How do you remove a port light?

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Apr 12, 2005
263
Hunter 36 Cobb Island
I have a leaking port light on my H-36 above the Nav Table. I tried putting some window sealant to hold it for a while but it is leaking again. I have searched the archives for two days and can't find a good guide to do this. Do these windows get removed from the inside or outside the cabin? Can anyone help?
 
Sep 25, 2008
7,499
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
Coincidentally, my dock neighbor's 36 had the same problem and I was watching the yard guy remove the window. He was not having an easy time of it - after removing the interior frame (not necessary for removal but essential to get a good seal), he carefully pried out the outer frame with a putty knife.
 
Nov 6, 2006
10,115
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
I've had great luck going opposite that sequence.. Remove the outer frame first.. It has to be slowly pried off to allow the butyl sealant to stretch and release the frame. I found some plastic prybars at Harbor Freight. that worked very well without marring the outer surface of the cabin IF the leak was around the inner frame, you may be able to re-seal only under the outer frame.. and around the exposed cabin-to-port tube gap without taking off the interior piece and the tube that extends through the cabin wall. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95532
 
Apr 12, 2005
263
Hunter 36 Cobb Island
My leak is between the plexiglass and the frame of the Lewmar port light. I was able to take the glass of the frame from the inside of the boat. Now I am having a hell of a time scraping the frame and the glass clean. I have heard of Butyl tape being a good way to go to reseal.
 
Dec 2, 1999
15,184
Hunter Vision-36 Rio Vista, CA.
Are you using a sealant that is compatible with the two different materials? What product are you using?
 
Jan 22, 2003
744
Hunter 25_73-83 Burlington NJ
Sounds like a job for 5200. 'Window seal' and silicone will NOT keep the water out for long. All silicone does is take up space-- it fills gaps and does NOT seal watertight (for example, under the waterline a silicone-sealed seam is an automatic leak). If the affected area has already been 'sealed' you won't be able to get anything else to stick. This is why for plastic ports, Lexan, Plexiglas and the like, I ignore the warning 'use only silicone caulk to install' and go right to 5200 from new. Using 5200 from new is a surefire way to avoid leaks in future. So what if it melts the plastic just a little bit-- if it's sealed right from the off it will not leak in future. And the issue of removing the window can be solved with a dulled chisel bit and a new window... because by that time the boat will be so old you'll want to change them out anyway.

For the Lewmar aluminum ports the premise is the same... if it's been done with dum-dum/butyl tape or silicone, your first task is to remove all residue reliably before anything else will stick. Or, you can go with what was used before, and have this fun all over again when this issue returns in future.

BTW the secret to removing 5200 is to do it mechanically using appropriately-sharpened scrapers, patience and brush thinner or gasoline (a little at a time!) as a solvent. I've never had a problem with this, even with removing 5200 from wood.
 
Apr 12, 2005
263
Hunter 36 Cobb Island
Thanks for the insight. You make a good point, if this thing leaks after I am done I will be replacing the whole port light, frame and all. What to do. Right now I am trying to figure out how I am going to hold that window in place while which ever sealant I use cures. The cover on the inside of the boat does not hold the window, it's just a trim around the frame to make it look pretty.
 
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