Hi there, Dan, I have had the same problem on my 37 for years. I recently was stuck at a dock for a day and spent some time on them. In a nutshell, the fuzzy strips build up dirt and moss, etc. and that makes the windows very hard to open and close. Especially the lower tracks. I used a combination of boiling water from a tea pot, warm soapy water, toothbrush, Q-tips, etc., and cleaned them all out, and they are all at least functional at this point. I also discovered if I used something rigid (but not sharp) like a popsicle stick to really scrape the fuzzy strips once they had soaked in hot water it made a world of difference. It is tricky to flood the tracks to clean and rinse without getting any water inside the boat so it is also helpful to have someone inside that can help clean up as you go.
Next level of complexity would be that Diamond Sea Glaze will sell you a kit to replace all of the seals and felt and so forth.
Most extreme complexity would be to replace the entire window.
I will say that it was very simple to disassemble the windows and even take out the glass and all that (I did disassemble one window completely before I started just to see what I was working with). My next iteration will be to take the windows apart and really clean well and see if I can replace just the fuzzy as you have mentioned. But in the meantime, the clean out did a nice job and we have usable windows.
Best of luck on the project!
Ben
37-202
Sent from my iPhone
On Aug 13, 2025, at 07:21, April DeGennaro via Sentoa <sentoa@lists.sentoa.org> wrote:
Be careful as too much pressure on the metal bar can cause it to separate from the window.
Ask me how we know. 😏
On Wed, Aug 13, 2025 at 9:29 AM Weik Anne via Sentoa <sentoa@lists.sentoa.org> wrote:
i cleaned my good with a small brush and than air sprayed with silicone nt 32 178
Sent from my iPad
On Aug 13, 2025, at 9:16 AM, Don Albanese via Sentoa <sentoa@lists.sentoa.org> wrote:
To All:
The sliding windows in my 2003 32' tug don't open easily. They cock sideways and refuse to slide easily. I presume that this is because the felt tracks in the windows are worn out. I haven't seen this discussed before and I am wondering if there is a fix.Can the tracks be replaced? Appreciate any thoughts. Thanks.
Don Albanese
Annie 2003 32' #228
Vermilion, Oh
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