• Untitled Document

    Join us on March 29rd, 7pm EST

    for the CBEC Virtual Meeting

    All EYO members and followers are welcome to join the fun and get to know the guest speaker!

    See the link below for login credentials and join us!

    March Meeting Info

    (dismiss this notice by hitting 'X', upper right)

Fixed Port Light Gaskets

Razz

Member I
You got it, they are leaking. Pac Seacraft doesn't carry the gaskets. Who does? Would it be OK to use the existing gaskets augmented with some 3M goop of some kind? Is there some way to seal them without removing the port frame from the deckhouse, splitting the frame and removing the glass & gasket?

I've been to several sailing sites that discuss the problem and solution(s) and it all sounds very much like a pain in the...er, well you get it.

Rally Ericson owners! What's been your experience?

(I have some windshield sealer that I've been thinking of using)

Nick
s/v Rascal
Ericson 28+
 

Joe Benedict

Member II
Gasket Source

Replaced both the rubber gasket in the frame and the closed cell foam port to hull gasket. It isn't that difficult once you decide to do it. The biggest problem is the ports fit really tight in the cutout in the boat and need a little pursuation. I got the material from a subsriber of to this website, Gareth Harris, who periodically orders some. He is in the military so he may not be in country - be patient. There are several posting on this website dealing with window gaskets - they are actually called windows in a lot of the Ericson literature and not ports. A small thin bead of silicone at the outside glass to frame joint will work for a while. Use an awl or something similiar to get the loose material out first. A popsicle stick or something similiar should be used to take off the excess. I strongly suggest you just pick a day, take the windows out, pick up a six pack, and replace the gasket while watching football.
 

gareth harris

Sustaining Member
I am back in the country, at least for the time being, so anyone needing gasket is welcome to contact me for it. I still have some, although I am not sure if I have the boat any longer (ref my other current post).

Gareth
Freyja E35 #241 1972
harrisgareth@mmode.com
 

clohman

Member II
I contacted Lewmar and confirmed the model and size of my Portlights. Defender Marine then special ordered the gaskets from the UK - $24 each!
 

Dave Hussey

Member III
port light work

Folks,
I made an inquiry to WEFCO for my E27 window gaskets and got the following reply ) :


From: peteplan1 [mailto: peteplan1@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Wednesday, November 03, 2004 10:33 AM

Subject: Port gaskets
Wefco makes many different gaskets for ports.We need a sample or drawing to match up exactly with yours.
Thanks for your interest in wefco.


What a pain in the jib to remove the windows at this time so I can send them a sample...there has to be a better way.
Dave Hussey
 
Last edited:

rgoff

Member III
Here's info from the posting with the title "E-27 Window Leaks": I would have posted the direct link to the thread, but didn't know how to do it. I found it by searching for "wefco".

===========================================
Hi

I just have ordered a bunch of rubber parts for my E-27 from Wefco Rubber and I would like to share some information with you all.

The parts are the window channel, window frame filler and rub rail.

Window channel - Die Number 2154 - 2.00 per foot
Window Filler - Die Number 1256 - 2.00 per foot
Rub Rail - Die Numer 4107 - 2.75 per foot

Their address is wefcorubber.com
===========================================

Good luck,
 

gareth harris

Sustaining Member
The 2154 does not work for the channell in all boats (mine included), so I had some especially cut using one of my old ones as a sample. I order it in bulk occasionally to ship it out to ericson owners, as it is a lot cheaper that way. Every 1970s vintage owner so fas has not complained about it not fitting.
I am currently out of the country, but will be able to help people out when I get back.
Gareth
 

Dave Hussey

Member III
gasket parts

I thought that there were only two pieces of material to the window...a channel that surrounds the glass and a gasket of closed cell foam between the metal frame and the boat...so what is the "filler" material referred to (#1256) ?
Dave H
 

gareth harris

Sustaining Member
I believe what you are describing is the filler, although a lot of people have successfully used closed cell foam tape from a hardware store.
Wefco also make the rub rail for the hull.
Gareth
 

Dave Hussey

Member III
filler or foam

I thought about using closed cell foam tape from the home improvement store, but I know from experience I can't make a flat turn around a radius like the window frame...I'm betting the tape will bunch up and then leak and I'd be back where I started. Is that what was original equipment? Or did Ericson use a gasket cut from a sheet of closed cell foam ?
D. Hussey
 

diamondjim

Member II
Leaking "windows/portlights

I HAD the very same problem on my 28+. I also did not have the time to remove the windows, hunt down the gaskets and related parts. This will sound very crazy but do this - it works: clean out the exterior silicone between the glass and the frame and use acetone to rinse/wash (I use a dental pick with a piece of rag soaked in acetone) to the clean the groove. Apply "ALEX PLUS 35 year caulk" in the grooves from their pressurized can w/small tip applicator (found at Lowes, Home Depot, et. al) . As you apply the caulk to the groove, go back and shape the bead with year finger to make sure the caulk is smushed down in between the frame and glass. Next and very important is to clean the area around the OUTSIDE of the frame and the deck house. Apply caulk to the outside of the frame and shape the bead with your finger. This stuff is water soluable before it sets so you can clean up mistakes very easily and repair the bead if necessary.
You will also notice that the frames are split across the width of the frame. Water will get into the frame by way of this split. Also, go inside the boat and pull the decorative gasket up out of the frame and notice how the frame is fastened at this split. Get yourself some Capt Tolleys Crack Sealer from Boat US or West Marine. Two onces is not cheap - $15 - apply this penetrating liquid sealer to these splits and cracks.
My windows do not leak anymore, period! Maybe someday I'll have take them apart but if they ain't broke, I'm not tearing them apart! Hope that helps.
 

Mark F

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
I've used glazing tape with good success for the frame to cabin seal.

Mark
 

ttt

New Member
Old thread, posting some updated info. Just spoke with Wefco. they have three colors of the 1256, black, grey and white. Black was in stock at $2.00 a foot. Grey and white are now $3.00 a foot and they're expecting to do a run of it at the end of April.
 

Tin Kicker

Sustaining Member
Moderator
Why band-aids don't work

People mentioned using silicone and other means to stop leaks between the glass and frame back when this was an active thread, so this would be a good place to show how those don't work. All of mine had sealants used as band-aids. There were clearly two occurrences, because there were two kinds of sealer; one clear like silicone, and the other a dried white which was more like a glazing putty. As you can see from this shot, the sealer loses adhesion with time and it's because this is trying to stick a silicone to the black silicone rubber, so it's guaranteed to fail.
20190208_165920-M.jpg


I removed the windows, set them on newspaper and put a little water in each just to see how bad the leaks were. The upper one was a total failure of the white glazing material and the lower leaked where the silicone was in the pointy corner and along the top.

20190218_093229-M.jpg


I have disassembled the glass from the frames and have yet to finish cleaning the frames. Just got back from a sudden work trip so this project is on hold. Because the anodize is scratched, worn, and has dark gray streaks, the plan is to strip them and give all 8 half-frames to an anodizing shop. For about $200 and rather than the aluminum streaking with gray over time, they will already be a nice even gray color.

It should go well with tinted acrylic. New tempered safety glass is a LOT more expensive and Lexan scratches too easily.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
I'm sure acrylic will be fine in this application for normal conditions.

The use of safety glass was a matter of strength/ thickness. In the Southern Ocean, the glass would be necessary. Acrylic requires some heft to be strong, which is why my opening portlights are half an inch thick.
 
Top