Author Topic: Portlight Rebedding  (Read 7185 times)

jwspeck

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Portlight Rebedding
« on: July 31, 2017, 02:40:16 PM »
So I'm starting to rebed my portlight and I've read all the good project pages people have put up.

People in general seem to think it's a really good idea to fill in the gap (where there is one) between the headliner and the cabin top.

To me, it looks like if you used a generous amount of butyl tape around the outside lip of the portlight you wouldn't need to mess with the gaps at all.

Has anyone rebedded using butyl tape alone?

jwspeck

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Re: Portlight Rebedding
« Reply #1 on: August 02, 2017, 03:50:19 AM »
Wow, so I've finally removed all of my fixed salon portlights. It was very interesting to work. Biggest thing to learn is that Goo Gone is amazing. It totally liquefies the silicone.

It seems like maybe the hull flexed though, I think I'm going to have to grind down a 1/8 inch to get the frames back in again.


rkfitz

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Re: Portlight Rebedding
« Reply #2 on: August 03, 2017, 09:09:41 AM »
I rebedded my fixed ports last year with butyl rubber,  did not worry about the gap, still no leaks. I use butyl rubber for pretty much everything on deck with good results. Pearson used double sided foam tape on the ports originally and that seal isn't where my ports leaked, it was at the glass gasket.

selene

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Re: Portlight Rebedding
« Reply #3 on: August 07, 2017, 01:26:16 PM »
I think filling the gap is useful, not essential. Just my 2c.

I did it because, honestly, it was easy to do with the window out, and seemed the right thing - no leaks between the cabintop and liner.  But it was probably "belt and braces" as we say in the UK. But needed? Probably not.

Good tip about the Goo Gone...

And I also use butyl tape as my preferred bedding compound.  For me, the most difficult parts of the job were removing all the old silicone (which a PO squeezed in to stop a leak) and getting the glass-with-gasket into the Al frame without (a) over-stretching the gasket, and (b) getting sealant everywhere!  It certainly was a tight fit, I ended up using clamps to gently squeeze the whole thing together...and still got sealant everywhere.

Next stop will be replacing the four plastic opening portholes forward.  I replaced the hinged "windows" a few years back, but the hinges on the frames are beginning to fail. It's only a matter of time, and I would not want them to fail when I am out there in 25kn+ and getting a salty soaking... :-)

Dolce_Vita

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Re: Portlight Rebedding
« Reply #4 on: August 16, 2017, 01:07:35 PM »
The forward ports are much easier than the big fixed portlights in the main cabin.

See http://www.chessie.com/boat/projects.shtml#Port for details.

@(^.^)@  Ed
1977 P-323 #42 "Dolce Vita"
with rebuilt Atomic-4

Alma

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Re: Portlight Rebedding
« Reply #5 on: August 23, 2017, 12:36:30 PM »
I used buytl also and no leaks.

You have to tilt the ports so the extruded groove fits into cabin sides then jiggle up and in. I believe Pearson wanted maximum surface for mount.