1984 Hunter 31 - Port replacement

Jul 29, 2016
55
Hunter 31 Comox BC
Wish I had the metal ones! Great job by the way, they look great!
As stated above, they would be in the $650 range, but for me there is then exchange rate, duty and shipping. I would suspect they would be close to $1,000 CDN when all said and done. They aren't worth half of that, they are so cheap. No way I am paying that. Hence making my own, hope they work out! Hopefully will know tomorrow.
 
Jul 1, 2014
252
Hunter 34 Seattle
It's too bad Hunter changed to the plastic frames. I also had the metal frames but the PO just added silly cone to the outside so things got wet. Like you I had to hog out a lot of old wet stuff and fill with epoxy but it should last for a long time. And like Pateco I just cleaned the frames up, set new plex in 795, bedded with butyl and they look like new.
IMG_1771.JPG
 
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pateco

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Aug 12, 2014
2,207
Hunter 31 (1983) Pompano Beach FL
Charlie, Yours turn out great.

My lenses weren't cracked, just badly scuffed/etched, so instead of buying new I sanded and polished the old ones and reused. they didn't turn out perfect, but I think they are good enough.

Scratched fixed port lenses. What a mess behind the frames
2016-02-14 16.40.30.jpg

You can really see the scratches/etching
2016-02-19 23.22.35.jpg

All good after sand and polish.
2016-02-28 17.15.16.jpg
 
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Reg M

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May 21, 2016
131
Hunter 31 Montague
Seems it never rains but it pours!! Literally. I have almost completed my water tank project with the exception of re-istalling the cover (see my post) and the other day I went to the boat after a heavy rain and there was about a half gallon of water in the water tank! I did not put it in there so I am assuming a leak. The most likely suspect I can think of is the fixed port on the port side which has the plastic frame and a lot of silicone. I was planning this project for next year anyway but I think I will put a water hose on it for a half hour or so and see what materializes. There are traces of dampness on the port side just behind the storage closet. I thought I would throw this in here as I think it is right on topic. I am now off to install my last opening port which I received in the mail yesterday.
 

Reg M

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May 21, 2016
131
Hunter 31 Montague
Got my new port installed today and discovered that the part that protrudes thru the side of the carriage house protrudes about a 1/2 to 3/4 inches more than the originals. A buddy with a CS 30 had the same problem and he just made a 1/2 inch plywood template which fitted over the protruding part then he went at it with his belt sander to bring it down to same dimensions as the others. I guess I will do the same as his looks perfect, just a matter of finishing off with appropriate sandpaper. It turns out my fixed port is not the culprit leaking water into my water tank as I had the hose on it for an hour today and no leak. Next step is to spread newspaper all over the quarterberth and wait for the next rainstorm and see what get wet.
 

SFS

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Aug 18, 2015
2,070
Currently Boatless Okinawa
It turns out my fixed port is not the culprit leaking water into my water tank as I had the hose on it for an hour today and no leak. Next step is to spread newspaper all over the quarterberth and wait for the next rainstorm and see what get wet.
Here is something to check first. Your port cockpit scupper. If it is leaking, it will spread across the top of a lot of fiberglass ceiling area, and drip down through various holes. If you have a "trim piece" that covers up access to the steering quadrant, it is attached with screws. My boat is missing that piece, so I just look at the steering cables and blocks while lying in the quarterberth. If you have that cover and unscrew the fasteners to take it down, there will be screw holes in the next layer of fiberglass. This layer is NOT the bottom of the cockpit sole, but is instead the actual ceiling for the quarterberth area. The scupper will leak onto the top side of that, and spread out, leaking through the screwholes, and eventually finding its way to the aft starboard corner and spilling over near the fuel tank. There has been a recent thread on this topic.
 

