Quick cabin/porthole repair

[deisher6]

It was time to do a boat project.  All the porthole glass in Windrunner has deteriorated around the edges.



And the port side forward porthole has leaked in the past.  This is a picture of the old cabin trim.




There was very little bedding compound apparent when the porthole was dismantled.

Butyl tape was applied to the outside of the cabin where the porthole ring left its mark.  It was applied so that the tape covered the entire mark left by the outer ring of the porthole. Hoping that some would displace into gap between the ring and the porthole, I left a generous portion around the edge of the hole in the cabin.

I think that it worked.

HOWEVER not good to attempt this repair when it is close to freezing out (I know duh, but it was to cold to sail).  The bedding was not very viscous. I had to use five 2 inch bolts to draw the porthole together.  Even in warmer  weather I would still use about 4 bolts to hold and draw the porthole together before installing the original bronze screws.  The bronze screw threads are pretty soft and I was not able to catch more than two or three turns without using  the longer bolts to draw the porthole assembly up tight.

I left the longer bolts in for a day, then replaced them with original bronze parts.

The bedding compound oozed out nicely around the ring and cabin top, and some between the ring and the inter porthole casting.  With a higher temperature the bedding would have been more satisfactory.

This is a two sailor job, especially when holding the cabin trim in place while installing the porthole.

Price:
1/2 sheet teak 1/4 inch plywood            $12 ( a very good deal)
rubber gasket from Hutchins            $16  I used a plastic hose as a substitute until I received the gaskets.
Replacing glass (local shop)            $25  They recommended glass over lexan. I agreed, recalling unintentional etching of my overhead
                                                                               hatches by silicone spray propellant.  They fabricated  the double pane replacement glass.
Rest was leftover stuff                    $0   (new dollars)
                                 
Cost is hardly worth mentioning....five more to go.



The plastic hose was used as a temporary gasket until the new one arrived from Hutchins. Thanks to Dannyboy for the tip.

regards charlie