Replacment of port

[newboatowner]

Good day to all of you.

I have a 1980 Catalina 30 and I replaced the starboard aft port window glass (over the navigation table) a few years ago with smoked plexiglass. It is now doing what I was told would happen and it has thousands of minute fractures (from heat expansion?) and I want to go back to safety glass.

Does anyone know a site that will give me an exact dimension that I can give to a glazier? The boat is out in East Hampton and I am in NYC. I would love to be able to get the pane and just put it in.

 

[jrowan]

I also have a 1980 C 30, & I've always felt that the much maligned real glass ports that we have are superior to plexiglass & Lexan, for the very reason that you describe. I have had 4 sail boats & every one of them that had Lexan did this, & some cracked in half all together. I do not know why Lexan was ever touted as being superior to real safety glass, which will never wear out as long as it does not get broken from impact.
As far as the size, I would advise taking off the outer from & measuring the cut out size of the port opening, & or make a trace of the frame & have a glass shop custom cut the piece based on your port opening, with at least 1/4" inch to spare around the entire perimeter. to account for mavement or flexing of the cabin sides while under sail.