Out There Revival (E35-3)

Out There

1987 E35-3 on Lake Erie
New to me 1987 E35-3 undergoes a return from questionable history.
I will hopefully be doing this boat a service and giving myself more enjoyment than pain in the process.
 

Out There

1987 E35-3 on Lake Erie
Step 1: Drying in the cabin
Today I started Installing new portlights as they were leaking though the locking mechanism and no longer the supported design. I got a great deal from Mauripro on new #1's. I was able to replace 2 portlights today but wasted a lot of time with a seized bolt on the fist one. I will be returning tomorrow with a Dremel cutting wheel. I am using 3M 4000 uv and it looks like the PO used something like 4200 so it is not a battle.
The 7th portlight at the back of the quarter birth seemed in good enough condition to postpone replacement.
 

Out There

1987 E35-3 on Lake Erie
I did find it easier to set the port lights from inside the cabin rather than doing it from the outside so I could see where it was going. Learning curve i assume
 

Prairie Schooner

Jeff & Donna, E35-3 purchased 7/21
Rebedding/replacing portlights is sorta like running aground. If you haven't, you probably will. Good you're getting it out if the way early. It was dramatic how a dry cabin changed our relationship with the boat.
Does your quarter berth have one or two portlights? Our '86 has just the one at the feet.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
I did find it easier to set the port lights from inside the cabin rather than doing it from the outside so I could see where it was going. Learning curve i assume
When positioning them again, take some careful measurements and check the alignment carefully. Our '88 boat had some subtle variances in horizontal placement. Only maybe an eighth, but then again, the human eye can spot this. I had noticed it over the years. In 2021 we upgraded to the current Lewmar opening ports, "Atlantic" model. Much (!) improved latching mechanism. No more leaks around the (old design) turn levers. Our '88 previous Lewmar versions were crazed, the gaskets were flat, and this far down the road really did not owe us a thing, anyway.
Best of Luck on your work. As a friend on mine used to say: "a dry boat is a happy boat" .... and another friend/surveyor sez: "no good comes of water inside a boat!"
 
Last edited:

Out There

1987 E35-3 on Lake Erie
Rebedding/replacing portlights is sorta like running aground. If you haven't, you probably will. Good you're getting it out if the way early. It was dramatic how a dry cabin changed our relationship with the boat.
Does your quarter berth have one or two portlights? Our '86 has just the one at the feet.
I do have one at the foot of the quarter berth but I don't see any leaks there so it moved lower on the list
 

peaman

Sustaining Member
If you've had leaks, you've probably had wood damage too. While the port lights are out, and the opening prepared, mix some epoxy and coat the exposed edge of the paneling to seal it. With that, water has less opportunity to wick into the wood.
 

Out There

1987 E35-3 on Lake Erie
6 portlights replaced with 1 tube of 4000uv, the Dremel with a cutting wheel was the real hero of the day.
On to the size 60 hatches...
 

Nick J

Contributing Partner
Moderator
Blogs Author
Nice work. If you haven't already purchased the hatches, make sure you get the ones without the flange. The 35-3 hatches sit flush with the opening, so the flange would get in the way. I found a great deal on a set that had the flange and I had to cut it off. It wasn't too difficult, but it's definitely a step to avoid if you can.
 

Out There

1987 E35-3 on Lake Erie
I just got one off Ebay for $575. They said it was new with no damage. fingers crossed

Any advise on restoring the companionway hatch?
 

Nick J

Contributing Partner
Moderator
Blogs Author
The flat hatch bard(s) are a simple replacement, but the curved sliding acrylic hatch is a little more complicated. You could replace the original with a flat piece, but it may leave a gap between the cover and the top of the sliding piece. You may also have to replace the teak trim pieces if they have the curve cut into them. There's a few members who have successfully had their sliding hatch replicated by a local plastic shop.

Post a pic of your hatch, and I'm sure someone will be able to offer advice on the best course of action. Ours is on my todo list. We're just living with a crazed hatch for now.
 

Out There

1987 E35-3 on Lake Erie
I'll try to remember to get some pics this weekend since I only get to visit her when I'm not working for her.
I think the companionway hatch is lower priority but it would be nice to figure out better weather proofing there. Maybe a canvas cover would be a better idea than spending a bunch of time getting replacement acrylic
 

Prairie Schooner

Jeff & Donna, E35-3 purchased 7/21
Ultraman,
You may find the biggest chore of working on the companionway hatch is getting it off. In the course of replacing fuel tanks or travelers many of us have removed the hatches. Even on different 35-3s there seems to be variability in how the system is assembled. Some folks were able to remove the slider without removing the sea hood. We were not.

In this thread Christian details working on his sea hood and includes several other links:

Elsewhere he has discussed making (or having made) a new curved acrylic panel for his slider, but I don't recall where. Acrylic will bend with heat. It's a common technique for manipulating the material.

I'm thinking that crazing is not just a surface condition that can be buffed out. Our hatch plastic is in relatively good condition. I suspect this is because the PO had a dodger rigged most of the time. The two big forward hatches were toast and we had them rebuilt by HatchMasters in Norwalk, CT.
 

Prairie Schooner

Jeff & Donna, E35-3 purchased 7/21
I found it: HEAT FORMING

Plus:
 

Out There

1987 E35-3 on Lake Erie
Got the front hatch mostly installed today, only 3 of the old mounting points (holes) matched up to the new frame so I'm glad I had some thixo. Waiting for epoxy setup to add last 3 screws.
 
Top