Beckson portlights

MitchK

.
Sep 22, 2017
102
Capital Yachts Newport 28 Burbank, WA
Hi all, still at the repairs on our N28. I had posted earlier about the fixed portlights leaking some. The two Beckson opening portlights are leaking too. Both around the port seal and around the flange. So I figured it was time to pull them, rebed the frame and replace the seal. The screens also needed replacement. After scouring the net, I came to the conclusion that the portlights are the originals, as beckson changed the design in 1983. Anyway, they still make the replacement parts for the older ports. Mine are the 512 model. Anyway, the lenses are not very clear anymore either. So after much research, I figured a set of new lenses, seals and screens would cost me about $200.00. I found a company that sells the complete NEW 512 portlights for $116.00 each, so I ordered a new set. With sales tax, it cane to $250.00. More than I wanted to spend, but now I have all new components that should last another 35 years! I hope to replace them in the next week or so, weather permitting. I will be using Dow 795 white structural silicon to bed them. I thought about using butyl tape, but for this purpose, I think the 795 will be a better product. When I pull the fixed portlights with the aluminum frames, I will use the butyl tape for those. Need to get some butyl ordered. I hear there re some issue with the run of the mill butyl available compared that supplied by an on line company specializing in marine products. Anyone have any experience with their Bed-It Butyl Tape? Is there really any difference? I've use butyl before, and actually had a few rolls of it, but got rid of it a few years ago thinking I did not need it anymore. That was a mistake!

Thanks
Mitch
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,759
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Check with Beckson first. IIRC, they are the only company that recommends using regular old silicone for installing their ports, those ports are the only place on my boat I use it. Have you looked at the Breckson website? The Dow you mentioned may be overkill. I used a handy removal tool you may be interested in:
Beckson Portlights 101 ("removal tool" with pictures and guides for sealants)

http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,3241.0.html

Yes, Maine Sail's Bed it with butyl tape is better, and he explains why on his website. Most of us use no other.

Bed-It Butyl Tape 101 http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,8046.0.html

Buy it here: https://marinehowto.com/

Good luck.
 
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  • Like
Likes: jssailem
Nov 6, 2006
9,884
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
Last Gray ports that I installed (H-34 has 9), I used 795.. A forum member tipped me off to a local supplier who sells it for about half what I found it for on the 'net.. Look local for it at a bathroom supply place.. my supplier uses it to install glass panels for showers and for shower pan sealing..
I use Bed It on all deck hardware and really like the stuff..
 

MitchK

.
Sep 22, 2017
102
Capital Yachts Newport 28 Burbank, WA
Beckson specifically says to use silicon. I figured if that is what the manufacturer recommends, then that is probably what I should use. The Dow 795 seems to have a pretty good reputation for sealing plastic to other surfaces and having significantly more bonding strength than normal silicon, which I think is a good thing.. Since the Beckson port is made of plastic, it seems to make sense to use silicon. We'll see what they are currently bedded with when I remove them. Didn't get a chance to work on them this weekend. I spent today installing class V receiver on my truck. Tomorrow, I will be pulling our Clipper Marine CM26 out of the water for the winter, so probably will not get to it this weekend. Maybe over the Thanksgiving weekend I'll get a chance.
Mitch
 

MitchK

.
Sep 22, 2017
102
Capital Yachts Newport 28 Burbank, WA
Hi all and Happy Thanksgiving.
Just a short update on the N28-2 repairs. I have leaks in both Beckson port lights around the flange and the seal. So purchased a set of new ones. Anyway, I do not know what they used when they bedded them last, but it is a major pain trying to get them out! Finally got the outer bezel off, and cut the sealant as best I could. Frame would not move. Made up a improvised pressing fixture with what I had on hand, and started to apply force. Unfortunately, the 1/4-20 bolts I was using galled, and I had to cut the bolts to get the jig off so I could close up the window for the night. Put a small bead of marine silicon around the opening to close it up for the night. I was just trying to keep the rain we were expecting form soaking the inside of the boat. I did put a couple of buckets under the port to catch any leaks. The frame had separated over about 1/3 of the length top and bottom before the bolts galled. I should have used a bit of oil on them before I started. Oh, well, I picked up some 5" carriage bolts and made a couple of new press plates from some 3/4 x 4" pine boards. Tomorrow it is supposed to be clear, so I will get back to the removal then. I plane on routing the edge of the opening with a trim router and 45 degree cutter to make sure there is room for a nice bead of sealant when I put them back together.

Mitch
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,759
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Nice to get an update. Did you use a jig similar to the one I linked to?

I didn't bother replacing the outside frame piece, it wouldn't come off anyway!!!:)
 

MitchK

.
Sep 22, 2017
102
Capital Yachts Newport 28 Burbank, WA
Stu, yes, I am using a variation of the one you linked to. It seemed to be working, then the cheap stainless screws I was using called. Had to grind the heads off and break one of the boards to remove the jig. I made a new jig today, so it will be ready to go in the morning. I'll post another report tomorrow evening once I get it out, cleaned up and the new one installed.
 

MitchK

.
Sep 22, 2017
102
Capital Yachts Newport 28 Burbank, WA
Well, I finally got one of the portlights installed. Between correcting the way they were installed, cleaning everything up, and the cold temps slowing the cure time of the epoxy I used, it was a major pain in the rear.

First, the ports were only held in with 4 through bolts, with the remainder of the screws being very short and more for appearance than anything else. The 4 through bolts had been countersunk all the way through the outer skin, and were really only attached to the inner skin. So I drilled out some more of the outer and inner skin so that there was clean non contaminated material to fill with thickened epoxy.

Another issue is that the cabin side is curved, so I had to make some shims to fill the difference between the flat flange and curved cabin side. I used some .030 thick polyethylene sheeting I had left over from another project to make up a set of shims to fill the space.

I also did not have the truss headed nuts to use, so I countersunk the screw heads on the outside, and used nyloc nuts on the inside. This is the same setup that was originally used, but there are 10 of them now instead of the original 4.

I also beveled the outside edge of the opening so that there would be a nice thick gasket of material to seal everything up.

Did I mention, that as soon as I got it finished, it started to rain! I had to improvise a cover to keep rain off until the sealant had a chance to set up. Fortunately, the sealant is not really affected by the temperature much. It may take a little longer to fully cure.

All in all, even though it was a pain, I am fairly please with how it turned out. With a little bit of luck, next weekend I will do the other one. That one should not take near as long to get installed.

Mitch
 
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