Sliding port leak

[wynkoop]

It seems that while not pretty I have gotten all my windows to be leak free. While yesterday's light rain presented no leaks in from the main cabin windows the sliding port in the head was still leaking. I have figured out the leak is not from around the edges, but rather the water seems to be coming in from the slide area which at one point had some fabric stuff over a wire form of some sort. The fabric portion is long gone. In all the years I have had the boat (since the mid 1980s) I have never opened that window, so I am not adverse to installing a non-opening version if I can find one to match.

I may on a warmish dry day in the near future cover the entire port with plastic. I may have some 1/8 plexi that I could cut to shape and stick on the outside with boatlife or similar. Ugly but I think it would stop the ingress.

Does anyone have any other ideas on how to stop the water ingress through the sliding window?

 

[Loren Beach]

It seems that while not pretty I have gotten all my windows to be leak free. While yesterday's light rain presented no leaks in from the main cabin windows the sliding port in the head was still leaking. I have figured out the leak is not from around the edges, but rather the water seems to be coming in from the slide area which at one point had some fabric stuff over a wire form of some sort. The fabric portion is long gone. In all the years I have had the boat (since the mid 1980s) I have never opened that window, so I am not adverse to installing a non-opening version if I can find one to match.

I may on a warmish dry day in the near future cover the entire port with plastic. I may have some 1/8 plexi that I could cut to shape and stick on the outside with boatlife or similar. Ugly but I think it would stop the ingress.

Does anyone have any other ideas on how to stop the water ingress through the sliding window?

I have seen 70's era boats where the old leaking "slider lens" port was removed, the hole re-sawn to fit a newer style opening port, and then if the boat has an interior frp liner it was faired into and adhered to the outer cabin shell with thickened epoxy, and.... then the new was clamped into place with sealant. It's a little bit of fiddly work, but is a real nice upgrade.
Of course it's easy for strangers at a safe distance to encourage you to do all the work!

 

[Christian Williams]

If the ingress is just the gap caused by the sliding function, and you don' need to open it, perhaps just seal it with a clear caulk?

Ideas are cheap.

[typed cheaply and also simultaneously with Loren]

 

[wynkoop]

I suspect it is more than the gap between the pains. The "track" used to have this felt like stuff, but yes I suppose sealing around the outside at the overlap and all around the slider would work Christian.

Loren I thought of installing a new opening port, but I sort of want to keep the boat matching. If anyone has an E-27 port side small window they do not need I would be happy to take it as it will fit right in where the opening port is.

I suspect sometime in the spring all the windows will be coming out even though I finally have them not leaking (except the one in the head) because I think it will be better to paint the topsides with no windows and no grab rails installed. When I put the windows back in I want to for sure have this leaker taken care of!

 

[JPS27]

I took my frame with the slider to a local auto shop (not a chain auto shop) and they cut me a new one-piece pane of glass to put in. moisture problem solved. I never opened the thing anyway.

 

[kapnkd]

My ‘73 E32 had that (darn) slider in the head and frankly it was useless and never used it.

By the early 80’s it began leaking so I ordered a new fixed glass port at that time from Ericson and never regretted not having the slider.

If you can find a used regular fixed port replacement or seal off that slider - you’ll be better off.

 

[Loren Beach]

The head compartment on any boat is a good place to have an opening port.... Just sayin'

 

[kapnkd]

The head compartment on any boat is a good place to have an opening port.... Just sayin'

Happy New Year Loren!!! I would totally agree, the head is THE one area that can always use some fresh air!
...That old slider we had was anything but a fresh air "getter". In the years of living in Miami and cruising the Bahamas, while at anchor - we usually had the forward hatch, main salon hatch and companionway open which combined pulled a steady flowing breeze down below and kept everything pretty much "breezed out" to the delight of the captain and crew.

...The newer opening ports are now the way to go for sure and they seal up nicely when not open. Just wish they made one the exact same size as the original Ericson ports from the 70's and early 80's to better fit the looks of the boat. ...We did add one (out of site) opening cockpit port to the aft qtr berth. We wanted more light and hopefully cooler air for anyone sleeping back there. It was the closest to the original ports, but still was a bit larger. (Didn't matter so much given where it went.)

 

[Mark F]

Hi Brett,
Hopefully someone here has one of the small fixed portlights for you. I replaced Lotus Flower's sliding head portlight. It's an easy fix once you get the window. I think I got mine from someone on this forum.

On the E27 the front cabin hatch is directly over the head so there is plenty of ventilation.

 

[Mark F]

Just did a search and it looks like I got my small fixed window from Mike T and he had one more (years ago). Mike hasn't posted anything in a year so you might PM him.

portlight

Does anyone have a port side portlight for an E27 that they would be willing to part with? It's the small front fixed port - 14" x 6" (outside dimensions). Thanks,

ericsonyachts.org

 

[CapnRob85]

I'm having the same issue. I considered removing the window pieces to replace the foam between the outer frame and the hull. There's a good diagram in the original E29 user manual here http://www.isailaway.net/wp-content/uploads/e29_owners_manual.pdf on page 66 showing how the original portlight frames are structured. Only problem is the screws are corroded. I also thought I read somewhere that the windows were designed with drainage in the frame, so that they would sweat into the inner hull and not in the cabin, but I can't seem to find that on mine. The PO tried to calk around the glass on the frame and made a mess of it, but they still leak when I spray down the topside. I'm considering just replacing the weather stripping with an absorbent foam, because it's only a problem on spray down and the boat's in SoCal so rain is rare.

 

[kapnkd]

I'm having the same issue. I considered removing the window pieces to replace the foam between the outer frame and the hull. There's a good diagram in the original E29 user manual here http://www.isailaway.net/wp-content/uploads/e29_owners_manual.pdf on page 66 showing how the original portlight frames are structured. Only problem is the screws are corroded. I also thought I read somewhere that the windows were designed with drainage in the frame, so that they would sweat into the inner hull and not in the cabin, but I can't seem to find that on mine. The PO tried to calk around the glass on the frame and made a mess of it, but they still leak when I spray down the topside. I'm considering just replacing the weather stripping with an absorbent foam, because it's only a problem on spray down and the boat's in SoCal so rain is rare.

Depending on the age of your ports/windows, the rubber seals holding the glass to frame may be dried out and need to be replaced. (Which is what we had to do.) There is a place near Cleveland, OHIO that has the correct extrusions. (Don’t have their exact name handy at the moment but it should be listed on the EYO site.)

When rebedding the ports to the cabin openings we used butyl rubber that comes in a roll approximately 1/8” thick by 1” wide. It’s easy to work with and cleans up much easier than using messy silicones.

 

[wynkoop]

The head compartment on any boat is a good place to have an opening port.... Just sayin'

On the E-27 the forward hatch is right above the head, but I do get your point.

 

[Jerry VB]

See my posting on the "Replacing a Port Light" thread. I have a fixed (and a sliding) window "left over" from replacing both with Lewmar Size 1 opening ports if you want a fixed port.