Leaky portholes HELP!

[Bigjim]

I pulled out my old portholes and replaced them with new plastic ones. I sanded down the exterior and filled all the old screw holes with thickened epoxy. But when I installed the new portholes with butyl tape and filled all the new screw holes and gaps with butyl I'm still getting leaks when it rains.



Should I remove the portholes and all the butyl and use Life Caulk or something else to seal up the gaps BEFORE putting the butyl down again?

[model 10]

I would forget the butyl and use something that would fill all the little spaces when you tighten the screws without having to over tighten them and then distorting the cabin surface. I'm working my way thru 14 ports and I use 4200uv or 4200 fast cure.

[coopec43]

I take it the portholes don't open?

I'd use Sika291 and as Ecos says don't over tighten the screws until the Sika has cured and then tighten the screws lightly next day.

[Bill O]

Are those Beckson opening ports? We have 17 installed and usually the only time we get a slight drip is when the gasket gets dirty.

Learned the hard way on the last boat, not to put the screws through the outer trim ring. Just used 3M silicone as adhesive for the trim ring then filled in around the port and a small bead around the outer edge with the same. After many years, we need to take the trim rings off to paint the cabin sides again. Once done painting, we will be sealing them up the same way.


Bill O.

[Bigjim]

Originally Posted by coopec43

I take it the portholes don't open?

I'd use Sika291 and as Ecos says don't over tighten the screws until the Sika has cured and then tighten the screws lightly next day.

The portholes open. But when they are closed they leak. One leaks around the gasket, the others are leaking around the edges.

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by Bigjim

The portholes open. But when they are closed they leak. One leaks around the gasket, the others are leaking around the edges.

Clean the rubber gasket then smear some Vaseline on on it. That has certainly stopped my leaks.

[Bill O]

Jim,
From our experience (if they are a Beckson), the screen needs to go in the correct way and the gasket seam needs to go to the top otherwise it can leak. If you don't use the screen, a spacer (backup ring) is usually provided and needs to be in place. Take out the backup ring when using the screen.
Also the port dogs need to be adjusted correctly and I adjust it slightly more than in the instruction link provided.
Here is the troubleshooting guide for leaks to help determine if its the gasket or the caulk.
Once you get them leak free, they really are nice ports.



Bill O.

[chowdan]

I have installed new found metals port lights. I had to adjust the dogs to get a good seal on the gasket.

I used butyl. Jam as much as possible around the flange that comes from inside the boat through the cabin sides. You want to pack that area full to prevent leaks. The exterior flange I also had butyl on so when the two peices are sandwiched, the butyl is compressed and forced to fill in all remaining gaps.

I believe the use of products that are applied by caulking guns have gained popularity due to the time efficiency they provide than one jamming butyl into a gap. I sure wouldnt want to pay a yard to do spend an hour gooping up a single port light with butyl.

I believe the polysulphide base compounds work great until they dont. At that point, it's not worth **** and is a bear to remove things sealed with it.

[Bigjim]

I pulled off one of the frames and scraped off the butyl and replaced it with Life Caulk, which is polysulfide. It rained the next day and there were no leaks around the frame.

I'm going to pull the remaining frames, scrape off the butyl and replace it with the Life Caulk. Butyl is probably better when you have steel or bronze. Life Caulk is probably better with plastic. Had I known, I would have dropped some big money and got metal portholes.

Another thing I noticed is that some porthole models are designed for angled deck houses. But, I can't find anyplace where this feature is offered. Most go straight through so the water simply fills up the porthole and sits there until it evaporates.


Anyone know where you can get those angled windows?

[a64pilot]

Vaseline can deteriorate some types of rubber, silicone grease will do the same thing and is safer.
My portlghts have drains on the bottom, maybe you can either drill drains or get different ones that come with drains?

[chowdan]

Originally Posted by Bigjim

I pulled off one of the frames and scraped off the butyl and replaced it with Life Caulk, which is polysulfide. It rained the next day and there were no leaks around the frame.

I'm going to pull the remaining frames, scrape off the butyl and replace it with the Life Caulk. Butyl is probably better when you have steel or bronze. Life Caulk is probably better with plastic. Had I known, I would have dropped some big money and got metal portholes.

Another thing I noticed is that some porthole models are designed for angled deck houses. But, I can't find anyplace where this feature is offered. Most go straight through so the water simply fills up the porthole and sits there until it evaporates.


Anyone know where you can get those angled windows?

I went with Newfound Metals for 4 of my small port lights. They were expensive. The big ones I am going to rebuild and reuse rather than get new opening ones. My deck house is very low profile and very angled(think Swan 41/42 design), so water does pool unfortunately.

I was unable to find portlights that are like your drawing. The only other design I could find was the flush mounted style made by Lewmar. These have the glass pretty much flush to the exterior of the boat, so there would be very minimal amounts of water pooling. The draw back is low quality portlights IMO.

It would be nice if they drained properly. If i could find slanted ones I would have much preferred those.

[David M]

"Ports"....sorry.

Never use Vaseline on rubber, it can cause certain rubber to swell and it eventually dries out. Use silicone grease instead which is not petroleum based.

[roverhi]

If Beckson is still using the same type of plastic they started with, don't use polysulfide (LifeCaulk, 101) or Polyurethane (4200/5200, Sikaflex) as it causes the plastic to crack. Think butyl works okay but they say to use sillycone. The sillycone recommendation is enough to convince me never to use Beckson.

[David M]

Yikes, silicone sealant? Do they think it is a home bathtub we are talking about?

[Bigjim]

Originally Posted by chowdan

I went with Newfound Metals for 4 of my small port lights. They were expensive. The big ones I am going to rebuild and reuse rather than get new opening ones. My deck house is very low profile and very angled(think Swan 41/42 design), so water does pool unfortunately.

I was unable to find portlights that are like your drawing. The only other design I could find was the flush mounted style made by Lewmar. These have the glass pretty much flush to the exterior of the boat, so there would be very minimal amounts of water pooling. The draw back is low quality portlights IMO.

It would be nice if they drained properly. If i could find slanted ones I would have much preferred those.

Here is a link to one model that is angled:
https://www.marinedepotdirect.com/ma...ngular-7-x-14-

I think New Found Metals has one too, but their website is hopeless