Reg M

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May 21, 2016
131
Hunter 31 Montague
Here is something to check first. Your port cockpit scupper. If it is leaking, it will spread across the top of a lot of fiberglass ceiling area, and drip down through various holes. If you have a "trim piece" that covers up access to the steering quadrant, it is attached with screws. My boat is missing that piece, so I just look at the steering cables and blocks while lying in the quarterberth. If you have that cover and unscrew the fasteners to take it down, there will be screw holes in the next layer of fiberglass. This layer is NOT the bottom of the cockpit sole, but is instead the actual ceiling for the quarterberth area. The scupper will leak onto the top side of that, and spread out, leaking through the screwholes, and eventually finding its way to the aft starboard corner and spilling over near the fuel tank. There has been a recent thread on this topic.
Intersting. Yesterday, after putting the hose on the port fixed port for an hour I also put it in the cockpit, mostly directed at the port scupper and nothing materialized but then I was not looking in the starboard lazarette where the fuel tank is. And, come to think about it, when it rains hard I do get water in that little well where the exhaust hose comes through into the starboard lazarette. Hmmmm, I think I will do a more liberal application of the water hose today. I am a bit confused about your description of the port scupper. Are you saying when I look at the scupper fitting from the quarterberth there is actually a space between the surface that the fitting screws up to and the actual bottom surface of the cockpit floor? That may well be my problem because at some point in time the fitting has been replaced with one that is not flush to the cockpit floor.
 

SFS

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Aug 18, 2015
2,070
Currently Boatless Okinawa
Are you saying when I look at the scupper fitting from the quarterberth there is actually a space between the surface that the fitting screws up to and the actual bottom surface of the cockpit floor? That may well be my problem because at some point in time the fitting has been replaced with one that is not flush to the cockpit floor.
Yes, that's what I am saying. The cockpit floor has a top side (which your feet stand on while at the helm) and an underside. Right under the cockpit floor (called a sole) is an airspace, about 1 inch deep, but that varies from one side of the boat to the other. Under that is the quarterberth's true ceiling, which has a top side (that you can't really get to) and an underside (which is gel coated on my boat) and is the ceiling of the quarterberth. The airspace between those two layers is where water can pool and spread out.

To make matters a little more complicated, you may have a third "layer" of "ceiling" in a portion of your quarterberth, which is the trim piece I referred to that covers up the access to the steering cables and their associated turning blocks. If you have that piece, and take it off to look around, you will be able to see the airspace I'm describing by looking around in the cutout area next to the steering cables. If you don't want to take that trim piece down, and feel like taking out the port cockpit scupper, you will be able to look up through the resulting hole and see both layers of fiberglass I'm talking about - one layer is the cockpit sole, and the other is the quarterberth ceiling.

To fix the leak at my scupper, I did two things. First, I filled the gap between the two fiberglass layers with thickened epoxy, and the way around the radius of the hole. Then I rebedded the fitting with butyl tape. This is a recent repair for me, so I don't have a lot of rain experience yet, but so far so good. I don't have the problem on the starboard side, as the drain "fitting" is actually a fiberglassed tube running through the cockpit sole, and turning aft, where the hose clamps on.

I'll try to find the somewhat related thread that has at least a picture or two. I'm also happy to talk about this on the phone, as it's easier. PM me with contact info if you want to go that route.
 

SFS

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Aug 18, 2015
2,070
Currently Boatless Okinawa
Ok, here is the thread I remember, it has some pictures that are helpful, and is worth reading in its entirety:
http://forums.sailboatowners.com/in...ter-31-persistent-leak-near-fuel-tank.181234/

Take a look at the picture in post #1 of that thread. (I suggest opening it in another browser window, so you can bounce back and forth.) It shows the "trim piece" I am talking about, running fore and aft along the quarterberth ceiling, covering up the run of the steering cables. I don't have this piece in my boat. In other words, my quarterberth ceiling is flat, all the way from the port hull to the dividing wall amidships. Unfortunately, I do have the screwholes left from the attachment points of that trim piece.

Then take a look at the nicely labeled last picture in post #7. Glenn has removed the trim piece, and you can see the steering cable access point. If you expose this access point, you can put your fingers on the top side of the quarterberth ceiling over a limited area. The fiberglass is rough though, be careful if you do this.

One more thing. I can see a fair bit of the top side of the quarterberth ceiling from inside the starboard laz, below the cockpit floor. Put your back to the starboard hull, and look across the boat to the port side. The "airspace" we've been talking about is widest on my boat just abeam the forward edge of the fuel tank. A flashlight will let you see all the way across the quarterberth ceiling to the scupper, where it penetrates both the cockpit sole and the ceiling of the berth. I sat and watched that dusty space for about 10 minutes while the admiral put a hose in the cockpit. Sure enough, a line of water began flowing slowly across the ceiling, easily visible because it was dark against the lighter fiberglass. It confirmed my scupper was the issue. The water accumulates at the lowest point, which for me is just above the fuel tank. When enough water accumulates, it spills over the edge and goes from there. Hope this helps.
 

