portlight repair gasket
- Thread starter archangel
- Start date
During the production run for the E-35-3, there were a couple of different vendors. Mid and late 80's would have had Lewmar opening ports. Not sure of the earlier brand. Quite a few owners will be checking in, tho.
Can you post up a picture of your port?
Can you post up a picture of your port?
What year 35? Mine are Lewmar and the Standard Portlite Seals are # B5963-A.
http://www.lewmar.com/taxonomy/term/80
Cheers,
Max
http://www.lewmar.com/taxonomy/term/80
Cheers,
Max
Note: It is a great help to all when members publish their model, year and engine in their signature line, following Loren's lead.
Settings/Edit Signature Line.
Allows everyone to know at a glance whether they might have information that applies.
Settings/Edit Signature Line.
Allows everyone to know at a glance whether they might have information that applies.
This is a popular issue with various solutions, including replacement fixed portlights.
Here's one thread that may apply: http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoex...?3272-Ericson-34-fixed-port-lexan-replacement
If the leak were to be from the port frame/hull connection, it's pretty easy to just remove and rebed the unit using caulk or butyl rubber.
I brightened the photo to maybe help identification:
Here's one thread that may apply: http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoex...?3272-Ericson-34-fixed-port-lexan-replacement
If the leak were to be from the port frame/hull connection, it's pretty easy to just remove and rebed the unit using caulk or butyl rubber.
I brightened the photo to maybe help identification:
Last edited:
archangel
Archangel
Portlight repair gasket
Thanks for the info , and brightening up the picture. I started the repair but backed off due to the "better not start something you cant finish factor". not sure what kind of sealant they used , but it is some very strong stuff. will use the wife's hair dryer at my next attempt.Your link was very helpful as I'm reading everything I can find for the encouragement to move fwd. Been away from the web site for awhile, what a coincidence , just finished your book , it now resides in the Archangel library . Thanks
Thanks for the info , and brightening up the picture. I started the repair but backed off due to the "better not start something you cant finish factor". not sure what kind of sealant they used , but it is some very strong stuff. will use the wife's hair dryer at my next attempt.Your link was very helpful as I'm reading everything I can find for the encouragement to move fwd. Been away from the web site for awhile, what a coincidence , just finished your book , it now resides in the Archangel library . Thanks
Do follow Christian's link.
See also: http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/entry.php?490-Confessions-on-Rebedding-Portlights
Your photos show fixedport lights, so a gasket probably isn't the simple solution. I trust you'll have to disassemble and re-bed judging from the photo. If it were just a drip or two I'd have you look into Cap't. Trolly's Creeping Crack Cure. Works quite effectively for some situations where minor cracks in bedding material occur.
Many have taken on the task at hand with good results. Some of us suggest sanding, filling, and repainting the teak laminate to brighten the outlook in the salon. Much simpler than replacing IMHO, but there are threads on that subject too with plenty of folks weighing in on the topic. Use the search function to narrow your thread options and settle in for some detective work.
The 35 Mk III is a brilliant boat and loves to go for a good sail.
Max
See also: http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/entry.php?490-Confessions-on-Rebedding-Portlights
Your photos show fixedport lights, so a gasket probably isn't the simple solution. I trust you'll have to disassemble and re-bed judging from the photo. If it were just a drip or two I'd have you look into Cap't. Trolly's Creeping Crack Cure. Works quite effectively for some situations where minor cracks in bedding material occur.
Many have taken on the task at hand with good results. Some of us suggest sanding, filling, and repainting the teak laminate to brighten the outlook in the salon. Much simpler than replacing IMHO, but there are threads on that subject too with plenty of folks weighing in on the topic. Use the search function to narrow your thread options and settle in for some detective work.
The 35 Mk III is a brilliant boat and loves to go for a good sail.
Max
Last edited:
You are welcome, if I can speak for contributors at EY.org. Stick around, the adventure gets greater as you go!
I have the same question about which gaskets to use...
I have a 1974 Ericson 29. The window material is glass, and the frames are aluminium. I believe they are the original windows and frames, as most other things on the boat are original. I can't find any brand or markings on them:
Although the windows weren't leaking, I figured I wanted to reseal and rebed them because the gaskets looked like they were in poor shape. Big mistake!
When it comes to portlights, I've learned my lesson - if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
After extensively searching the forums here, I ended up buying gaskets from Wefco Rubber based on the post here.
I bought the following die numbers:
Window channel - die number 2154 (holds the glass in place)
Window Filler - die Number 1256 (goes inside the other slot of the window - just for looks I think)
With the window channel in, I struggled to fit the glass into the aluminium frames. I actually had to SIT on the frames to get them to close. I resealed and rebedded four windows in a super "productive" day. The window channel had gaps in the corners even after I stretched it tightly, and the window filler didn't fit at all.
The rebedded portlights now leak terribly. I had a professional look at them and he told me that they're leaking because the gaskets are the wrong size and I need to get some new gaskets or, his suggestion was to rebed them using 5200 :0 ! Ummm...that's wrong right? I was pretty surprised at this suggestion.
