Beckson Portlight Gaskets Leaking

[catshopper]

I have an Islander 32 with 4x14 beckson opening portlights. They leak. All of them. Even with new gaskets.

I ordered new gaskets and installed one carefully. It says to use a fiber hammer or something similar to hammer the gasket in the little groove. You even have to stretch the gasket to make it thin enough to go into the slot then the slot is even thinner around the corners. To get the right amount of stretch so that the gasket either doesn't pucker at the end or comes up too short it a REAL CHALLENGE. 4 tries and I just about have it. I even removed the portlight from the boat so I could work on it on a bench. What a nightmare.

Then on top of it all even though they say it will drain up to 45 degrees, it doesn't. Water collects behind the screen about 1/4 inch deep and gushes out on the cushions when opened later.

Does anyone have any tips or tricks to install these gaskets so they won't leak??

And question 2: does anyone have any ideas for a stormshield for the outside. Those little shades don't work either. Rain rarely comes straight down. Sideways most of the time. Then there is green water over the deck...

Obviously frustrated.

Thanks all, Harry

[psk125]

You haven't mentioned any bedding compound in your installation process. I can feel your frustration, though. We had even larger Beckson ports opening into our cockpit well that were installed upside down. They could not drain, and since the hinge was on the bottom, where the water gathered, there was no way to dog that joint tight to keep it from leaking. They leaked like sieves until we replaced them with new, right-side up ones, using LOTS of bedding compound. They don't seem to leak now.

[catshopper]

Thanks PSK,

The bedding is fine and even in a 5" rainstorm it didn't leak. Just those D*%^n gaskets.

[kb79]

i've got the same portlights on my boat, and we've never had problems with the gaskets. the way you describe the difficulty of installation makes me wonder if you've got the wrong size? i've pulled out the gaskets before (to install the screens) and they went back in like butter.

i did however order a replacement lens that didn't fit right (even though it was supposed to be for the same model). i have a suspicion that they may have slightly tweaked things through the years. might want to give them a call and double check.