As of 1995, the factory used Butyl tape , which has a following because it stays sticky and pliable. When I replaced my ports I used GE clear silicone II, which I have had good luck with in the past.
Dave

After failed (and messy) attempts with sealant...

A very good friend and fellow Fleet 15 member turned me on to this...

Slightly off the path but it works.

I used a cell/rubber based (not foam) weathersrtip material by Frost King. (15ft for $7 at Home Depot - rated for 10 years)

The backing has adheisive so there is no mess with sealant. The hardest part is the portlight and exterior fiberglass needs to be perfectly clean of the original sealant.

The adheisive backing will go on the inside of the alum/ss portlight ring, just inside the edge, so when the portlight is clamped back in the strip has room to expand without moving past the edge of the portlight. If there is ever a need, this should make removal of the portlight much cleaner and help protect the interior trim ring during the removal process.

I also re-sealed the expansion joints during this process. Here is a doc on this process...

[url]http://www.c36ia.com/files/Portlight%20joint%20replacement.pdf[/url]

This was all done in Feb of 2008 (17 months ago) and I have not had any leaks.

Next time I am in Home Depot, I will pull the material code and edit this entry.

We are on a fresh water lake and I cannot advise on the material's resistance to salt.

My ports leak slightly, but it's from the dogs not the frame. I downloaded the exploded diagram from Lewmar and saw that there's an O-ring on the outside, under the round 'button'. I replaced a couple of these with some random sized O-rings from in a kit from the hardware store, but would prefer to have the correct part. Does anyone know of a source of parts from Lewmar? Catalina?

thx.

Before I gave up and replaced my ports completely with the new model Lewmar ports, I purchased the following O-rings from McMaster Carr, my favorite source for hardware.

I purchased:

Double Seal Buna-N O-Ring AS568A Dash Number 013
McMaster Carr part number 90025K139(Same as 90025K12)

I thought that they fit around the knob shaft a little too tightly, so I would suggest buying a bag of the Dash Number 014 seals as well and use the ones that fit better.

Y'all,
Lewmar provides some support for the various portlight designs they have had over the years, even our old MK1s. First you have to identify your port:
[url]http://www.lewmar.com/product-listing.asp?action=search&type=135[/url]
Then you need to find a dealer (Lewmar no longer sends parts direct, darn it).
My dealer in Florida is rigginghydraulics.com (contact Tim [tim@rigginghydraulics.com] where you can get just about any Lewmar part quick and reasonable.
It helps to have the old Lewmar HATCH & PORTLIGHT SPARES BOOK dated November 2005 (I've was able to save a copy before my network crash @ 7.5MB). BTW Tara does not have the "standard" 5X12 portlights, but 4X14s instead. I was able to get replacement lens from Rigging Hydraulics within a few days for $34 each in grey tint (Lewmar Part 360017099). And, I just used some o-rings from Home Depot for the latches.
Finally, I have found using Capt. Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure [url]http://www.epoxyproducts.com/capt.html[/url] (even sold at West Marine) effectively seals the leaks around the fixed ports and anything penetrating the deck and topside fittings, even the chain plates. Just getting too old to dig out and re-bed.

That'll do her, Shipmates!
Chooch
Tara 389

Chooch,

I wonder if Capt'n Tolly's Creaping Crack Cure could be used to solve one of the larger problems we have in the inner city areas.

I will have to get some of this stuff as I have a persistant leak around one of my hand rails. Sounds like this stuff may cure coughs, colds, sore holes, fits, farts and freckles as well.

[QUOTE=Steve Frost;3399]Chooch,

I will have to get some of this stuff as I have a persistent leak around one of my hand rails. [/QUOTE]

Captain Tolley's is very good stuff. I believe, however, that your handrail leak is something that could be beyond the miracle cure that CT can provide. If it was my boat, I'd simply RAISE, not remove, the offending handrail and silicone the bases, then tighten them up. Those holes may be too darned big for CT to fill. Or, you could try it first.

Where CT shines is on stanchion base bolts. I clean up the rust stains on the deck with FSR, and then use CT; the rust disappears and stays away for years. I've rebedded a few stanchions completely, some due to bent stanchions from some jerk running into us, and a couple because the PO slathered sealant on the top of the base, but pretty much the rest have stayed dry with the reasonably regular use of CT.

The chainplates are somewhere between the stanchions and the handrail: holes may just be getting too big for the CT. It may well be worthwhile doing "A Last Chainplate Rebedding" completely, and then using CT later on.

CT comes in a very small plastic container, and is an off white very thin watery liquid.

I have used Captain Tully's as well with good success.

Here are a few tips.

The stuff runs like water, so it will drip down on your wife's good hat, just like the original leak did. Put something underneath the leak, and don't use the whole bottle and wonder where all the stuff is going.

The trick is to apply it until it does drip out, then stop for a beer and let the CT cure. Apply it again until it drips, drink another beer , and repeat until it doesn't drip any more. If you run out of beer and it still leaks, then you will have to rebed the fitting.

Dave,

Those are clear instructions that I can relate to. Thanks.

Steve,
Yup - it worked on my handrails. Just carefully apply it where the wood meets the cabin top and it soaks in. When you can see it settling in the gap, that's all she needs. I regularly (read annually) apply Capt Tolley to all topside screw heads, washers and through fittings. Seems to work fine finding the most elusive leaks.

Enjoy!