Leopard 45

Five of the six saloon windows required reseating, which was not entirely unexpected given that they were among the yacht’s largest window panels. In addition, both forward-facing hatches were found to be leaking and heavily corroded, with visible water run marks present on the front windows both internally and externally.

One of the key advantages of the Leopard design is the forward access door, which provides excellent natural ventilation throughout the saloon. With this in mind, the decision was made to replace the forward window panels entirely and remove the smaller opening hatches altogether—a solution that was comparable in cost to replacing the two corroded hatches alone.

Inspection during the refit suggested the original window bond failure was possibly caused by inadequate surface preparation during construction. The painted bonding surfaces remained glossy and showed little evidence of proper abrasion or etching, which would have reduced adhesive performance. Over time, prolonged UV exposure and heat degrade the original bonding compound, believed to have been Sikaflex, further contributing to bond separation and water ingress.

The replacement and resealing process was completed using Sikaflex 295 UV, requiring a substantial amount of adhesive across the large window panels. Despite the complexity of the job, the work was carried out with impressive efficiency and attention to detail. Once installed, the windows were carefully braced and left to cure for a full seven days before the supports were removed and final finishing work completed.
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The project was undertaken by Snick As, who managed the installation professionally despite challenging conditions that included high humidity and frequent rain. Allowing the bracing to remain in place for the full curing period ensured a high-quality result. Credit goes to Steve and his team for an excellent outcome.