Can you identify this portlight

[Hilary]

Hi. I’m trying to fix/replace some leaking portlights. The one in the head and one directly across don’t look like any other I’ve found. This is 1984 E26-2 and likely original. The opening is about 11”x4”. Can anyone tell me the manufacturer?

 

[Christian Williams]

If you can't locate a replacement, which is common even with '80s boats, there are various new opening portlights out there--Lewmar and so on.

Most of the time it means enlarging the hole. It's an easy job with a jigsaw, and so is mounting the new frame. More here.

 

[Hilary]

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately I'm a boat repair novice and am not up to the level of cutting into the boat. I was hoping to repair the existing portlight since there is a really nasty leak there.

 

[Frank Langer]

Hilary,
Someone may recognize your port light and provide a manufacturer name for replacement parts. However, if not, most of us started as novice boaters with limited skills, and learned as we went. There is lots of expertise on this site, so don't hesitate to ask for advice. Also, there are usually experienced sailors in most marinas willing to share knowledge or help out with repairs.
I've learned to do most of the maintenance myself, which builds confidence, saves money and increases self reliance when a problem arises while sailing.
Frank

 

[peaman]

You may be able to find replacement gasket material from Catalina Direct. If the port light is leaking from the frame itself and not through the openable part, then the frame needs to be re-bedded to the hull.

 

[Christian Williams]

Profile says Hilary is a lawyer, perhaps with little time for such stuff. But what we all have found is this: to hire somebody to fix a leaking port is expensive, but that's not it: it is that that somebody is hard to find, doesn't show up, and has little interest in small jobs. So most of us shrug and do it. It's kind of a given with an older sailboat. You come to own tools and skills and with them a fuller appreciation of tradition.

In the case of fixing your leaking portlight, instead of replacing it, there are probably three causes of water entry, listed in probability.

1. The caulking between the frame and the cabin house has failed. Looks like your frame is secured with through-bolts and castle nuts on the inside. Remove the bolts and the frame will separate. Urge it out of its hole by prying with flat objects. Clean up the old caulk by scraping and if necessary caulk remover. Buy a tube of with Boatlife Life-Calk and rebed and reattach the frame.

It's usually possible to confirm the leak is caulk failure by a close look at water entry. In doubt, direct a hose on the port and note the ingress.

2. The gasket on which the lens presses, when dogged closed. Such gaskets are usually replaceable.

3. The union of lens to frame. In some portlights, the lens can be removed from the frame and reglazed. In others, no dice--the design doesn;t permit removal and the whole portlight unit is discarded and replaced.

This forum has many threads on such jobs, since everybody has to do them. I don't know why, but repairing a single portlight suddenly makes the whole sailing thing make sense, improves hand on the tiller, brings new business opportunities, and makes you sleep like a baby in the cradle of justification.

 

[Loren Beach]

Much of Thread Reply #6 ought to be printed out and posted on a lot of bulkheads. For all boats over ten or fifteen years old.

Our Ericson's were well designed and constructed and have "good bones" and that justifies the learning and laboring, to most of us.
I might add one more point to this excellent reply: after you successfully repair stuff and know, with your own hands and "muscle memory", what is required you are much better prepared to assess whether and how or when to farm it out (for $$) to a pro in the future. And, after some conversation, to figure out if the 'pro' actually knows what they are doing.
In my experience, the small number of qualified technicians prefer much working for (and with) fully-engaged owners who are more than mere "checkbook boaters".
That's just an opinion and, as they say, "YMMV."
All the best,
Loren

 

[paul culver]

If you want a duplicate replacement custom made you can google Bomon (not Bomar) portlights in Canada. I was pleased with a sliding port they made for me.

 

[Christian Williams]

Also, it looks like your lens is replaceable by detaching the fasteners. If it's fogged or crazed, you can drop the lens off at any plastics shop and they will duplicate it in brand new acrylic.

 

[Mr. Scarlett]

3. The union of lens to frame. In some portlights, the lens can be removed from the frame and reglazed. In others, no dice--the design doesn;t permit removal and the whole portlight unit is discarded and replaced.

This looks like a 3 to me. Only one joint in the frame, same on the inside. Guess where the water comes in?
Big job coming up - the teak ply is covered by plastic laminate but it's easy to tell where it's rotten. New portlights and ply are going to have to come before the rudder upgrade.