Pacific Seacraft Portlight Gaskets

[JohnRPollard]

Originally Posted by svjobeth

The gaskets have been sold!

Great!! Good to hear they'll be put to use.

I agree with your thinking on this, by the way. I have a set of lenses (large and small) leftover from when I re-built the Dana 24 portlights about 10+ years ago now. They are nice reminders of a satisfying winter project -- but realistically they'll probably never get used.

[LouAnn34]

Hello everyone,

I have a 1987 34, #68 with the bronze oval/oblong portlights.

In a few months I will replace all of the gaskets.

I am looking for advice on what to purchase (who, what, where, how much) and if you have any step by step instructions.

Thanks for your time.

Hank

[BirdBrain333]

Unfortunately I did not take pictures or otherwise document the replacement of all gaskets and "glass" in our PSC 37 with bronze oval portlights.

I got the gasket material from McMaster Carr. I also needed to replace the glass in several and quickly discovered that about half the brass screws simply disintegrated under the screwdriver. Fortunately all but one easily drilled out (basically turning to dust under the drill bit). I then chased the threads with a bottoming tap. There has been MUCH discussion here on the thread sizes for these portlights. I found that 5/40 X 3/8" worked in about 90% of my portlights but that 5/40 X 1/4" were better for some of the smaller frames. I ordered them and a 5/40 bottoming tap also from McMaster Carr (no $$ interest).

To cut the gaskets I cut a 1/4" X 1/4" grove down the length of a scrap of lunber and then with a fine handsaw made a single cut at 45degrees just to the bottom of the lengthwise grove this 45 degree cut then acted as a "mitre box" for making nice smooth, and acrurately beveled cuts in the gaskets. I joined the end with a bit of silicone caulk.

Hope this helps,

Jay

PSC # 171, Kenlanu, freezing (wind chill - 11F) in Maine

[karlinD]

While Windflower was at the factory for a total refit, one of the first jobs was to safely remove all the bronze plated with chrome oval port lights. During this process, Steve Brodie designed and built a tool for removal of the port lights. Once the port lights were removed, we shipped the port lights to Atkins and Hoyle in Canada and had the units completely disasemled and rebuilt. They did a wonderful job and have all the parts needed to bring the port lights to "as new" condition.

If you need any technical data Thumper at the factory or Mr. Atkins at the well-respected Atkins and Hoyle should have good information and any parts needed.

Good luck!!

Karlin
Windflower
37 - 198

[svjobeth]

Originally Posted by LouAnn34

Hello everyone,

I have a 1987 34, #68 with the bronze oval/oblong portlights.

In a few months I will replace all of the gaskets.

I am looking for advice on what to purchase (who, what, where, how much) and if you have any step by step instructions.

Thanks for your time.

Hank

Hi Hank -

Whitewater Marine Hardware in Florida has the gaskets that fit the old style oblong frames. He's very helpful and is familiar with the list here on Sailnet. You can reach him via email at: whitewatermh<at>verizon<dot>net

Our gaskets were in such bad shape, they mostly lifted (and sometimes crumbled) out of the frames. How the closed ports stayed watertight, I'll never know. In fact, for about 6 months, the gasket on our head portlight fell out every time we opened it!

For us, it was a matter of thoroughly cleaning the frame, being sure the remains of the old gaskets were completely gone. Use liberal amounts of silicone to fill the gasket channel in the frame and press and work the new gaskets in place.

The fit won't be 'plug-and-play', it will take some effort. Work slowly and with patience, and you'll get it done. We found it much easier to remove the portlight from the hinge/pivot bars and work with each one on the table or some other flat surface. Remember to adjust the tension screws on the pivot bars when you fit them back again so the frames will seat evenly on the new gaskets.

Read back through the thread, you'll find lots of useful info.

Have fun!

[cmcpheeters]

On a somewhat related topic - what do people use to put on the gaskets to lengthen their lifetime? I have newly installed gaskets from last year but haven't put anything on them yet. Does anybody know if using silicone, grease, teflon paste, etc is best?


Cheers,
Craig.

s/v Luckness,
PSC 37, #234.