Lewmar Portlight Screens

[quadrille38]

Yes one of those wonderfully designed Lewmar port light screens caught the wind and decided to take flight. One bounce and in the water to sink very quickly.

I took down the number eteched in the glass but when I got home and searched the web I found that it apparently means nothing to Lewmar.

Does anyone know the portlight size on Hunter 38 - port right above the galley?

Sure wish that for the quality of Lewmar products, they would assign an engineer to come up with a decent design for the screens. But then I'm sure they like selling replacements at $30+ apiece.

 

[Phil Herring]

Depending on the year of your boat you may have the "new and improved" screens, years in the making, that appear to be just slightly better than the old ones. and just as expensive.

Inventors: there are thousands of Lewmar ports in the world that need better screens. A market waiting to happen.

 

[Rick Belew]

You may need to call back and talk to someone else. You may want to talk to their supervisor. Years ago I wanted to get new poly glass and they told me to use the number on glass and it would fit perfect.
To save money do not buy there windlass remote control. It does not work!!! Even tho they tested it on work bench with no windlass and they say from 30 feet from receiver. If I stand 10 feet from receiver it will work sometime. Since it worked on the test bench they saw no reason to return money or a new unit. Lewmar has lost one customer.

 

[Mulf]

Here's two links to help.

Go to the Lewmar site and find the correct size:
http://www.lewmar.com/cms/assets/1/Literature/HP_Fit_Eng.pdf
Note that they give you the hole that the port fits into the boat, not the window size. You have to guess a little but I got them close enough to be correct.

Then go to Defender or someone like them and find the right screen:
This is one example:
http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|6880|6881|301239&id=950259

I've had the new screens for two seasons now. Once installed the do not pop out. You can leave them installed and shut the portlite and they stay put.

EDIT: I just realized that Defender gives you dimensions in their description also, so try going directly there.

 

[quadrille38]

Re: Here's two links to help.

Thanks
Ironically I installed similar Lewmars in my 1988 Catalina and they too popped out frequently but not nearly as easily as those in our newer Hunter. In the Catalina you actually had to touch them to make them fall out.

Those on our 2008 Hunter are worse. You don't even need to touch them, just look at them wrong and the pop out. When you close the ports the screens partially pop out. Each time you open them you have to go around and pop screens back in.
Would have thought that in 10 years time Lewmar would have come up with a better design. But like I said, selling replacements must be a lucrative business.


Oh well, beautiful boat and if is the worst thing that happens, I'm not going to let it take away the enjoyment.

 

[noprob2]

Preventing portlight screen loss

After purchasing a replacement on my 340 at an outrageous price i got some fine 8# test fishing line and put a lenth of it through each screen near the edge and tied it to the boat. It is very easy to push one of these out when cleaning or operating the port and the tie on has saved me many times since.
btw the new design ( which has black sliding tabs) is better but I tied that one on too.
Once done, you can not see the line unless you stick your nose right up to it
t

 

[quadrille38]

Thought I'd share that I did purchase the new and improved port screens from Defender. They fit much better, look better and best thing - they don't trap water like the original ones so that when you open the ports you don't get a bath.
On the Hunter 38 the larger ports are Lewmar size 3 and the smaller ones are Lewmar size 1.