Identify these portlights? Hood, Pompanette, Bomar?

[31seahorse]

+1 to dlochner's suggestion of using an oscillating tool w/scraper blade. I never tried using a debonding chemical, but that sounds good. Along with the wedges mentioned you might try a painter's tool or a putty knife to get under the rim by tapping the tool. On a project of mine I removed chunks of the 5200 (or similar) material..... Hard, cracked, pinkish color, etc.

Added: I remember putting plywood between the inner and outer fiberglass in order to fill in the void after the 5200 was removed. Seal the snot out of the new installation.

 

[jviss]

+1 to dlochner's suggestion of using an oscillating tool w/scraper blade.

Thanks. Despite the fact that I have a basement full of tools of all kinds, I have never had nor used an oscillating tool. I looked at them last night at Lowes. Can you please recommend a blade for this application?

 

[dlochner]

Thanks. Despite the fact that I have a basement full of tools of all kinds, I have never had nor used an oscillating tool. I looked at them last night at Lowes. Can you please recommend a blade for this application?

Here's a list of them at Amazon. I don't think any one is any better than the other brand names. Pick one that fits the tool that you pick. I've found the selection of scrapper blades at Lower and HD to be poor. Online is probably a better choice.

The oscillating tool is a handy device. It can sand, cut metals, wood, and plastics. Often works well where tools like saber saws don't work as well because of clearance issues. I have 2, a corded and cordless one. I prefer the cordless.

 

[jviss]

Thanks Dave. Another application: could you cut, for example, cut a piece of wood that is glued flat to a piece of plywood? I'm thinking of cutting off some battery locating strips.

 

[dlochner]

Thanks Dave. Another application: could you cut, for example, cut a piece of wood that is glued flat to a piece of plywood? I'm thinking of cutting off some battery locating strips.

Yes, not sure the scrapper blade is the blade, one of the saw blades would work better. The saws are good for those kind of close quarters work or trimming things flush.

 

[jviss]

Thanks. I might go for the corded one. I have a power problem with my cordless drill. I have a 1kW inverter on the boat, and just bought a nice extension cord.

 

[31seahorse]

Hello jviss, As mentioned there are several oscillating tool brands. I prefer a model that requires the Allen wrench method of tightening the blade to the head of the tool. I also have a model that uses a spring type clip with a lever on the top of the machine (Dremel recent model, I think). The blades seem a bit loose and that is never a good thing
RE: blades. An assortment (a few blades and a sanding backer plate) comes with the tool. The scraper is smooth on the front and thicker than the individual toothed blades. The blades are offset so you can work under or between types of material or glued pieces of wood. Fein Multimaster is the Cadillac (in my opinion) but also more expensive. I have abused one of those for about 18 years. Could not have done many of the jobs without it's unique abilities.

 

[jviss]

Thanks, @31seahorse , for the detailed reply. I think it will require some experience to tell what kind of blades I will want. I think I'd like a flexible scraper, for the caulk on the coachroof, and a flush-cutting toothed blade, to flush off the existing battery platform runners (or whatever they are called).

 

[randydandy]

@jviss I am finally tackling this job on Jubilee. I've got 6 portholes to knock out. I'd be intrested to hear your what your experience was like and any suggestions. I'm about to make a run to West Marine for the Debond spray. I used that stuff one other time to free up the windlass that had been cauked down with 5200, and it worked quite well. Thinking of pickup up some plastic wedges as well.

 

[jviss]

@jviss I am finally tackling this job on Jubilee. I've got 6 portholes to knock out. I'd be intrested to hear your what your experience was like and any suggestions. I'm about to make a run to West Marine for the Debond spray. I used that stuff one other time to free up the windlass that had been cauked down with 5200, and it worked quite well. Thinking of pickup up some plastic wedges as well.

Hey @randydandy ! Funny, I still haven't done this job. So, I'm interested in hearing what your experience may be!

 

[randydandy]

Hey @randydandy ! Funny, I still haven't done this job. So, I'm interested in hearing what your experience may be!

Well, I've got one porthole almost out. It took me about an 1.5 hours to get the outer ring off and the entire port hole loosened. I taped off the edges with two layers of tape, used a small ball pene hammer and a metal scraper to loosen the caulking, and plastic spreaders to lodge in between the hull and the porthole. I'm spraying Debond all around at that point. Then using a small pry bay, with the plastic scraper underneath to protect the gelcoat (also have tape under that), and I was able to pry the outer ring compltely out. It looks like I'll need to spend a little time chipping away at the caulking between the inside of the hull and the porthole's main body to release the main body to the inside. It would not surprise me if one could take the outer ring off, and recalk all the way around the main body, underneath the ring, the screwholes, and reinstall the ring with good results. My only concern is after using debond, I'm affraid that the rest of the old caulking would be compromised, and I may be looking at repeating the job again in the next few years. Probably best to do the job completely on as many as I can get done this summer, (along with a very extensive list of other items) and attack the remaining portholes on the next go around... decisions decisions

 

[jviss]

I recommend Bed It from @Maine Sail - bed the outer ring, squishing the stuff into the gap, and don't worry about it.

 

[randydandy]

I recommend Bed It from @Maine Sail - bed the outer ring, squishing the stuff into the gap, and don't worry about it.

While butyl tape is probably the best material for the job, it is a nightmare to work with. I've always made a mess when working with that stuff. I'm using Life Seal by Boat Life. These portholes are not through bolted or anything. They screw in with 1/2 screws on both sides, so the caulk needs to have some adhesion properties. I'm still on the first porthole this morning. Got it cleaned up. Going to fill in the screw holes with epoxy, redrill, and countersink the screws just a hair.

 

[jviss]

I have found butyl tape, and Bed-it, in particular, to be easy to work with; and much less messy than any caulk I've used!

 

[randydandy]

I have found butyl tape, and Bed-it, in particular, to be easy to work with; and much less messy than any caulk I've used!

You must have much more grace than I. However, I did find that leaving the butyl tape in the freezer the night before made it a bit easier for me to work with.

 

[Tally Ho]

I have found butyl tape, and Bed-it, in particular, to be easy to work with; and much less messy than any caulk I've used!

Big difference between Bed-it and other (cheaper) butyl tape. I went the cheap route first and didn’t like the stuff. Later bought a roll of Bed-it from Rod’s website and find it much better. I don’t put it in the freezer though…I like to work with the stuff while it is pliable (one of the reasons I didn’t like the cheap stuff).

But, I do not know that I would use Bed-it for port lights. I didn’t really even like it for hatches. Unless they are through-bolted and can generate a lot of squeeze pressure. My hatches are just screwed into the deck and that didn’t provide enough clamping pressure for butyl tape.

Greg