Chrysler Sailors Forum

Hi All, i know this subject has come up before but im just wondering whats the best way to fix a leaky portlight ? there is a little bit of water coming in through a couple of my windows (1977 C26) and i guess i will have to take the window out and reseal it but what type of sealant to use ?

also there are screws on the outside if i remove these will the window come out ? thanks

Been there, done that,two boats !

Assuming the fit of the frames is good on the boat..my second one the fiberglass around the frames looked like it had rotted, and I had to fill them in..

Remove the screws and hopefully the frames aren't too stuck in place. You want to be really careful not to bend those up at all, so if you need to separate then from the hull use a wide a putty knife as you can find. Big drywall spreader is great. Go easy.

Once the whole assembly is out the frames come apart into left and right pieces leaving you with a single gasket around the portlight itself. Likely to be a bit brittle and stiff so be careful removing it from the insert.

Here's where I found leak issues both times I did this. Dirt between the plexi insert and the gasket. And dirt in the frame channel. Either can cause a leak that NO amount of sealing between the frame and hull will cure..

Once all that is clean, do yourself a favor and use a pencil to mark a line from the old screw holes in the hull up or down. Will make lining the frames back up easier to have that guide.

For sealing the frames back to the hull there is a good thread on Butyl tape here in the board, it works great !

Some pics are on this page...
http://svemergencyexit.net/aislingirl/2 ... eadlights/

thanks EE good info, i will make sure i get all the dirt and stuff out and give it a good sealing.

Hi Guys, i am going to buy some butyl tape, what thickness do you recomend for sealing the portholes, i see on a past link someone ordered 3/16" thick by 1" wide tape from the RV store...this is what i was thinking of ordering but i see they also make a 1/8" thick tape. which thickness do you think is better for sealing the windows ?

thanks

FWIW, I was planning on using Bed-It butyl tape when I get to that stage. I have no affiliation whatsoever, but I read through his methods, and it all seemed pretty logical to me. (Googling Bed-It will bring up a link to a pbase website on rebedding, and a link to his particular brand of butyl). If it is as good as claimed, it's well worth the cost when you factor in future serviceability. (I'm all about that.)
Incidentally, I removed all of my windows pretty easily with a product called Debond Marine Formula. I tried without it first, but after it became apparent that it was going to be a bear of a task (silicone on the outside, and what seems to be 4200 or 5200 gooped everywhere inside each frame), I thought I'd risk the $18 for the four ounce can.
Based on a youtube video that made it look so miraculous that I thought it was a load of excrement, I took the plunge out of hopeful desperation.
The stuff actually works phenomenally, especially if you're patient and give it a little time to do it's thing. On one portlight, I was trying like he** to get the bottom out after it was otherwise free, with little success. I thought I'd give it another shot of the debond, and with a little outward pressure on the top, I sprayed a line across the bottom from the inside, and immediately, the window literally flopped out of the boat, as if Christ himself made it happen, no word of a lie.

I also tried it on the residue from the adhesive used to bond vinyl onto the liner in the v-birth, which looked like contact cement, and it works amazingly. Acetone would hardly even touch it! I actually compared it to GooGone in a test on one particularly heavily glued area, and I can only say that the debond put it to shame. I'd estimate it's about 400% more effective. A quarter sized spot cleaned about a 4x8" area. Amazing stuff indeed. Imagine that: a product that works better than advertised. Even if used sparingly. (Maybe they should pay me! haha.) Apparently safe on Gel coat and most other surfaces.

Just my $.02.

Cheers
Matt

Currently working on refitting a gutted to the bones Chrysler 22, "Free Ride". Working also on getting a website together to document the misery of it all through the many stunning colour photos I have taken.

And all I wanted to do was rebed the deck hardware...

Thanks Matt, good info i will keep that in mind.

That product was mentioned favorably in a recent Sail magazine as well. Article was on just such usage, getting things 'unbonded' from the boat

EDIT: Actually that may have been my BOAT U.S. magazine it was in..

i found a 30 foot length of butyl tape on amazon, made by dicor....10 bucks free shipping

Be careful, Aerojet777, just like whiskey and women, there are different grades of butyl tape. Mainesail has the best stuff.

FWIW. PO sealed ports with silicone sealant. Looks sorta rough... but none of them leak!

After giving it some though, I may go with 4200 for the portlights and do the deck hardware with butyl. My reasoning is since the mechanical connection of the portlights is not very strong (screws into the fiberglass being the only real mechanical attachment as opposed to through-bolting with a backing plate or ring), the bond of the adhesive would make for a much more secure connection. Since the debonder worked so well, serviceability here won't be as much of an issue.

Anyone have any further thoughts?
Perhaps a case of too much thinking and too little sailing...?

Matt and Star...I did away with my frames alltogether and used the method shown in my video...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Gbuo8MOnwA There are two videos of the bolt through method that I originally tried on one window before deciding to "go modern" using the method recommended by Don Casey in Sail magazine. Here are the links to the bolt method...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgXO44o ... 5KnrMWUX_Q and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9COmXq ... 5KnrMWUX_Q

Hey Bill

Yeah, I perused most of you videos even before I bought the boat. I had thought of going the route you had gone- a friend had done the same with his boat, but I like the finished look and contrast of having the portlight frame in too much.

Another factor at play is that the holes the factory made for my portlights are cut far too wavy to remain exposed. (I'd have to fill and level much more than just the core around the perimeter to straighten everything out to an acceptable degree). Kind of a"six of one, half dozen of the other" in terms of level of difficulty.

Matt and Star...I understand about having to do extra work...it is tough to decide which way to go...I follow a couple on YouTube who crossed the pacific many times and they use the bolt thru method with butyl rubber tape with no problems. So far my windows are holding tight with no leaks and the smoked acrylic hides any imperfections from the outside and I am going to use the original trim rings on the inside.

Also, to repair the crumbly matrix use a couple cans of spray foam to stiffen up the area.