[C320-list] Portlight Replacement/Repair?

Tue Apr 26 18:44:26 PDT 2022

Thanks for that advice!  

I spoke too soon (as usual) on the port lights.  I actually had the backing frame (the side inside the cabin) backwards and had to reverse them all.  And cutting the Lewmar plastic trim is an absolute bear.  I still don’t have them in properly and am considering going without them, though my wife is loudly objecting to that idea.

Does anyone have a tip on how to trim those plastic covers???  I tried tin snips and I just can’t get in there.

Lots of butyl tape came out when I re-did the frames so I hope they are still good and watertight.  But the nice thing about the butyl tape is that if I have to re-bed them it won’t be terrible getting them out.

Thanks all!

David
C320 “Dream Catcher” #118

> On Apr 26, 2022, at 6:21 AM, <rthruston88 at gmail.com> <rthruston88 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Dave,
> Rebedding the front hatch isn't bad.  It's similar to the windows.  I would suggest 2-3 layers of the tape at the corners.  They just don’t get flush and the added tape helps...coming from someone that had to do it twice...
> Rene'
> Little Wing 
> #545
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: C320-list <c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com> On Behalf Of David Wellerstein
> Sent: Monday, April 25, 2022 7:18 PM
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Portlight Replacement/Repair?
> 
> So, I went to install four new Lewmar portlights thinking I’d get through one since I was starting at around 2:00 in the afternoon.
> 
> To my complete surprise, it was really quite easy and I did all four in about 3 hours!
> 
> The hardest part was removing the two or three fasteners per light that had become seized in place.  Fortunately a YouTube video showed using a Vise Grip which worked great.  The port lights were bedded with what looked like butyl tape but it was a very thin bead at best.  I took the collective advice, used gray Dicro butyl tape and doubled it along the seam.  Was easy though by the fourth install the tape was sticking to my fingers as I positioned it on the light.  The only other hiccup was not knowing if I had the backing (inside) aluminum frame the right way around.  I decided that the beveled edge had to be flush with the cabin, not the other which would have created a large lip between the frame and the cabin wall. 
> 
> The only other thing was that the inside plastic trim piece needs to be trimmed and I didn’t have tin snips on the boat.  But it looks good so far and I immediately sprayed water on all four — no leaks!  I am almost looking forward to some rain!
> 
> OK…question:  the forward trapezoidal hatch (Bowman) leaks.  I noticed that there are no screws/fasteners under the hatch along the rim.  This can’t be correct?  Are the screws just buried?  I can’t find them.  Is re-bedding the forward hatch a monster job? 
> 
> Thanks again for all the feedback!  The plastic scraper works great since it is so easy to scratch the fiberglass with a putty knife (I did that).  Also, I used Goof Off to get the residue off and it worked great.  Followed that with Collimate 920 and it was just beautiful.
> 
> Fair winds!
> 
> —David
> 
>> On Apr 13, 2022, at 11:39 AM, P.F. Ross <pfrstl at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Greg, bunch of info here on the Lewmar website:
>> 
>> https://www.lewmar.com/node/11265?v=24318
>> 
>> Frank Ross
>> 
>> On Wed, Apr 13, 2022 at 10:33 AM GREG SUTTON <sutt47 at msn.com> wrote:
>> 
>>> I have to redo my ports also.  Just wondering if anyone knows if 
>>> there is a diagram available showing how they are put together and 
>>> where I can find it?
>>> Greg Sutton
>>> Liberty
>>> #128
>>> 
>>> Get Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef> 
>>> ________________________________
>>> From: C320-list <c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com> on behalf 
>>> of Dave Hupe <hoopdtwo at yahoo.com>
>>> Sent: Tuesday, April 12, 2022 8:38:33 PM
>>> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
>>> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Portlight Replacement/Repair?
>>> 
>>> I purchased 1inch wide x 30 feet long white butyl tape from SailRite 
>>> in preparation to rebed my genoa track when the weather offers me a 
>>> several day dry and warm window opportunity.  The price was maybe 
>>> $12. It seems good quality but I haven't yet put it to practice.  So, 
>>> time will tell (soon).
>>> Dave Hupe
>>> 1994 C320 #32
>>> Holland, MI
>>> 
>>> Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android
>>> 
>>> On Tue, Apr 12, 2022 at 8:18 PM, P.F. Ross<pfrstl at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Hi David,
>>> 
