New Port Installation H37C

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Tim Welsh

hey, Scott

Hey, I cut the spigot lengths down before I installed them. I put them in and marked them then took them out and planed them, the 5x12's and 4x14'S ran the same price. And the outer lip is siliconed on just like the factory put them on. only I used more silicoln for a better seal..Tim Welsh
 
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Tim Welsh

1/2 drill bit and coping saw

Oh, yeah I took a 1/2" drill bit and drilled where the bottom of the spigots were supposed to go and then used a coping saw and cut down to where I drilled. Worked real well. I used dynaglass to fill in where the old spigot grooves were.
 
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Josh Peskin

Hoods

Scott, I paid about 15% more than the NFM's, but was assured by Dave that there would be much less hassle with installation than the NFM's and that they looked like jewelry. They definitely look like jewelry; I haven't put them in yet so I don't know about the installation. I bought them through Dave's contact in San Diego. I think I lost the guy's number and name, but maybe Dave will weigh in and post it. Otherwise, I can get it for you if needs be.
 
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scott

Thanks Phil

that is good info. If I go with Beckson I will buy here. Come to think of it, I did check here a while back and you didn't carry portlights. So there. Scott
 
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scott

Tim and Josh

Tim did you through bolt like Beckson says to do or did you just screw them in from the inside of the cabin. Josh, where is Dave when you need him? How long did it take to ship the Hoods? Can you post a pic of the Hood portlights or did Dave do that in the past? Thanks guys. I thought I had this figured out but the plot thickens. Scott
 
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Dave Simpson

Weighing in

Josh, I did have to take the Sawzall to the old holes in a few places, but nothing major. The biggest lesson I learned was in the final install. After the port is mounted on the inside, with all the screws installed, just push the trim ring in 'til the caulk starts to squeeze out, then leave it for a day or so to let the stuff set up.....be sure you get "squeeze" out around the spigot too....then install the screws and tighten down on the "gasket" you have made. As for the source, I'm a bit pissed at the guy I recommended. I asked him to make me a "good price" on a 5 x 12 for my cockpit, inasmuch as I had been singing the praises of him and the product here for a longtime now, and several sales had been generated.....he failed to come through, so I'm reluctant to feed him more business. If anyone wants to contact me by e-mail, I'd be happy to pass it on or the sake of putting a great product on a great boat!!!!
 
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Tim Welsh

just used longer screws

I just used longer screws and went into the wood. Seemed to hold real well. The barrell nuts were going to be a pain. Fred Ficarra just used the screws like I did and hasn't had a problem...Tim Welsh H34 AKA Cabo Wabo
 
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Josh

Scott

Scott, it took quite some time to get the Hoods here. But I know you can rush them for more money. I know Dave has some pics, and I think he did in fact put them up in the past--check the archives. Let me know if you can't find them.
 
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scott

Josh I did an archive search

on portlights and also Dave Simpson, didn't find the Hood portlights. Did you buy them sight unseen? I don't see them anywhere on the web. Will they "pop in" your old 5x12 cutouts, without cutting more (except for drains)? Scott
 
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Josh Peskin

Scott

Dave must have sent me some pictures. I can take some pictures this weekend and put them up--but they won't be in. As far as the holes, I think my situation is a little different than most, and I'm still trying to put the history toether. I bought the boat with a couple of Becksons--obviously after-production--and even some of the Grays looked like the holes were modified after production--for what purpose I have no idea, because it seems to have caused more problems. Also, the GRay's were all screwed in with--I forget the name--screws that have a male and female that screw into one another. The shims that were there look extremely unprofessional, so I'm still scratching my head as to what happened with the previous owner. Dave said that only a couple of his cutouts needed enlarging; I'm not sure if he meant the 5's or the 7's. I haven't gone cutout to cutout yet, although I have checked a couple, and I'm more concerned about the cutouts being too big, so you're probably best off talking to Dave about cutout size. MEanwhile, I'll take some pictures, or I'll find Daves.
 
R

Randall

Howzabout Lewmars?

I'm planning to install new ports in my H25 and am leaning toward the Lewmar Standard model openers. I want to be rid of the head-knocking knobs on the Bomar/Gray ports. The Beckson models look like the latches may be a bit less intrusive, but I can't really tell from their catalog photos. The Lewmar latches appear to sit flush in the openings & not protrude at all into the cabin. They will also match the Lewmar hatch and smoked 1/2" Lexan companionway boards I've bought. Any insights? This weekend I'm going to install a Lewmar high profile Ocean series hatch, and get rid of the dangerously rickety plastic Gray Marine model. I was planning to use silicone as a sealant, but was advised at West Marine to use 4200. Good, bad or indifferent idea? Randall
 
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Josh

looking for advice on cutout shrinking

ok, so my concern over the size of the cutouts being too big has been confirmed. I have at least a 3/4'' on either side, and perhaps a little more going up and down. The previous owner tried to put some sticks in there and then dump a whole lot of calk in for filler. Needless to say, I have had serious leaking problems. The only thing I can come up with in order to make sure that I have waterproof and secure ports is to make plywood ports. Glass them in, then cutout the proper size for the new SS ports. Does anybody see a way around that?
 
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scott

Randall

the lewmars are around $155 at the link below and standard Becksons are $95 and the raindrain version $110 through the chandlery here. But what I notice is Beckson makes a 5x12 and Lemar makes a 6x12 so Lewmar would not be a "no cut" replacment for an old Gay/Bomar which is a5x12 also. Scott
 
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scott

Hey Josh

do you see daylight (cabinlight) around the port when the exterior part/trim ring is pushed against the cabin side, or do you just have space around the spigot part that goes through the wall? Scott
 
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Josh

Scott

I saw daylight. Each screw screwed all the way through the cabin into a female piece, which was accessible from inside the cabin.
 
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Josh Peskin

here's a tip on wood restoration

Since everyone's been so helpful, I just thought I'd disseminate a little info that I picked up recently, while investigating options for sealing and hardening the core plywood around the ports. It looks as if Smith and Company is the hottest stuff out there. Check out their website, some of the stuff their products can do is astounding. Anyway, "thinness" is crucial for moving thrugh wood(most epoxies only penetrate 5 mil+ or -) and the Smith penetrating epoxy is thinner than water. Also, their filler--to make the cutouts smooth--is made to work with their penetrating epoxy.
 
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scott

Hey Josh

sound like your new portlights are bolt-through. If your install instructions say something different then go with that. But I notice on the NFM portlight install instructions, it says the bolts do not have to go through the cabin wall outside of the cutout. But if your trim/exterior fitting can be pushed right thru the cutout then you are going to have to build up material to reduce the cutout.
 
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Josh Peskin

Scott

First, My trim ring cannot be pushed through the cutout, also all of the ports that I took out bolted all the way through. There is alot of wiggle room with the new Hoods held in the middle of the cutout, and it seems like, if I have to make shims anyway, why not make an entire ring. I have not gotten to the point of even thinking about how the Hoods attach, I just assumed they were bolt through.
 
Jun 5, 2004
242
None None Greater Cincinnati
epoxy for old cut-outs

just use tape for this, works fine, and the blue masking tape comes right off.
 
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scott

Dave Simpson's idea

to use a cable cutter tool to cut through the caulking on the exterior is pretty slick. I removed my forward four Gray portlights last week and the cable tool was great. Just razor knife a little slit on the top of the trim ring and pull the cable back and forth down through the caulking. Sort of like those wire cheese cutters. Good news was that the cabin walls were dry, did I say DRY? Yep thats the word. I have the NFM's Trimatrix portlights ready for install. They are a backward design, with the trim ring on the interior and the lenses attached to the trim ring. Bolt through plastic but with stainless reinforcing plates for the machine screws. Old Gray lenses were clouded and crazed, thus need for refit. Scott
 
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