According to the archives, the Beckson portlights (link below) will fit my 31 without any modifications. Can someone confirm this? I know that Hunter used Gray (now Pompanette) as original equipment, but they feature the thumbscrew tighteners which, no matter how hard you try to prevent, someone cranks down on them so hard that they break the plastic. The Beckson has the cam type fastener which I much prefer. As a option, what I would really like to do to save some big $, is replace only my opening covers, and then install cam fasteners. Anybody having ideas on this would be appreciated.
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I think the cams will fit.
Gary: We have had NO problems with cracked port lights. All of the new thumbscrews are all plastic (no more metal inserts). You can just purchase the port lights and new knobs. I believe that you can use the cams if that is really important to you.
Gary: We have had NO problems with cracked port lights. All of the new thumbscrews are all plastic (no more metal inserts). You can just purchase the port lights and new knobs. I believe that you can use the cams if that is really important to you.
I've been messing with this stuff since my boat
was new in '86. (h34) On the day Beckson first sold their cams, I changed out my Gray twist knobs for the cam latches. The Gray studs would not fit. Too big. I had a shop make new studs to fit the cam latches and trimmed the studs to fit. Of course I cut all 27 of them too short and had to grind the lenses down. (forgot about that) What a pain, but worth it. We were then able to reasonably quickly close our ports when the rains came. Of course we still got wet inside when we opened them again. Those Grays are my least favorite product on Hunters. During our rebuild I trashed all 9 of them. I used Beckson Raindrains. The fit is similar except for the drain location. It needs to be cut an inch closer to the lens center. No sweat. Just fill the old space with Marintex. And follow Becksons web site instructions for trimming the frame flush. (use a band saw not a table saw like I did) The best price I found was at Fisheries Supply in Seattle 800-426-6930. Add a .com the their name for web access. But if you call with an order be sure to ask for the quantity discount. Try to replace all of your ports at once. It's worth it. That link on your post Gary has a price of at least 30% higher than I paid. This is photo #95 from my web site that shows the finished ports among several such photos. But what ever you do, try to NOT put money in those Grays. I even replaced the lenses while in the tropics. I even lined them with foil in the off season during storage to keep the new ones from dying in the sun. Poor product.
was new in '86. (h34) On the day Beckson first sold their cams, I changed out my Gray twist knobs for the cam latches. The Gray studs would not fit. Too big. I had a shop make new studs to fit the cam latches and trimmed the studs to fit. Of course I cut all 27 of them too short and had to grind the lenses down. (forgot about that) What a pain, but worth it. We were then able to reasonably quickly close our ports when the rains came. Of course we still got wet inside when we opened them again. Those Grays are my least favorite product on Hunters. During our rebuild I trashed all 9 of them. I used Beckson Raindrains. The fit is similar except for the drain location. It needs to be cut an inch closer to the lens center. No sweat. Just fill the old space with Marintex. And follow Becksons web site instructions for trimming the frame flush. (use a band saw not a table saw like I did) The best price I found was at Fisheries Supply in Seattle 800-426-6930. Add a .com the their name for web access. But if you call with an order be sure to ask for the quantity discount. Try to replace all of your ports at once. It's worth it. That link on your post Gary has a price of at least 30% higher than I paid. This is photo #95 from my web site that shows the finished ports among several such photos. But what ever you do, try to NOT put money in those Grays. I even replaced the lenses while in the tropics. I even lined them with foil in the off season during storage to keep the new ones from dying in the sun. Poor product.
Fred and Steve.....
Not sure what you mean by cutting 1 inch closer to the lens center??? Cutting what? Are you talking about installing just the lens, or the whole unit? Fred, apparently, the Beckson Raindrains have gone up....see the link. If I spend megabucks to replace the whole unit, I certainly want something that will bolt right up, so as not to have to patch voids. Forgive me...Maybe I am not following you at all. Steve.....do you know where can I buy just the lens and thumbscrews for my Grays? I just want to compare the costs of replacing the whole unit, as opposed to just the lenses and screws. Thank yall very much......Gary
Not sure what you mean by cutting 1 inch closer to the lens center??? Cutting what? Are you talking about installing just the lens, or the whole unit? Fred, apparently, the Beckson Raindrains have gone up....see the link. If I spend megabucks to replace the whole unit, I certainly want something that will bolt right up, so as not to have to patch voids. Forgive me...Maybe I am not following you at all. Steve.....do you know where can I buy just the lens and thumbscrews for my Grays? I just want to compare the costs of replacing the whole unit, as opposed to just the lenses and screws. Thank yall very much......Gary
Sorry Gary, a bolt-in replacement probably doesn't
exist. Sorry. But the fix is easy. The hole that the original drains use FOR DRAINING WATER is just about an inch closer to the center line of the port. I don't know how else to explain it. The modification takes about a minute with a saber saw. And, did you call Fisheries? I saw your link. That's why I suggested that you call Fisheries. Maybe the people from your link are CHARGING TOO MUCH. Sorry. OK, too late to call until Monday.
