Pearson Boats - Common Systems > Ports & Hatches

Resealing and Rebedding Fixed Ports

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mjscottinnc:
The limiting factor is the actual depth (thickness) of the frame. When I take both sides of the frame (inner and outer) and have them butt up against each other that is where I got the .575" measurement. Regardless of screw length they can get any closer to each other. Hence the reason for filling the gap with something else.

Libations Too:
Good observation! I had not noticed this but it sounds as though it could certainly pose a problem.

In rereading your posts and taking another look at the photos that I have from my project it seems as though the measurement on your boat of 0.375 inch for the cabin thickness (I assume this is the exterior cabin wall combined with the inner liner thickness) is less than on my boat. On my boat the liner was thinner than the cabin wall but the combined thickness was more than 3/8 inch...I am guessing at this point but I think the combined thickness was probably close to 1/2 inch.

It sounds as though you have this pretty well figured out. Good luck with the completion of the project!

mjscottinnc:
Richard,

If your total hull thickness is at 1/2" or better the existing frame would be perfect for your boat. I will say I'm little surprised that there is that much difference between our boats, but that is what I have.

On a slightly different question... before we get to that I want to make sure that you and all the people who have posted what to expect in reworking these fixed ports has been a God send to me, so thanks for that. I don't want you to get the idea that I'm finding fault with anything as I ask questions or propose different strategies. I'm an old engineer by training and profession, I always see what isn't working or might work better as I move from project to project.

Now the slightly different question... on the ports I removed I noticed that the window glass gasket had slit itself at the 90 degree bends and each side of the gasket had pulled itself up onto either side of the window glass, removing itself from the channel and providing absolutely no seal. This tells me that the window glass gasket shrinks with age. This seems to be confirmed by the filler gasket in the empty channel which had also shrunk on all the window frames. In your explanation of re-gasketing and replacing the glass into the frame channel, I remember you saying that you needed to stretch the gasket around the corners to get it into the channel. I'm not at this point yet, but I'm wondering about the shrinking. I'm wondering if we should actually be compressing the gasket in the corners instead of stretching it. Just wondering out loud.

Libations Too:
mj,

I appreciate the thoroughness of your approach; it is good for all of us who care for these boats.

On the subject of cabin house and liner thickness, I have only one perspective and that is my boat. And I am not experienced in layup or fiberglass construction techniques. But I believe that I have read somewhere that on this vintage of Pearson the hull (and presumably the cabin house) was a traditional hand layup, which I took to mean that the glass layers were per some spec for the weight of glass cloth and the number of layers) while the inner liner was constructed with less control (some type of chopped glass layup that was sprayed into a mold). I may be all wrong about this but if true it might explain the difference in combined cabin/liner thickness from boat to boat.

On the topic of shrinking glass gasket I don't recall how the gaskets on my boat looked when I removed them but I do recall that an earlier repair by a previous owner had trimmed away the outer part of the gasket and resealed it with silicone. BTW, I am pretty sure that on my boat the leak was at the glass gasket and not at the frame to cabin house interface. I also recall that on the Sea Dragon project summary the first attempt at a fix did not work because of too little sealant in the frame channel at the corners. You mentioned that on your boat the channel was empty behind the glass gasket; perhaps this contributed to the shrinking of the gasket (along with age).

Alma:
Remember the window assembly is flat. It will not flex to the contour of the cabinsides exterior. That means you will have thicker sealant at the forward and aft ends to make up for a larger gap. Always replace the vinyl window channel within the frames when you rebed the windows. Many times the leak is between the glass and frame within the vinyl gasket. Good Luck!

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