Reg M

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May 21, 2016
131
Hunter 31 Montague
Charlie, Yours turn out great.

My lenses weren't cracked, just badly scuffed/etched, so instead of buying new I sanded and polished the old ones and reused. they didn't turn out perfect, but I think they are good enough.

Scratched fixed port lenses. What a mess behind the frames
View attachment 128642
You can really see the scratches/etching
View attachment 128641
All good after sand and polish.
View attachment 128640
I am thinking maybe I can get away with sanding mine. Exactly what did you use to sand them? Reg
 

Reg M

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May 21, 2016
131
Hunter 31 Montague
Ok, here is the thread I remember, it has some pictures that are helpful, and is worth reading in its entirety:
http://forums.sailboatowners.com/in...ter-31-persistent-leak-near-fuel-tank.181234/

Take a look at the picture in post #1 of that thread. (I suggest opening it in another browser window, so you can bounce back and forth.) It shows the "trim piece" I am talking about, running fore and aft along the quarterberth ceiling, covering up the run of the steering cables. I don't have this piece in my boat. In other words, my quarterberth ceiling is flat, all the way from the port hull to the dividing wall amidships. Unfortunately, I do have the screwholes left from the attachment points of that trim piece.

Then take a look at the nicely labeled last picture in post #7. Glenn has removed the trim piece, and you can see the steering cable access point. If you expose this access point, you can put your fingers on the top side of the quarterberth ceiling over a limited area. The fiberglass is rough though, be careful if you do this.

Yes, I did follow that post and I checked out all those possibilities but did not find anything. I cleaned that water out of the tank today and it turned out not to be as much as I thought, maybe a bit less than a litre. I am wondering if perhaps it was just the water that was in the suction hose which I transferred from a five gallon container in the aft laz to the suction fitting on the tank. I did not cut the hose down to size, just left the excess in that vacant space inboard of the tank so there could have been a fair bit in the hose. I spread newspaper all around the quarterberth today so we'll see what happens next time it rains. On my boat, when you get down into the stbd laz and try to look between the cockpit sole and the liner there is virtually no space at all. I put the garden hose in the cockpit for a half hour and no leak appeared anyplace. I do think I may have a leak at the stbd toerail around the stbd laz but that one can wait as it won't hurt anything.
One more thing. I can see a fair bit of the top side of the quarterberth ceiling from inside the starboard laz, below the cockpit floor. Put your back to the starboard hull, and look across the boat to the port side. The "airspace" we've been talking about is widest on my boat just abeam the forward edge of the fuel tank. A flashlight will let you see all the way across the quarterberth ceiling to the scupper, where it penetrates both the cockpit sole and the ceiling of the berth. I sat and watched that dusty space for about 10 minutes while the admiral put a hose in the cockpit. Sure enough, a line of water began flowing slowly across the ceiling, easily visible because it was dark against the lighter fiberglass. It confirmed my scupper was the issue. The water accumulates at the lowest point, which for me is just above the fuel tank. When enough water accumulates, it spills over the edge and goes from there. Hope this helps.
 

Reg M

.
May 21, 2016
131
Hunter 31 Montague
Ok, here is the thread I remember, it has some pictures that are helpful, and is worth reading in its entirety:
http://forums.sailboatowners.com/in...ter-31-persistent-leak-near-fuel-tank.181234/

Take a look at the picture in post #1 of that thread. (I suggest opening it in another browser window, so you can bounce back and forth.) It shows the "trim piece" I am talking about, running fore and aft along the quarterberth ceiling, covering up the run of the steering cables. I don't have this piece in my boat. In other words, my quarterberth ceiling is flat, all the way from the port hull to the dividing wall amidships. Unfortunately, I do have the screwholes left from the attachment points of that trim piece.

Then take a look at the nicely labeled last picture in post #7. Glenn has removed the trim piece, and you can see the steering cable access point. If you expose this access point, you can put your fingers on the top side of the quarterberth ceiling over a limited area. The fiberglass is rough though, be careful if you do this.