exist. Sorry. But the fix is easy. The hole that the original drains use FOR DRAINING WATER is just about an inch closer to the center line of the port. I don't know how else to explain it. The modification takes about a minute with a saber saw. And, did you call Fisheries? I saw your link. That's why I suggested that you call Fisheries. Maybe the people from your link are CHARGING TOO MUCH. Sorry. OK, too late to call until Monday.
Check the link on my second post.....
it is to fisheries supply. Actually, they are priced the same as my first link....~$107...unless they quote a better price by phone. I'll call them Monday to see what they say. Thanks much....Gary
it is to fisheries supply. Actually, they are priced the same as my first link....~$107...unless they quote a better price by phone. I'll call them Monday to see what they say. Thanks much....Gary
Gary, exactly.
They are NOT internet based. Ask for sales. Explain what you want and that the price you saw on-line was too high and not what others have paid recently and you also want a quantity discount for ordering several. Works every time.
They are NOT internet based. Ask for sales. Explain what you want and that the price you saw on-line was too high and not what others have paid recently and you also want a quantity discount for ordering several. Works every time.
West Marine or other marine outlets.
Gary: You can contact West Marine or most any other marine outlet. You can also get them direct from Pomanette (Bomar/Gray/Hood website). If you shop around you can probably save some money. West Marine is usually the most expensive place to buy anything anymore. Many of the other marine outlets will cut you some slack. I order the wing nut replacements for an outfit in So. Cal. and saved about 20%. Personally I see nothing wrong with the Gray Ports
Gary: You can contact West Marine or most any other marine outlet. You can also get them direct from Pomanette (Bomar/Gray/Hood website). If you shop around you can probably save some money. West Marine is usually the most expensive place to buy anything anymore. Many of the other marine outlets will cut you some slack. I order the wing nut replacements for an outfit in So. Cal. and saved about 20%. Personally I see nothing wrong with the Gray Ports
Iv'e found them for $95.00
Ive found them for $95.00 and a band saw is a bad idea too unless you can find one with a 9" throat, thats up and down not the advertised size of a band saw. a 14" band saw has a 6" throat and will not clear to cut the ports. I used my Rigid 13" planer. Whene you get the ports that have plastic covering the lens, Do not remove the plastic until you have planed them down to size. I used the camlocks to tighten and loosen the ports so I could plane them to the right angles so they would match up flush with the trim rings. Tim Welsh h34 AKA Cabo Wabo
Ive found them for $95.00 and a band saw is a bad idea too unless you can find one with a 9" throat, thats up and down not the advertised size of a band saw. a 14" band saw has a 6" throat and will not clear to cut the ports. I used my Rigid 13" planer. Whene you get the ports that have plastic covering the lens, Do not remove the plastic until you have planed them down to size. I used the camlocks to tighten and loosen the ports so I could plane them to the right angles so they would match up flush with the trim rings. Tim Welsh h34 AKA Cabo Wabo
Not to be a strickler for details...
...but our price on this site is lower than Fisheries Supply.
http://shop.hunterowners.com
...but our price on this site is lower than Fisheries Supply.
http://shop.hunterowners.com
Forgot about HOW. Thanks Phil.
Gary HOW started carrying them after I bought mine. I paid $83. for the 5X12s. The wide one were $3.00 more. Thats with all discounts in Oct of '02. I also have an account with Fisheries. (but that never seems to get me a better price.) Tim, I am so jealous of your planer. Great work on your floors too. But still, a bandsaw would have been so much easier than what I used. Picture me setting up these ports on my table saw. I had to stay away from my cut line and finish with my belt sander. Shadetree!
Gary HOW started carrying them after I bought mine. I paid $83. for the 5X12s. The wide one were $3.00 more. Thats with all discounts in Oct of '02. I also have an account with Fisheries. (but that never seems to get me a better price.
) Tim, I am so jealous of your planer. Great work on your floors too. But still, a bandsaw would have been so much easier than what I used. Picture me setting up these ports on my table saw. I had to stay away from my cut line and finish with my belt sander. Shadetree!- Status