>>> I used butyl tape on all seven of my replacement portlights.  But as 
>>> Jeff said, the "Bed-it" butyl tape that I really liked is not 
>>> currently available from marinehowto.com due to RC's medical situation.
>>> 
>>> Also along the lines of Jeff's comment, I used two layers of tape but 
>>> I did this by simply folding the tape over on itself along its length 
>>> as I stuck it to the frame.  I stuck it to the angled edge of the 
>>> frame that would contact the hull first and not to the flat, somewhat 
>>> recessed portion of the frame that looks like it was made for 
>>> sealant.  I slowly tightened the frame over a couple of days and 
>>> would trim off excess using a plastic razor blade (this is a real and 
>>> handy thing, look it up on Amazon) and then clean up with some mineral spirits.  All are now leak-tight.
>>> 
>>> Good luck, please let us know if you find a good stretchy, sticky 
>>> butyl tape.
>>> 
>>> Frank Ross
>>> Beta Wave #206
>>> Naples, FL
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On Tue, Apr 12, 2022 at 7:51 PM Jeff Hare <Catalina at thehares.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> David,
>>>> 
>>>> If *I* were rebedding side portlights, I would be using Butyl Tape. 
>>>> While I use Bed-It brand from Marine How-to, he's very unfortunately 
>>>> recovering from a tragedy and his store is offline (maybe for good). 
>>>> Butyl Tape is
>>> far
>>>> less messy and easier to get right than polysulfide, Sikka or 
>>>> similar adhesives in my opinion. I would be likely to use more than one layer.
>>>> Dicor BT-1834 is a butyl tape that might be a good option but I 
>>>> haven't researched it much. If you go this route, look into applying 
>>>> the tape to the window frame in a couple layers to be sure that it 
>>>> will conform and
>>> not
>>>> leave any voids.
>>>> 
>>>> Clean the surface well first. Colinite 920 does a good job.  Best to 
>>>> tighten the frame gradually on a warm day so that the butyl can 
>>>> properly fill out all the space. Remove any squeeze-out as soon as you can.
>>>> 
>>>> That's what I believe I would be doing if I had a hatch to rebed. I 
>>>> did the center salon overhead hatch like this years ago when I 
>>>> swapped the
>>> Aft
>>>> Cabin emergency hatch with the main salon center hatch. The center 
>>>> had become crazed, so I swapped them. You don't have that option 
>>>> since your hull doesn't have the escape hatch in the aft cabin. That 
>>>> was an addition on hulls somewhere around 2000 or so.
>>>> 
>>>> -Jeff H.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: C320-list <c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com> On Behalf 
>>>> Of David Wellerstein
>>>> Sent: Monday, April 11, 2022 12:39 PM
>>>> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
>>>> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Portlight Replacement/Repair?
>>>> 
>>>> So I broke down and bought four new Lewmar portlights for the cabin.
>>>> We’ll tackle the others later but for now I’m excited to get these done.
>>>> 
>>>> Looks like removal is the toughest part of the job so I’ll do one at 
>>>> a time and see how it goes.
>>>> 
>>>> Big question is what material to use to bed the ports?  It seems 
>>>> 4000 or (the variant from Pettit which I got for free at a local 
>>>> boat show) are right for a caulk-type.  But I’m reading a lot about 
>>>> butyl tape.  I would love for the C320 hive and to weigh in here.  
>>>> I’d love to hear from
>>> anyone
>>>> who’s done both and what you’ve landed on as the best choice.  Seems 
>>>> that since fasteners are holding the inner and outer frames together 
>>>> that adhesion is not the issue.  It’s really about waterproofing and 
>>>> the butyl tape looks like it works fine.  Add to that the ease of 
>>>> working with it
>>> and
>>>> the ease of removal…seems like the right choice.
>>>> 
>>>> Thanks as always!
>>>> 
>>>> —David
>>>> C320 #118, Dream Catcher
>>>> 
>>>>> On Mar 27, 2022, at 1:32 PM, Troy Dunn <troutwarrior at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> Some folks have had success just replacing the gasket on the Bomar
>>> hatch.
>>>>> I had no such luck.  The problem is that the sealant (Dow795) that
>>> seals
>>>>> the lens to the frame needs to make a tight seal against the gasket
>>> too,
>>>>> mine kept leaking no matter what I did.  Since my hatch lens was 
>>>>> over
>>> 20
>>>>> years old it was EOL anyhow.  I ended up making a new lens  and 
>>>>> refurbishing the hatch.  Worked out well.  You can search the 
>>>>> emails
>>>> for
>>>>> the write up.  Pictures in my gallery.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Troy Dunn
>>>>> Wonky Dog
>>>>> Hull#514
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
> 
> 