One more thing. I can see a fair bit of the top side of the quarterberth ceiling from inside the starboard laz, below the cockpit floor. Put your back to the starboard hull, and look across the boat to the port side. The "airspace" we've been talking about is widest on my boat just abeam the forward edge of the fuel tank. A flashlight will let you see all the way across the quarterberth ceiling to the scupper, where it penetrates both the cockpit sole and the ceiling of the berth. I sat and watched that dusty space for about 10 minutes while the admiral put a hose in the cockpit. Sure enough, a line of water began flowing slowly across the ceiling, easily visible because it was dark against the lighter fiberglass. It confirmed my scupper was the issue. The water accumulates at the lowest point, which for me is just above the fuel tank. When enough water accumulates, it spills over the edge and goes from there. Hope this helps.
Yes, I was following that thread and checked out all those possibilities to no avail. Today I ran the garden hose in the cockpit for a half hour and found no leak, even getting down in the stbd laz with a light. On my boat there is not even enough space to see at all between the cockpit sole and the liner from the stbd laz. I lined the whole quarterberth with newspaper today and will wait for the next rain to see what happens. I removed the water from the water tank today also and it was not as much as I had thought, less than a liter. I am beginning to think that perhaps the water came from the suction hose which I moved from a five gallon temporary container in the aft laz to the suction fitting on the tank without draining it and without cutting it to size so there may have been a fair bit of water in the hose. I do think I have a leak from the stbd toe rail right over the stbd laz but that can wait as it isn't hurting anything and I can caulk it next summer when I can do a proper job on it.
 

pateco

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Aug 12, 2014
2,207
Hunter 31 (1983) Pompano Beach FL
I am thinking maybe I can get away with sanding mine. Exactly what did you use to sand them? Reg
Depends on how badly scratched they are. Mine were bad so I started with 600 grit wet, and then went to 1000, 1500, and finally 2000. Then switched to a high speed buffer, and 3m Compound, then Presta polish and finally Presta finishing glaze. This was the same combo I used on my deck gelcoat. At the end I still ended up with some very fine scratches, so I will probably sand longer on the intermediate grits, and go to 3000 the next time I try this which will be with the lenses on my cabin-top hatches.
 
Jul 29, 2016
55
Hunter 31 Comox BC
Portlights are all done, and totally dry after the last big storm, happy about that! Have attached a pic to show the new window we installed. Wooden trim being built for the inside.
Found there was water still dripping in, however not from the windows. You may want to check that thin wood detail above the windows. I found 13 screw holes on the stbd side. Both are coming off and all the screm holes fiberglassed, water was seeping in through the screwholes. Did the STBD side yesterday and doing the port side today. Found one screw was missing and just an exposed hole. At very best check it to make sure its sealed tight.
 

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Aug 2, 2014
105
Hunter H31 VISA
Questions....I'm doing the ports on my 86 Hunter 31. I have the ports cleaned up, ordered new trim rings, and have filled the gap where the rotten plywood was. When I go to install the ports, what is the process for using the structural silicone? Do I put some between the port flange and interior of the boat? Or do I just screw the port in place and use the structural silicone to fill the gap between the port and exterior of the boat followed by using the silicone to hold the trim ring in place? Thank you in advance!
 
Jul 29, 2016
55
Hunter 31 Comox BC
Question on the large fixed port-lights.
I decided to replace the original plastic ones last spring with externally mounted Plexiglas ones. First mistake don't use Plexiglas, use Lexan. I didn't know and when I removed the Plexiglas ones a few months after installing because they cracked, I was told oh you should have used Lexan - well why didn't you tell me that the first time.
Anyway, nothing like doing the job twice.
Question. I forgot to flare the Lexan glas when I installed, is this going to be a problem!!??
I used Sikkaflex primer on both the Lexan and the gel-coat cabin wall, and then sealed with Sikkaflex 295 UV.
Its too late now if I should have done as they are both installed and finished. Hopefully with use of the primer it will be OK.
Have attached a pic to illustrate the new port-lights.
Maybe I should have just ordered new plastic ones and reinstalled them. The old ones fell apart upon removal.
 

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Sep 11, 2015
147
Hunter 31 Marina del Rey
I just replaced the fixed ports on my 1984 Hunter 31. Ordered new ones from Mark Plastics - Mark is super helpful and he did an excellent job. I opted for tempered glass and it looks fantastic. A couple of learnings from my experience:
- When removing the ports, focus on preserving the gel coat. It is OK to break the old window as there is no use for it.
- Go for tempered glass, the optical clarity is amazing and the price is similar.
- Do not spend too much time waterproofing the wood core. The water barrier is on the outside where the plastic edge meets the gel coat.

The whole thing can be done in a day or so. Will add pictures when I am done.