CS 36T Portholes

[RocketScience]

I've been researching this yacht a bit. It appears there were two distinctly different porthole types available. Was there a reason for this? Advantages, disadvantages of the two?

[Vasco]

The earlier models (pre about 1985) had very small slitty looking side ports. The later ones especially 1988/89 (last year this model was made) had more modern Lewmar metal ports. I think the earlier ones had plastic Beckson ports. In addition many owners have replaced the original plastic ports with larger ones. CS continually refined their boats making small changes. They had different engines too, earlier ones with the Westerbeke and later ones with the terrible Volvo 2003. All with V drives.

[RocketScience]

Thanks for the reply, Rick.

Originally Posted by Vasco

The earlier models (pre about 1985) had very small slitty looking side ports...

This is what I thought too, but I have come across a few '79's with the Lewmar style.

An example HERE

This is why I had asked. I thought maybe people were retrofitting the "slitty" type.

[Faster]

I believe that most CS 36Ts were produced with the opening ports - a few very early models had bonded deadlights a la C&C and others. The brand of ports used likely varied over the production run. I think there were more of the 33s produced without the opening ports. I've also seen both versions in the newer CS30

There would be obvious ventilation advantages with the multiple opening ports over the bonded window style.

[RocketScience]

Originally Posted by Faster

...There would be obvious ventilation advantages with the multiple opening ports over the bonded window style.

As were my thoughts.

[Vasco]

The 36T only came with opening ports. In the 30 and 33 opening ports were optional and most buyers preferred the opening ports. The 36M and 40 had fixed ports. I started with a 30 in 84 and got a Merlin in 88 which I still have. I live about 20 miles from where the factory used to be and watched both boats being built.

[RocketScience]

Originally Posted by Vasco

The 36T only came with opening ports...

So if I understand you correctly, there were two different models; a 36 and a 36T(traditional)?............the 36T being the model that only came with opening ports, the 'regular' 36 without/varied?

Sorry, just tryin' to sort this out.

[Vasco]

Tennyson the owner started with a 22 and 27. Late 70's Ray Wall that used to design for Camper Nicholsen came aboard and designed the 33 and 36 which is now known as the 36Traditional (36T). I think Wall also had a hand in the 27. Around 1982 Tennyson got Tony Castro to design the 30. It was a runaway success. So they were building the 30,33 and 36T. In 1987 Castro designed a new 36... the Merlin (36M). Tennyson continued building the 36T at the same time. So they had two 36's going until 1988 when the last 36T was built. They also built a Castro designed 40. All the Castro boats were solid glass to the waterline and then vacuum bagged balsa cored topsides. The 33 and 36T had solid glass hulls. There are very few Merlins around, I think less than 100 were built.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/beneteau393/
beneteau393 : Beneteau393 Group

[RocketScience]

So the 36T is solid glass....wow, didn't know that.

Great info, Rick -thanks.

[kcrawfor]

Rob, I have an 1985 CS36 Traditional, last year I replaced all 8 opening ports, used the same Beckson ports, under $1000.00. Newer ports have a cam mechanism to close port, and I opted for concealed nuts on the outside so there is no visible bolts from the outside. I figured the orignal ports lasted 23 years... so I might as well continue with them.