Leaking port light flush with deck

[Ted Hoeller]

I have a 1988 Hunter Legend, 35.5. The port lights that are flush with the deck leak badly.Suggestions needed on how to seal and seat them properly.

 

[Paul Akers]

Suggestion

I have an '88 L37 and have the same problem, although mine only leak a bit. I still want to do this:Remove them, remove the old bedding and clean the area thoroughly. Vacuum out any droppings inside the opening. Reseal the areas that mate with the lens and ensure that the screw holes are also covered with sealer. I plan on using life caulk. Cautions I have been told: Be careful not to chip or break the lens on removal (hard to replace the material). Seal real well. NEVER walk on them again. One's weight can break the seals or potentially crack the lens.Good Luck!

 

[Steve O.]

my method

I had the same problem on my 33.5. I took out the plex light, cleaned it and the deck, and re-installed using glaziers tape on the inside edge and silicone sealant on the outside. The thickness of the tape keeps the lens from seating down tight to the deck which squeezes all of the sealant out. I was told that you should only use silicone on plex because any sealant with petroleum products in it will attack the plex.

 

[Jim Henderson]

Me too

I agree with the other two responses, my 35 leaks also. The key is trying not to walk on them after you remove, clean and reseal. Also, be very careful not to damage the plex because you will not be able to replace with the exact material. I have removed and resealed mine twice now and they still leak!!! Grrrrrrrrr

 

[Bob McDowell]

Replaced mine!

I have an 87 35 that the portlights on deck were leaking bad. I got replacements from Hunter (these were smoked and look great). Removed the old ones, cleaned the old bedding material (quite a job) and rebedded the lights with Dow 795 (I got this from Hunter also.). I talked to a structual engineer about these pieces of plastic and he assured me that you could not break them by standing on them. The Dow 795 does not get hard so the ports float in them. I did not screw them in. I did a little test, I put one of the older ports in one of the openings and bedded with the 795, let cure and took a bottle jack from below and tried to jack the port out of place. Did not work, the jack easily put hundreds of pounds of pressure on the port and it did not move, eventually the port did break but the force was excessive(and the plastic was old) . Expensive test but worth it. I know the ports will stay in place. This was done last year and the ports are still not leaking!!!Bob

 

[Paul Akers]

Temporary Fix

I've been following these postings for a week and then realized that somebody may need an idea for a temporary fix for these until they get the time to do it.I've used rigging tape to tape the "seam" of these portlights as a temporary fix and it has worked quite well. Holds fast and leaves little residue when removed.