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2017 23 LSV Walk Through Window Shatters


bbattiste247

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I am sorry I don't have pictures of this because it was quite an ordeal. With just over 5 hours on my new boat, the window must not have been adjusted properly and appears to have fallen through.  But when it shattered, it left thousands of pieces of broken glass all over my boat. Fortunately, it was just me and a friend out to do some break-in and possibly surfing if we could find a place without rangers. It was just a little choppy today, but nothing out of the ordinary. While going about 10 mph, the window fell through and just shatters. We were a little stunned, so we quickly found a place to tie up and started the tedious process of getting the glass out of the boat. At first, we picked up some chunks and tossed them. Then, with our bare hands, we started to sweep the small little pieces onto our driver license and toss them. We also had to take out the carpet, and all the removeable cushions to get the small pieces of glass off. Once we put everything back in, we make it to the marina and use a shop vac. We thought we got it all, but ever hour or so we would find other small piece of glass. This was a minor inconvenience, so hopefully this is the only problem we'll have.  

Edited by bbattiste247
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Pics or it didn't happen!  wow, that is crazy...I have been on this forum for over seven years and never heard of anything like this happening.  Maybe window tint is in your future, hold that glass together.  Hopefully your dealer can get you a window ordered soon and get you back on the water.

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10 hours ago, bbattiste247 said:

I am sorry I don't have pictures of this because it was quite an ordeal. With just over 5 hours on my new boat, the window must not have been adjusted properly and appears to have fallen through.  But when it shattered, it left thousands of pieces of broken glass all over my boat. Fortunately, it was just me and a friend out to do some break-in and possibly surfing if we could find a place without rangers. It was just a little choppy today, but nothing out of the ordinary. While going about 10 mph, the window fell through and just shatters. We were a little stunned, so we quickly found a place to tie up and started the tedious process of getting the glass out of the boat. At first, we picked up some chunks and tossed them. Then, with our bare hands, we started to sweep the small little pieces onto our driver license and toss them. We also had to take out the carpet, and all the removeable cushions to get the small pieces of glass off. Once we put everything back in, we make it to the marina and use a shop vac. We thought we got it all, but ever hour or so we would find other small piece of glass. This was a minor inconvenience, so hopefully this is the only problem we'll have.  

Where are you that can't surf?

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6 minutes ago, Lees23 said:

Where are you that can't surf?

I'm guessing they couldn't surf because they had no spotter.  Many stars require spotters 

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Dealing with the broken safety glass situation in my wife's new company car.  She can't get over the fact that the thieves didn't know the purse sitting on the front seat in plain view was empty before they busted the window and took it.  :stupid:

Anyway, you will be finding pieces of that glass forever.  Good thing is that it is tempered, so won't slice the crap out of someone if they step on it or sit on a piece.  Still a nuisance, though.

  • Like 1
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The weirdest part of this story is...... this is not the first time I have heard of this happening lately. Which is just inane! 

When you think about what the mechanics are to ALLOW the walk through window to fall through the opening it's a BIG problem. 

The only explanation is a MASSIVE amount of hull flex. I know from past expiernece with my Malibus that the gap would shift between boat on trailer vs. boat on water , but it typically was only 1/4" or so. If the window was installed correctly at the factory .... when the hull is in water it should push the windshield further TOGETHER... if your hull is flexing an inch or more through chop... SOMEONE needs to revist the structural soundness of the hull. Usually there is a large u shaped steel channel in the walkway to prevent this very concern.... but with how many I have personally heard of this happening too... it may need more reienforcement or more layup. 

Someone at Malibu needs to know about these concerns . That's a huge safety liability. 

  • Like 1
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23 minutes ago, Bawshogg said:

The weirdest part of this story is...... this is not the first time I have heard of this happening lately. Which is just inane! 

When you think about what the mechanics are to ALLOW the walk through window to fall through the opening it's a BIG problem. 

The only explanation is a MASSIVE amount of hull flex. I know from past expiernece with my Malibus that the gap would shift between boat on trailer vs. boat on water , but it typically was only 1/4" or so. If the window was installed correctly at the factory .... when the hull is in water it should push the windshield further TOGETHER... if your hull is flexing an inch or more through chop... SOMEONE needs to revist the structural soundness of the hull. Usually there is a large u shaped steel channel in the walkway to prevent this very concern.... but with how many I have personally heard of this happening too... it may need more reienforcement or more layup. 

Someone at Malibu needs to know about these concerns . That's a huge safety liability. 

