Can You Really Reseal 43-Year-Old Marine Windows? (Fixing Decades of Leaks)

Last week we started the biggest project we've ever tackled on Sand Dollar: resealing the entire boat before the predicted super El Nino rainy season arrives early. This week, we dive headfirst into the hardest part of the job as we begin tearing apart 43-year-old portholes and pilothouse windows in a desperate attempt to make them watertight once again. What starts as a straightforward reseal quickly turns into a three-and-a-half-week battle against seized screws, severe corrosion, failed seals, and decades of questionable repairs. With every window hiding a new surprise, we're forced to salvage parts from the scrapped boat, rebuild worn-out hardware, and find creative ways to keep these aging frames alive. Along the way, we remove and reseal 10 portholes, 10 pilothouse windows, and set ourselves up to tackle 7 hatches, all while racing against gathering storm clouds and the looming arrival of the wet season in southern Mexico. As the pressure mounts and the setbacks pile up, we begin to wonder if we're in over our heads. Then the first major rainstorm arrives... This a DIY boatyard refit our our N.C. Bjerg aluminum pilothouse windows, portholes, and hatches. It is important to have a watertight sailboat where we plan to go sailing down in the tropics. Liveaboard cruising is not always easy, these are the down and dirty jobs that are required to keep everything ship shape. Follow Fish Under Sail as we refit Sand Dollar, our 1983 Nauticat 43, to chase fish, and sail around the world. ⏱ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Biggest reseal job yet 01:20 Removing the aft cabin portholes 03:30 Developing a resealing system 05:15 Salvaging parts from the donor boat 06:40 Starting the pilothouse windows 09:55 Previous owner's repair disaster 11:15 Donor windows to the rescue 15:10 More unexpected setbacks 18:30 Custom fixes and window repairs 22:50 Front windows become the biggest challenge 24:30 The first rain test30:50 Every window still leaks... 33:10 Next week's hatch repairs 📲 Follow our adventure Instagram ‪@FishUnderSail‬ Natasha @/tashsea Kyle @/kylehfishing Patreon   / fishundersail   If you enjoyed the video, please subscribe and join us as we continue restoring Sand Dollar for life offshore. Some links may be affiliate links which means we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting Fish Under Sail.