Window gasket

Last summer, the engineering people at Mercia marina took out one of Erin Mae's window, and fixed it properly so it wouldn't leak. Then Rich at Great Haywood did the paintwork the job necessitated. All a great success – we had a nice shiny, dry boat. This summer, at various points, A. Nonymous removed one or two items. At the safe Piccadilly Village mooring in Manchester, some well-heeled resident decided we'd be better off without one of our fenders. And at another, unknown point earlier in the year, someone removed a black rubber gasket covering the screws holding in the window that Mercia had fixed.

I rang the New and Used Boat company who make the Aqualine boats, and they promised to look into how I could get a replacement. A couple of emails later, however, they said they no longer used the same window supplier, and couldn't help me. What a pain! As we travelled around, someone suggested that the windows looked as though they'd been made by Channel Glaze, so I gave them a ring. Dave was very helpful, but his take on the matter was that the NandUBC had ripped off the design of his windows, and got a somewhat inferior imitation made by the Polish manufacturer. I could certainly agree with him that the windows are about the least impressive part of Erin Mae's construction.

But could Dave solve my gasket problem? Having looked at my photos he thought they had one that might do, and sent me a sample. It's not quite the same profile as what came with the boat, but it works well and, if anything, is easier to tuck in than the original. So we are re-gasketed!

If any other 2007 Aqualine owners are needing some – it's called "Single & Double Glazed Deluxe Concealed Fixing Gasket".