made "shorter") upon installation, hence trapping the screen frame; but I don't think that's the case as both windows and both screens slide easily - it's just when the port side one gets to the forward vertical track that it is slightly out of alignment. And, using a straight edge I can see that it's that vertical edge of the screen frame that is ever so slightly not perfectly straight. So upshot is I can't see any "good" reason why the screens should not come out.... but they don't. (Both sides are the same in this respect.)

There is a clear piece of something - perhaps tubing or a U-shaped profile - that sits in the bottom track (so the screen frame rides on it when sliding). Perhaps one has to remove this and then the screen actually comes out by dropping down instead of the usual "push up and compress spring" way?

I may also call Diamond Sea Glaze, but since they are in Canada and I'm in a cell-phone-roaming zone, I figured I'd check here first.

I can take photos later if that would help (but I don't see anything other than stock windows in good condition on my boat, so guessing many others are the same). These are the typical, white DSG windows used on 2000's 22 Cruisers.

Thanks,
Sunbeam
 
Hi Sunbeam. That clear thing in the bottom of the track comes out, then you have room to get the screen out. It just sits in there. I've had mine out a couple of times to clean the track. Easy. :thup
 
ghone":3nwrweed said:
Hi Sunbeam. That clear thing in the bottom of the track comes out, then you have room to get the screen out. It just sits in there. I've had mine out a couple of times to clean the track. Easy. :thup
Click to expand...

Thanks, George! They had me fooled as they are so similar to a "combination" storm window that comes out by lifting up against the top springs and bringing it over the bottom first. And I always hate to try too hard to move something until I know how it is supposed to move. Now I do! Thanks :thup

Sunbeam

PS: This is from the other thread, but oooh, boat in canvas shop? That sounds like an upgrade coming back your way soon :D
 
Thought I would report back. Sorry about writing in two different threads, but when I searched again today the other one came up, and I could see that the OP in that one had the same problem I did - so I replied there too, and then found this thread again. Anyway...

I did remove the plastic "tubing" pice that the screen slides on in the bottom of the frame. However.... the screen frame was *still* too tall to remove :amgry And by then I could tell that there were definitely those "springs" at the top so it really should work the other way.

Well, finally, with a MAJOR upward force, we were just able to get the one screen (port side, which I want to adjust) to come out over the bottom lip (without scraping, but man, there wasn't even room to put protective tape on the bottom frame - it was TIGHT). (For this the plastic being removed didn't make any difference, as all the movement was upwards.)

They are much, much tighter than a house storm window (plus those are taller so you can put a little "English" on them and distort them to make them "shorter"). To the point where it seems like they must work some other way (but I couldn't make any other way work on my boat).

Sunbeam
 
Along with new screens get one of these, two is better.

MR-GJ.jpg
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Wow, big picture..
This thing works on any insect that flies. When the bugs are out and we're on the hook we put one of these in the cockpit then wait about 10-15 min. It's a good idea to have two if one fails.
 
The screens that came on my C-Dory are wire screens, just like you'd normally see on a porch screen door. The holes in the mesh work fine for mosquitoes, but are way too large to be a hindrance to no-see-ums and sand-flies, so if you're going to be in the southern states (Georgia has a town called SandFly on the ICW near Savannah) get screens with smaller mesh.
 
smittypaddler":xo3dd9ud said:
The holes in the mesh work fine for mosquitoes, but are way too large to be a hindrance to no-see-ums and sand-flies, so if you're going to be in the southern states get screens with smaller mesh.
Click to expand...

Good point, and (at least in tents) it's often called "no-see-um netting." That said, I don't like to use it for primary screening, because it passes a lot less air than regular screen does (due to the smaller mesh), which can be hot/stuffy (and there are not always no-see-ums). I don't have anything extra rigged up on the C-Dory yet, but what I have done in the past was have a second set of screens (just fabric so it stows easily - no frame) that I can put up just when needed (over the regular screening, depending on the set-up). I've used Velcro, bungee, rope, or sewn in weights on the perimeter, depending on the situation.
 
To follow up: After I finally got the port-side screen/frame removed, I made my "adjustment" and then it was time to put it back in. I had managed to get it out without scratching any of the paint (minor miracle, it was so tight), but I wanted to make it easier/safer to put back in. But there wasn't room for blue tape, etc.

What I did was cut three strips out of a very thin plastic bag (Wal-Mart/grocery type) and then lay them across the bottom of the screen channel. At the same time my buddy pushed the screen up into the upper channel and then held the bottom of the screen frame against the bottom channel (thus trapping the sections of bag as I placed them). Once they were all in place, he pushed the screen up and slid the bottom into the channel. It still took a mighty oomph, but slid in much easier and no worries about scratching the paint. I was then able to slide the screen forward and aft and get the three sections of plastic bag out.

I think it would be possible next time (again, by sliding the screen forward and aft in the channel) to place the strips of plastic bag under the bottom of the screen before removing it from the channel - would probably come out easier that way.

I didn't have mine out to repair the screen - it's in fine shape - but rather because, although it slid forward and aft smoothly, the forward vertical screen frame had to be slightly "encouraged' to engage with the forward/vertical window channel. Annoying. Once I removed the screen frame I could see that there was a very slight "bend" at the corners (likely happened when they formed the screen frame). So I used strips of wood, plus clamps and the straight edge of a metal picnic table (all padded with carpet) to bend it it juuust slightly (in stages). I tested it by placing it on a piece of plywood until it fit down flat. Now it snicks into place just like the starboard side screen when I slide it forward. Ahhhh.

Plus, now I don't have to live in fear of one of the screens getting torn and not being able to get the frame out to repair it.
 
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