Newfound Metals Stainless Ports

[mepsnbarry]

With reading on the website and looking at NFM's website, there's one thing I don't understand: How do these hinges work?

They are spring-loaded, and are supposed to open 45 degrees if I read correctly. They say you can open them more. They also have chains to hold them open. There was an older complaint about that in this thread. We tend to open our old ports all the way to the headliner (~120 degrees) to get them out of the way. At 45 degrees I'm sure some would be head knockers, and all would be visually in the way.

I don't care if I have to push them open, I just want them to stay up. Do these ports need a chain to do that or not?

FYI, our background is that we're in the middle (argh!) of removing the (two year old) Beckson plastic ports on our boat. We aren't very impressed with the ports, but they were installed badly enough to leak, so they gotta come out for sure. Might as well do all nine of them, even though some may not be leaking (yet!) Half-way through we're ready to continue removing, but may skip the idea of re-installing them, and these NFM ports 5x12 SS model are looking pretty attractive instead.

[Maine Sail]

The springs hold our 4 X 14 NFM's hold them up darn close to the head liner..

Installing NFM Ports (LINK)

Here's a photo taken during installation the sprigs are holding it open:

[Geosailor]

Originally Posted by Maine Sail

The springs hold our 4 X 14 NFM's hold them up darn close to the head liner..

Installing NFM Ports (LINK)

Here's a photo taken during installation the sprigs are holding it open:

Bought 7 ports from NFM yesterday at Strictly Sail. After reading up on the ports and Maine Sail's fantastic photo log, two questions:

First - any truth to the rumor that rainwater collects on the lower lip of the port, only to "gush" into the cabin after opening? Seems like the "scuppers" ought to drain most of it away, leaving the typical drips and trickle you get with opening any port after decent rain.

Second - newbie question for Maine Sail - it doesn't look like you did any cleanup of the "butyl ooze." True? Or just no photo?

Thanks!

[Skipper7Doug]

I have just had one of the fasteners that hold the toggle post to the inner frame, snap off. Obviously there was severe corrosion of the stainless post. I cannot tell if the post is threaded into the assembly. New Found Metals has not responded to my inquiry. We have just finished a 1200 mile off shore passage. This would have been a disaster if it happened at sea as the ports are in the hull and are regularly washed with salt water. The ports are three years old, so I am suspicious of all of them now. Has anyone else had an experience with this?
Thanks,
Doug
GS SM 40

[RecoveringRacer]

I have their ports in my Oday 30 and have had no problems, even though the boat was in saltwater for three years before I moved it to Lake Superior. The threaded boss on mine is integral with the outer ring. I did grease the threads when I installed them, though, and carefully sealed the outer rings to the cabin sides. One thing--the bolts are a metric size; could someone have used an SAE threaded bolt?

[SanDiegoChip]

We have also installed NFM SS ports with the teak rings. Love them. It took my wife and I a year to install them. We both work full time jobs. We would install one over a weekend. We followed a set of instructions on the web.
We got tinted ones.
None leak and they are quite nice looking. I think the new IP has ports similar.
NFM is also nice to deal with.

[SanDiegoChip]

We also got the peek-a-boo blinds for them, the ones in the state room. They are the room darkening ones.
My wife also likes the privacy they afford at the dock etc.


Chip

[asdf38]

I just read Maine Sail's entire how-to which was fantastic. I plan on getting two although I can tell it will take a ton of time and I may not get to it until next year.

But one thing I was surprised at was the use of the 3M101, why use an adhesive sealant at all when there is so much butyl and mechanical fasteners?

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by asdf38

I just read mainsail's entire how-to which was fantastic. I plan on getting two although I can tell it will take a ton of time and I may not get to it until next year.

But one thing I was surprised at was the use of the 3M101, why use an adhesive sealant at all when there is so much butyl and mechanical fasteners?

3M101 is/was one of the lightest bonding sealants. I was only used to keep the black butyl that NFM sells from bleeding. If I had to do it again I would NOT use the black NFM butyl and would use my own and no sealant....

[asdf38]

Originally Posted by Maine Sail

3M101 is/was one of the lightest bonding sealants. I was only used to keep the black butyl that NFM sells from bleeding. If I had to do it again I would NOT use the black NFM butyl and would use my own and no sealant....

Thanks, that's good to know.