Hey folks, I have received my newly chromed ports an am ready for installation. I had shaded safety glass cut exactly the same thickness and size to replace the old glass. I have newly purchased gaskets for the inside hatches. My problem is I laid the new glass into its position with the retainer ring while dry fitting at my home . The retaining ring really doesn't put pressure on the glass itself. I held it up and shook it and the glass seems to wobble inside a small amount. Is there suppose to be butyl or a rubber gasket under the retaining ring.? I am going to take a few pics and post them .
My second question is when I begin installation could someone give my instructions on the bedding procedure for inside and out? . Someone told me that boat life bedding compound is good for this project..... Don't want any leaks.. Thank you
JD
Upper Chesapeake Bay
Hi:
If you go to a shop that install automotive windshields they use a sealant that comes of a roll with a paper backing on it. It's black and I used it to fill in the difference between the replacement glass I used and the factory glass. That was five years ago and still good and tight and dry. It might very well be the butyl that you mentioned. As far as sealing the window frames themselves I used tubes and tubes of 4500 between the outer frame and cabin side and tubes and tubes of 4500 on the inside surface and even put a heavy bead between the teak and the inner surface of the cabin walls. Had to replace all of the screws and cap nuts with stainless steel ones. The brass ones were now to short and kept snapping when I tightend them down and squeezed all the extra sealant out. I put sealant between the fiberglass wall and inside surface of the teak to not only glue it back in place but to seal the perimeter of the opening the port fit into. Ports still dry, teak still stuck...glad I sealed it up so well. Buy plenty of 4500 and get a good caulking gun to apply it with.
Good luck...worth the effort
Bruce
S/V Allure
Swansea, MA
For what it is worth, Dow makes a product that I have worked with that has worked well for window installations as far as sealing it to the hull.
I think it was called 795.
When I install them (and I do a ton of them) I mainly seal the outside, this way you can tell it if it leaking and fix the leak. It is also easier to remove them when you only caulk the outside. A proper seal on the outside and they wont leak.
Mac
Mac, I kinda agree with you as when I removed the ports there wasn't any sealant on the inside. Yes if it were to fail there would be evidence as opposed to the possibility of migrating water into the hull . The marina I am at on the Sassafras is helping me on an owner assist and recommends
Boat life caulk sealant for Crome plated bronze to fiberglass. Regarding the port glass ... We are going with a silicone base product.
Let's hope all go's well . I am going to locate new screws. I am wondering why the other post reply needed longer screws.
Thanks much to the replays . I will be logging pics when underway next week.
Quote from: Allure2sail on August 07, 2014, 07:02:15 PM
Hi:
If you go to a shop that install automotive windshields they use a sealant that comes of a roll with a paper backing on it. It's black and I used it to fill in the difference between the replacement glass I used and the factory glass. That was five years ago and still good and tight and dry. It might very well be the butyl that you mentioned. As far as sealing the window frames themselves I used tubes and tubes of 4500 between the outer frame and cabin side and tubes and tubes of 4500 on the inside surface and even put a heavy bead between the teak and the inner surface of the cabin walls. Had to replace all of the screws and cap nuts with stainless steel ones. The brass ones were now to short and kept snapping when I tightend them down and squeezed all the extra sealant out. I put sealant between the fiberglass wall and inside surface of the teak to not only glue it back in place but to seal the perimeter of the opening the port fit into. Ports still dry, teak still stuck...glad I sealed it up so well. Buy plenty of 4500 and get a good caulking gun to apply it with.
Good luck...worth the effort
Bruce
S/V Allure
Swansea, MA
Sir ,
What size did you finally go with for the port screws. Also where did
you get the screws and caps for the ports?
Thank you
JD
.
Hi;
I'm pretty sure they were 1/4-20's but the length I don't remember, it was five years ago. Are you replacing the bronze with stainless steel ones?
Bruce
Hi:
I had loaded everything up with so much sealant that I needed a slightly longer screw to get the nut on to start compressing everything. Cleaned up what squished out as I tightened everything up (like tightening down a cylinder hear on an engine) LOL. Has not leaked in five going on six years.
Bruce
Quote from: Allure2sail on August 08, 2014, 02:12:54 PM
Hi;
I'm pretty sure they were 1/4-20's but the length I don't remember, it was five years ago. Are you replacing the bronze with stainless steel ones?
Bruce
Yes Bruce bronze ... Plated in chrome