Recently I had the desire to remove and replace the four opening port light seals on my 2002 Catalina 36 MKII.  Not just for something to do, but because they were dripping.  Now I’ve read where wiping the grime off stops the leaks, but that was not the case here.  Mine were decaying.  Plus the port light lenses needed replacing as well.  But that’s another story.  Changing out the opening port light seals is not that simple, kind of like anything you do on a sailboat.  So, if any of you intrepid DIYer’s are interested in how I pulled this off, here goes.  I didn't take any pictures.  I was too caught up in the fun of it all.

Make sure you order the correct seals.  There are numbers somewhere on the lenses. Mine were in the middle, bottom of the lenses. Catalina, from time to time, used different port lights, so don’t assume you know which windows are in your boat.  Make damn sure. In addition, you will need some WD 40, something to remove the silicone sealant from the groove that holds the seal.  I used tongue depressors from, you guessed it, ACE Hardware.  I also used a bunch of paper towels, and something to cover underneath where you are working.  You will also need some silicone sealant.  Any kind will do, according to the Tech Department at Catalina Direct, where I found the seals. You also need some sort of tool used to push the seal into the retaining groove.  Ace Hardware sells a cheap plastic caulk remover tool that I found to be adequate.  Mine was black plastic and had a hook at one end. This tool is for pushing the new seal into place and will not help in removing the old silicone sealant.  I removed the hook as it could rip a nice hole in your hand while trying to force the seal into said groove. The seal came with slightly more seal material than you will need, and some fancy Super Glue Gel for attaching the two ends together.  Catalina Direct recommends reading their notes about replacing the seals.  Study them carefully several times, and again just before you do the fun stuff.  You’ll note that there are no real instructions for this process.  Therefore, read on.

Okay, so you have the seal, WD 40, Tongue Depressors, paper towels, caulk remover tool, and plain ole silicone sealant.  Remove the old seal by just pulling it out.  Take note of how the little lip fit into the groove.  You will have to place the new seal lip in the exact same way.  Set the old seal on a flat surface.  Take the new length of seal and line it up on top of the old seal to get the exact length you need.  Nothing mysterious here, just do it.  Cut the new seal with a very sharp blade making sure that both ends meet nicely.  Now put some fancy Super Glue Gel on both ends and carefully hold the ends together steadily for 30 seconds. Make sure the two ends are joined together so that everything lines up smoothly.  Be careful here.  Make sure there isn’t a twist in the length of the seal.  The seam doesn’t have to be perfect, but it helps.

Now get to the business of removing the old silicone sealant.  Spray WD 40 all along the groove and let it work for five minutes or so.  It will help loosen the silicone some, but not much.  Now, take a break and mow the lawn, take out the garbage, wash the car, paint the house.  After your break, get back in there and have at it.  Cut the end of one of the tongue depressors at a 45 degree angle and with the pointy end start digging out the silicone sealant that fills the inside groove in the port light.  This is a tedious job and you must do a good job.  You need to remove all of the old sealant.  Don’t be timid with the WD 40.  Oddly enough, women find the smell of WD 40 irresistible. Spray it all over.  It makes a decent deodorant, I’m told, though I’ve never tried it myself.
 
Wrapping some paper towel around the depressor helps to grab the sealant and lift it out.  Use a flashlight to inspect all around the groove.  Once the groove is  “operating room” clean, take another break and plant some trees, clean the kitty litter box, put air in your tires, etc., you are ready for the next step.

You are going to dry fit the seal. Make sure that the seal seam is placed about an inch to the right of the left upper hinge.  Push the little lip of the seal in the groove making very sure that you put it in the correct way.  Compare with the old seal to make sure.  This is somewhat difficult, but you can do it.  Just be patient and persistent.  Use the caulking tool blunt end to push the seal deep into the groove.  You can sort of roll the tool to get the dang seal in there.  Dry fitting the seal makes sure that the seal is even and correct.  If it isn’t, remove the seal and remove the rest of the old silicone sealant that you missed.  If the seal fits well and looks even without bumps, close the lens on it and inspect the seal from inside and out, again. Upon attempting to close the lens you will need to use considerable force.  You’ll think it can’t be right, but it is.  Make sure you don’t pinch the seal at the upper hinges.  The next time you close the port light it won’t be so difficult.  If it still passes muster, remove the new seal and apply a small bead of hardware grade silicone sealant all the way around the groove.  This will facilitate putting the new seal back in place.  Now, force the new seal back into the groove again using the cheap caulk tool blunt end as before, making sure you, once again, put the little lip in the right way.  This is a tedious job and you don’t want to have another leak.  Once the new seal is in place, apply a thin layer of lubricant like Marlube or Vasoline on the inside of the seal where it will meet the lens.  This will help the lens slide into place when you first close the port light.  Close the lens and keep closed for 24 hours. There, done!  That was easy and fun, right? Kind of makes you feel like a real man. Okay, just three more to go.

Next up, opening port light lens replacement.