Did it fall through the opening BEFORE it broke?  Or did it shatter, then fall out?   Either way, that bugs me... and I would be concerned about hull flex.   It is not like you caught a rock on the highway, so it sounds like either the frame was too tight and then the flex shattered it, or the frame was too lose, and flex let it fall free.   Either way, does the hull really flex that much?   I agree with Bawshogg, sounds like something to look into more deeply.   Seems like something you could prove fairly easily - tape a piece of carbon paper (if that still could be found) to the center frame and the side, and you should be able to see how far it is flexing. 

@Bawshogg How many of these have you heard about... did a quick search, didnt turn up a lot, and most seemed like they were happening on the trailer, and attributed to "rocks"... which Im not sure I buy into.   My old Crownline (20 years old) didnt have so much as a mark on the windows, let alone any rock chips.   Seems like a reach to me - boat windows seem relatively sheltered to me (not saying it cant happen, just seems like it would be rare).

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I'm also curious how many times this has been reported.  I have never seen it posted on here before but that does not mean it's not happening.  We hit some good double ups and heavy chop in my 2015 and I never had an issue with hull flex. I would assume a 2015 and 2017 have the same construction.

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I know of 3 boats that have had this issue locally to me. All of them were 2016 and up boats. They all had the center window fall through the walkway gap. 

Now seeing this post, this is 4 I know of that this has happened to. Think about this for a minute..... that walkway area for us, was a common spot for us to keep the kiddos .... both them when our boys were still in car seats. What would happen either way if the window either shattered from compression or fell through on your baby? Could be real bad.

  • Like 4
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3 minutes ago, Bawshogg said:

I know of 3 boats that have had this issue locally to me. All of them were 2016 and up boats. They all had the center window fall through the walkway gap. 

Now seeing this post, this is 4 I know of that this has happened to. Think about this for a minute..... that walkway area for us, was a common spot for us to keep the kiddos .... both them when our boys were still in car seats. What would happen either way if the window either shattered from compression or fell through on your baby? Could be real bad.

Different models or all 23 LSV's?  Wasn't the windshield changed in 17?  Could this be an issue with the frame construction?

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The center windshield fell through on my 2016 VLX. There is a kit the dealer installed designed to prevent this from happening again. Once it falls through you will not get it back into position. Basically the entire windscreen has to come off the boat. 

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I caught a rock towing my '15 but the tint held it together for the most part.

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Edited by KeepingupwiththeJones
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1 hour ago, Sailvi767 said:

The center windshield fell through on my 2016 VLX. There is a kit the dealer installed designed to prevent this from happening again. Once it falls through you will not get it back into position. Basically the entire windscreen has to come off the boat. 

Kit????

Often have an infant there and by my drivers feet, new one on the way next week and that will be her spot.. now I'm worried for this summer.

 

. is the Glass barely in the frame?? Or from flex??  I know the Malibus flex more than some others but if that's the cause there is some big concern..

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Could it have been from latches not latched to keep it snug in chop and it bouncing up and down until it shattered? Most have a thin foam strip to cussion that unless it was missing or the bounce was to big?

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Malibu is aware of the problem and they have a retro kit to stiffen up the windshield area on the VLX. I hoped it was standard on 2017 boats but perhaps not.

Edited by Sailvi767
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40 minutes ago, Sailvi767 said:

Malibu is aware of the problem and they have a retro kit to stiffen up the windshield area on the VLX. I hoped it was standard on 2017 boats but perhaps not.

All 2016s  including 25lsv? I figured all windshields are same across the line.  Is it a recall or only "if" it happens?

Edited by The Hulk
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I am supposed to pick up a 17 in a couple of weeks and have asked my dealer if he is aware of this issue and if we can install the fix BEFORE  anything breaks.

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The window frame can ONLY fall through because of either hull flex or a loose windshield on one side or the other... this is not a case of the window breaking first and falling through. The frame SHOULD prevent that from happening. 

I tell ya.... if that window fell through and shattered on my baby... Lawyer up FO SHO! 

  • Like 3
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9 hours ago, Lees23 said:

Different models or all 23 LSV's?  Wasn't the windshield changed in 17?  Could this be an issue with the frame construction?

I've heard of it on 25 lsv's ... 23lsv's and now VLX ... yes the window is VERY similar across all lines . It was changed again in 2016 to the current style. 

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Just now, Bawshogg said:

I've heard of it on 25 lsv's ... 23lsv's and now VLX ... yes the window is VERY similar across all lines . It was changed again in 2016 to the current style. 

Confused if this is a 16 issue or pre 16 issue how do you confirm? I don't need a window landing on a brand new infant!! 

Edited by The Hulk
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