Has anybody replaced their Lewmar Portlights?

[DannoHeimann]

Hi !
I have been trying to install new portlights on my Catalina 400 with no success. While the portlight glass seems to be the right size, the mechanisms and fittings (hardware) to install are not the same.
On my current portlight frame... there is no hole to screw in the piece on the bottom that latches in the window...
Also ...the instructions that came with the new portlight...the hinge piece is actually 1/4" bigger that the old one...and the fittings for the latch and hinge do not come off my frame as outlined in step #4 of these instructions.

Any thoughts on how get this installed? I was really hoping to remove the old lens and fittings, and pop in the new lens...but the new lens fittings do not match up with my existing fittings.
Is the existing frame meant to come out easily ?

Any ideas on this would be greatly appreciated.
THANKS !
Danno
Solitude

 

[Calif. Ted]

Yes, I've done it but my ports were as shown and everything worked as shown in directions.
1) There are two different hinge types used by Catalina Yachts on the "New Standard" port; the "Standard" hinge and the "Catalina Deep" hinge. What you have appears to be the deep hinge. This website has a photo showing the difference.
http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm/feature/77/catalina-deep-vs-standard-portlight-hinges.cfm
This page explains the hardware used on "new standard" vs "old standard", you may have Old Standard ports and it is unclear to me whether those can be replaced.
http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm/feature/82/old-standard-vs-new-standard-lewmar-port-versions.cfm

 

[duality]

i just changed mine last week, mine did have the screw that held in the latches. i had to replace the latch and hinge pieces because the old ones were a different size????

have you checked more than one port? dont understand why yours are like that, my boat is a 2001 btw.

mike

 

[DannoHeimann]

Thanks Mike...very interesting. Mine is a 2000...hull # 185 and does NOT have the screw for the hinges and latches...so I can't get the old ones out. Argh.
I will check the other ports...and also my "sister" ship (hull #187) which just happens to be at my club and we are cruising together this weekend.
Thanks !
Danno