So I still don't know which gaskets to get, or even whether to get gaskets at all. I'd appreciate any help!
I have a 1974 Ericson 29. The window material is glass, and the frames are aluminium. I believe they are the original windows and frames, as most other things on the boat are original. I can't find any brand or markings on them:
Although the windows weren't leaking, I figured I wanted to reseal and rebed them because the gaskets looked like they were in poor shape. Big mistake!
When it comes to portlights, I've learned my lesson - if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
After extensively searching the forums here, I ended up buying gaskets from Wefco Rubber based on the post here.
I bought the following die numbers:
Window channel - die number 2154 (holds the glass in place)
Window Filler - die Number 1256 (goes inside the other slot of the window - just for looks I think)
With the window channel in, I struggled to fit the glass into the aluminium frames. I actually had to SIT on the frames to get them to close. I resealed and rebedded four windows in a super "productive" day. The window channel had gaps in the corners even after I stretched it tightly, and the window filler didn't fit at all.
The rebedded portlights now leak terribly. I had a professional look at them and he told me that they're leaking because the gaskets are the wrong size and I need to get some new gaskets or, his suggestion was to rebed them using 5200 :0 ! Ummm...that's wrong right? I was pretty surprised at this suggestion.
So I still don't know which gaskets to get, or even whether to get gaskets at all. I'd appreciate any help!
The gaskets are often an issue, and we have yet to have a definitive thread with a solution for all the models.
Do you have any old gasket left over to measure and photograph? Suppliers might be able to identify the right one byc ross-section dimensions and shape.
It may help to look at this as an RV issue, rather than a boat issue. RV is a bigger market and I'd ask around there.
Sounds like you've already put a lot of time and some frustration into this. If it helps, you're not alone. Kind of what we all have in common here.
Do you have any old gasket left over to measure and photograph? Suppliers might be able to identify the right one byc ross-section dimensions and shape.
It may help to look at this as an RV issue, rather than a boat issue. RV is a bigger market and I'd ask around there.
Sounds like you've already put a lot of time and some frustration into this. If it helps, you're not alone. Kind of what we all have in common here.
As many have pointed out, the window gasket repair kit for the Catalina 27 from Catalina Direct fits mid-sized 70's Ericsons perfectly. There is enough material included to mess up and discard one or two, and still have enough for an E29. The glass gasket does fit tightly, and if the original (5mm ? 3/16 ?) glass has been replaced with 1/4" glass, it will not fit. I found that coating everything with silicone grease and "relaxing" the corners with a heat gun helped squeeze everything back into place.
Something to consider though: the whole reglazing project turned out to be a lot more time, trouble, and expense than I had anticipated. Maybe it's just me, but If I had known, I'd have more strongly considered replacing the odd trapezoidal windows with standard rectangular opening ports. (There were quite a few used ones available nearby recently.) As an aside, this would be consistent with the apparent trajectory of my long-term project list: Through no prior plan, I appear to be slowly converting my E29 into something more like an Independence 31....
Something to consider though: the whole reglazing project turned out to be a lot more time, trouble, and expense than I had anticipated. Maybe it's just me, but If I had known, I'd have more strongly considered replacing the odd trapezoidal windows with standard rectangular opening ports. (There were quite a few used ones available nearby recently.) As an aside, this would be consistent with the apparent trajectory of my long-term project list: Through no prior plan, I appear to be slowly converting my E29 into something more like an Independence 31....
Sorry to hear about the portlight woes. I documented my experience in a blog post, if you haven't seen it. http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/entry.php?490-Confessions-on-Rebedding-Portlights
Here's the part about the gasket and glazing. I used the catalina kit.
"Seating the glazing and gasket is a critical step to have a good seal and a good looking portlight. Doing all six allowed me to become much better over time. A few things that worked for me were: 1) have gasket come together at the top of the glass, and have a slight overlap 1/8 to ¼” to ensure you don’t come up short. You can always cut it, 2) when seating gasket on glazing seat it firmly pushing out air bubbles, 3) I dribbled small amount of soapy water to help gasket and glazing work into frame, 4) work glass in very slowly using large clamps to assist (ever so slowly). I used a plastic epoxy mixing stick to help seat the gasket in frame, 5) while working glass/gasket in, its most important to focus on gasket not stretching out of shape, and make sure you are pushing gasket down into frame even if it separates from bottom of glass. Glass will work back to position. I found this maneuver critical to ensure an eventual complete gasket/frame seating. Otherwise you end up with a gap between frame and gasket top edge."
I can probably scrounge up more pics of the process than are on the blog and another E27 owner posted some helpful pics and explanations on the facebook ericson 27 group page. A search would find it, I'm sure.
Here's the part about the gasket and glazing. I used the catalina kit.
