Any solution for Lewmar/Bomar crazed ports?

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Calif. Ted

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Jun 8, 2004
2,943
Catalina 320 Dana Point
Following the sale of our "last" boat on Saturday we've looked at half a dozen Catalina 320's from 1997 to 2002 and they all had crazed Lewmar portlights and Bomar hatches. A search on the subject here reveals this problem to be widespread but apparently without solution. Well, WTF, I'm way too OCD to accept this but are there alternatives to replacement and what with? Certainly don't want to replace with the same ones and removing all the lights to have new ones made from Lexan (?) isn't cheaper or easier ? I'm paying $500 a month for my empty slip in the middle of summer 'til I figure out what to do about this.:doh:
BTW my boat sold in 1 month to the first person that looked at it, it was clean and shiney and didn't stink and none of our personal belongings were scattered all over the boat, everything worked etc. etc.
 
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alexco38

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Sep 25, 2008
1,096
CS 30 Toronto
Use Lexan

Got 1/2 inches Lexan (Polycarbonate) to replace Acrylic. Lexan never craze.
 
Chuckbear

Chuckbear

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Jan 3, 2009
821
Marine Trader 34 Where Ever I am
alexco38 said:
Got 1/2 inches Lexan (Polycarbonate) to replace Acrylic. Lexan never craze.
Click to expand
That is not entirely correct. Lexan will craze just as any other of these "plastics" will and although Lexan is considered "Bullet proof" it actually scratches easier and has less UV resistance. It will appear to fog over. Chuck
 
Buck420

Buck420

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Apr 22, 2001
497
Hunter 420 Norfolk, VA
Calif. Ted said:
Following the sale of our "last" boat on Saturday we've looked at half a dozen Catalina 320's from 1997 to 2002 and they all had crazed Lewmar portlights and Bomar hatches. A search on the subject here reveals this problem to be widespread but apparently without solution. Well, WTF, I'm way too OCD to accept this but are there alternatives to replacement and what with? Certainly don't want to replace with the same ones and removing all the lights to have new ones made from Lexan (?) isn't cheaper or easier ? I'm paying $500 a month for my empty slip in the middle of summer 'til I figure out what to do about this.:doh:
BTW my boat sold in 1 month to the first person that looked at it, it was clean and shiney and didn't stink and none of our personal belongings were scattered all over the boat, everything worked etc. etc.
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Lewmar sells replacement lenses w/ handles and gaskets bonded onto the lens.
Having replaced most of the (crazed) Lewmar ports on my boat 2 years ago, I can say that they are relatively easy to "swap out".
Price depends on size ... ranging from ~ $60 - $200+ per.
Talk to Tim Dean at Florida Rigging and Hydraulics in Palm Beach if you are interested.
 
Rick D

Rick D

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Jun 14, 2008
7,184
Hunter Legend 40.5 Shoreline Marina Long Beach CA
Guess Steve About Sums It Up...

...I paid to have my hatches and fixed ports replaced last year. Polishing is generally not effective or enduring. I have tried many times. The manufacturer of the US-sourced cast acrylic said covering is not necessary if it is kept clean and is not in an acid rain or heavily polluted area. If covered, he says definitely not dark covers. BTW, this is the same recommendation I got for the Strataglass I have installed in my dodger. So, just build a $3K factor into the price.

Add PS: the installer / fabricator used the existing frames and hardware.
 
RON20406

RON20406

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Jan 22, 2008
280
Hunter 25_73-83 NORTH POINT MARINA/WINTHROP HA IL
crzed portlights

Calif. Ted said:
Following the sale of our "last" boat on Saturday we've looked at half a dozen Catalina 320's from 1997 to 2002 and they all had crazed Lewmar portlights and Bomar hatches. A search on the subject here reveals this problem to be widespread but apparently without solution. Well, WTF, I'm way too OCD to accept this but are there alternatives to replacement and what with? Certainly don't want to replace with the same ones and removing all the lights to have new ones made from Lexan (?) isn't cheaper or easier ? I'm paying $500 a month for my empty slip in the middle of summer 'til I figure out what to do about this.:doh:
BTW my boat sold in 1 month to the first person that looked at it, it was clean and shiney and didn't stink and none of our personal belongings were scattered all over the boat, everything worked etc. etc.
Click to expand
Ted, all acryllic and lexan will eventually craze--even with meticulous care. If this bothers your aesthetics, you might want to consider stainless steel ports with tinted tempered glass. No more crazing. Best, Ron
 
dscribner

dscribner

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Nov 9, 2008
1,338
Pearson-O'Day 290 Portland Maine
Plexi of any kind is easy to work with. Pop the port, pop the glazing, trace it on a scrap of acrylic or Lexan, cut with a saw of some sort, file/sand the edges, drill holes as required, heat holes with a torch to glaze edges, insert into the frame and seal with an appropriate sealant. DON'T assume silicone or urethane. Check the material compatibility with the manufacturer. Urethane will craze many polycarbonates depending on the grade of the material.

Once in, NEVER use glass cleaner. This WILL cause the material to fog and craze. Use dish soap and water ONLY. I design for a nationally distributed skylight manufacturer. I've seen formed acrylic that's 25 years in the field, as clear as . . . well . . . glass. And others that have been washed down by well meaning owners with Windex that had to be replaced in 6 months, at customer's expense.
 
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Calif. Ted

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Jun 8, 2004
2,943
Catalina 320 Dana Point
On my '94 C270 there was no crazing in the rectangular Lewmar ports ("Old Standard Port" models), or the Bomar hatch. In one (2002) boat every port and hatch seemed severely crazed, it took me by surprise. A friend had some crazing on his Capri but it wasn't too bad and I thought it out of the norm, not standard issue. Thanks for your suggestions and I'd welcome any others that come to mind. Replacing lens seems the best option to me at this time, figuring $40 for each lens plus $15 for gasket comes to about $400 for 7 ports & double it for whatever hatch lens need replacement, let's say $1,000. Hey! that's only 1 boat buck, I must be forgetting something, that's too cheap.;) Of course I will go by Minney's first, never know what you can find.
 
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Steve Dion

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Dec 2, 1999
15,184
Hunter Vision-36 Rio Vista, CA.
Ted:

I would contact Select Plastics and get a price from them before you go the do it yourself route.
 
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Calif. Ted

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Jun 8, 2004
2,943
Catalina 320 Dana Point
Thanks Steve, I'ld probably have select do the work as required, going to MDR this weekend to look at a couple more boats. I think the one boat I looked at was EXTREME and that is what really caught my attention. I'm used to making and paying for boat repairs nobody notices so I could live with this.
 
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duality

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May 25, 2004
442
Catalina 400 mkII Harbor
select plastic wont send the lens to you. they require you take apart the hatch and send them the frame. seems silly when the lewmar hatch lens is designed to be taken out of its frame in a matter of minutes!
 
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