Leaking portlights- what to do?

[malbert73]

Hi everyone-
The heavy rainfall we had in Maryland exposed my original Bomar portlights on my 1987 Tartan 40. I believe the gasket holding the windows in the aluminum frame are leaking now in many of the ports. I've replaced the frame gaskets and tried using sealant around the edge of windows in frames.

I have looked through the Newfound metals, lewmar, vetus, and bomar catalogs. The only new ones that fit my openings with minimal enlargement are the Bomar 6000 series windows (model 6518).

My questions for the forum:
1. Does anyone know if the aluminum frame can be rebuilt with new window and frame gaskets? Ie are these likely to be repairable?
2. Any opinions on the Bomar 6000 portlights? I had hoped to possibly find some stainless ones but none of the standard sizes out there fit.
3. Any other manufacturers I should look up?

Thanks all for your help in advance!

[hellosailor]

Sealant is best fed to seals. You can't add it over portlights and expect anything more than a very short term fix.


What you can do is confirm that's the leak, and if so, uninstall the portlights, clean out all old sealant and rot, rebuild, reseal, and reinstall using whatever new gasketing is needed. And there's always a source or way to replace gaskets.


Either you do it the hard way, and get another 25 years out of it, or you wake up in the spring arguing over who has to sleep in the wet spot.


Well, there is actually one other choice, but that means selling the boat.(G)

[malbert73]

Thanks! I figured as much. The issue is that the port light lens is inside a rectangular aluminum frame which I don't know how to take apart to reseal. I believe it's that opening lid that is leaking between the lens and opening aluminum frame that holds the lens.


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[hellosailor]

Pix would help.
It may have been custom formed and glued over the glazing, in which case you'd need to order a whole replacement (if available) or try to get a plastics shop to fab up something in one piece, without a "frame" ?

[malbert73]

Sorry meant to put in pics. The lens is leaking in the frame due to old gasket material it's seated in, I think.


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[malbert73]

Outside view...


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[PJOHara]

try contacting Bomar directly, or visit their stand at the Annapolis boatshow. I know you can send their hatches to them for reconditioning, maybe they do ports also.

[Lepke]

1st verify where the leak is coming from.
I have no Bomar experience, but have never run into a port that couldn't be made water tight unless the frame is warped.
You might contact the manufacturer about how to fix the lens leaking and new gasket material. You can always have new gaskets made from a rubber supplier.
My oldest port is from the 1920's or before, several WWII, and the rest from the 1970's. None leak.

[hellosailor]

There are usually screws on the inside, which extend through the hole and dead-end in the exterior frame. Then a batch of sealant gobbed in as well, to hold the frames down.

[model 10]

Originally Posted by malbert73

Thanks! I figured as much. The issue is that the port light lens is inside a rectangular aluminum frame which I don't know how to take apart to reseal. I believe it's that opening lid that is leaking between the lens and opening aluminum frame that holds the lens.
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With ours there are little tiny screws under the port light gasket that hold on that inner trim ring. Probably filled with glue and prone to strip out.

[steamgoat]

I had that type,the frame is pressed together at the factory and it is not possible to replace the rubber seal,which goes hard and leaks. I have replaced them with the new style Bomar ports of the same size.

[steamgoat]

PS , I went to the factory in NH but they don't sell direct. So I purchased at the Defender spring sale.

[malbert73]

Which series of new ones did you use? Yes mine are pressed together as you mention. So tough to describe. They are not leaking around frame which is the easy part to take apart. Tartan used butyl which is awesome on both port light frames and hull deck joint I believe- not a drop in 28 years.


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[steamgoat]

I used the 2000 series,they look good.Most T 37 owners,when replacing originals go with the newfound metals unit,my boat had been changed to the Bomars in the mid 80's,the holes had been enlarged to suit,and so the nfm units were slightly too small. However,fitting the Bomars is easier as they do not need a spacer which is required with the nfm units. Good luck,Bruce.

[UNCIVILIZED]

To throw a bit of heresay into the mix. I've been known to change to a slightly different sized port, by a different maker, which are fully (user level) servicable.

Such does at times, involve enlarging, or down sizing the opening. But when it's allowed me to replace a crappy, non user maintainable port, with one that is. It wasn't an overly hard choice. Especially as a bit of glass work usually isn't that big a thing, knock on wood.

The big trick is getting the new port(s) mounted to look correct, as there are few straight lines on a boat. Plus, lining up multiple ports to look proper can involve some unique incantations & or full on black magic.