"Seating the glazing and gasket is a critical step to have a good seal and a good looking portlight. Doing all six allowed me to become much better over time. A few things that worked for me were: 1) have gasket come together at the top of the glass, and have a slight overlap 1/8 to ¼” to ensure you don’t come up short. You can always cut it, 2) when seating gasket on glazing seat it firmly pushing out air bubbles, 3) I dribbled small amount of soapy water to help gasket and glazing work into frame, 4) work glass in very slowly using large clamps to assist (ever so slowly). I used a plastic epoxy mixing stick to help seat the gasket in frame, 5) while working glass/gasket in, its most important to focus on gasket not stretching out of shape, and make sure you are pushing gasket down into frame even if it separates from bottom of glass. Glass will work back to position. I found this maneuver critical to ensure an eventual complete gasket/frame seating. Otherwise you end up with a gap between frame and gasket top edge."
I can probably scrounge up more pics of the process than are on the blog and another E27 owner posted some helpful pics and explanations on the facebook ericson 27 group page. A search would find it, I'm sure.
The best caulk for portlight frame to cabin top joint?
I had rebedded all my portlights on my E27 with butyl, and 5 of the six have worked out ok. My aft starboard window has never been leak free since rebedding. Improved yes, but still dripping. And as someone noted on a similar thread, it gets worse in cold temps. I'm using this 'opportunity' to try caulk over butyl.
My question is, would sikaflex 291 work well to bed the frames against the boat? Or should I stick with Lifecaulk, or something else? And do you goop it on generously? How much is enough?
There are a lot of reviews and opinions out there, so I was wondering what this group thought. I plan to make the g10 chainplate covers described on this site, and (I think it was Guy's advice) I plan to use the sikaflex 291 for that. Once it warms up, these projects high on my list. Thanks.
I had rebedded all my portlights on my E27 with butyl, and 5 of the six have worked out ok. My aft starboard window has never been leak free since rebedding. Improved yes, but still dripping. And as someone noted on a similar thread, it gets worse in cold temps. I'm using this 'opportunity' to try caulk over butyl.
My question is, would sikaflex 291 work well to bed the frames against the boat? Or should I stick with Lifecaulk, or something else? And do you goop it on generously? How much is enough?
There are a lot of reviews and opinions out there, so I was wondering what this group thought. I plan to make the g10 chainplate covers described on this site, and (I think it was Guy's advice) I plan to use the sikaflex 291 for that. Once it warms up, these projects high on my list. Thanks.
Caulking around the outside never seems to actually work - just makes a mess. I’d just pop it off and rework the butyl. One advantage of butyl is that it’s easy to use in any weather.
In fact, I did just that yesterday with the one port that I still have bedded with butyl. It starting to drip a bit after two years.
But one of the polyurethane-bedded ports is leaking very badly and another dripping a bit - these will be a much bigger job to redo and will have to wait for the weather to dry up. At the end of the portlight job, two seasons ago, the tube exploded in the caulk gun, and I had to finish up the last two by dabbing sealant on with an improvised spatula, while trying to contain the expanding mess. Turns out that didn’t work out so well. Looking at them,you can’t see any gaps, but water is wicking through there somewhere.
In fact, I did just that yesterday with the one port that I still have bedded with butyl. It starting to drip a bit after two years.
But one of the polyurethane-bedded ports is leaking very badly and another dripping a bit - these will be a much bigger job to redo and will have to wait for the weather to dry up. At the end of the portlight job, two seasons ago, the tube exploded in the caulk gun, and I had to finish up the last two by dabbing sealant on with an improvised spatula, while trying to contain the expanding mess. Turns out that didn’t work out so well. Looking at them,you can’t see any gaps, but water is wicking through there somewhere.
re portlight bedding:
I have done both butyl and Life-Calk (or similar, not 5200) and will always use caulk in the future.
Dry fit portlight in place and line exterior periphery with blue painters' tape.
Fill the flange with copious caulk, intending plenty of excess inside and out.
Press in place. The caulk should fill all gaps and the interior overflow will be hidden by the inside trim.
Tighten the interior trim, but recall that it is only cosmetic and no great force is required (which will only bend it anyhow).
The exterior painters' tape makes exterior cleanup easy.
Caulk fills gaps, butyl doesn't. Gaps are intentional, since the boat flexes. Caulk, not adhesive, is correct because portlights have to withstand only pressure from the outside, which is handled by the flange.
If there are issues with teak damage, more here.
I have done both butyl and Life-Calk (or similar, not 5200) and will always use caulk in the future.
Dry fit portlight in place and line exterior periphery with blue painters' tape.
Fill the flange with copious caulk, intending plenty of excess inside and out.
Press in place. The caulk should fill all gaps and the interior overflow will be hidden by the inside trim.
Tighten the interior trim, but recall that it is only cosmetic and no great force is required (which will only bend it anyhow).
The exterior painters' tape makes exterior cleanup easy.
Caulk fills gaps, butyl doesn't. Gaps are intentional, since the boat flexes. Caulk, not adhesive, is correct because portlights have to withstand only pressure from the outside, which is handled by the flange.
If there are issues with teak damage, more here.
Last edited: