Plastic port light
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Marty McOmber
May 14, 2012, 3:42:32 PM5/14/12
to Passport Group
Hi all,
The new decks look great and we will post pics soon. On to another question: what kind of plastic have folks used to replace the main port lights on the port and starboard side -- the ones that don't open.
We are rebidding all the ports, but the lense for the no opening ones was really crazed.
It is very thick plastic. I'd like to go with something that is strong, has good uv protection and is clear rather than smoked.
Lexan? Other materials?
Sent from my iPad
The new decks look great and we will post pics soon. On to another question: what kind of plastic have folks used to replace the main port lights on the port and starboard side -- the ones that don't open.
We are rebidding all the ports, but the lense for the no opening ones was really crazed.
It is very thick plastic. I'd like to go with something that is strong, has good uv protection and is clear rather than smoked.
Lexan? Other materials?
Sent from my iPad
Brian Moloney
May 14, 2012, 3:44:50 PM5/14/12
to Marty McOmber, Passport Group
Clear cast acrylic. Used Dow 795 for caulking.
Brian Moloney
1984 P40 Toloa
Deale, MD
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Brian Moloney
1984 P40 Toloa
Deale, MD
Passport Owners Association http://passportyachts.org To post to the group,
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P. Sherwood
May 14, 2012, 4:00:34 PM5/14/12
to Marty McOmber, Passport Group
If you mean the long windows in the main cabin, I used smoked gray
Lexan. Can't remember the thickness but probably 1/4" or maybe even
5/16" if Lexan is available in that thickness and it wouldn't be too
thick for the channel cut to hold the window.
Phil
s/v Cynosure
Lexan. Can't remember the thickness but probably 1/4" or maybe even
5/16" if Lexan is available in that thickness and it wouldn't be too
thick for the channel cut to hold the window.
Phil
s/v Cynosure
John Warren
May 14, 2012, 4:46:58 PM5/14/12
to Marty McOmber, Passport Group
The side windows are 1/2" thick...poly carbonate...I think. I guess Lexan
is the trade marked name. Also...Lexan on the cabin top. If you have a
company called Tap Plastics close to you...they are great to work with.
Bomar has a very good instruction sheet on how to bed the lenses if you
want. The clear Lexan has a slight tint to it.
-----Original Message-----
From: passpor...@googlegroups.com
[mailto:passpor...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Marty McOmber
Sent: Monday, May 14, 2012 12:43 PM
To: Passport Group
Subject: [Passport] Plastic port light
is the trade marked name. Also...Lexan on the cabin top. If you have a
company called Tap Plastics close to you...they are great to work with.
Bomar has a very good instruction sheet on how to bed the lenses if you
want. The clear Lexan has a slight tint to it.
-----Original Message-----
From: passpor...@googlegroups.com
[mailto:passpor...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Marty McOmber
Sent: Monday, May 14, 2012 12:43 PM
To: Passport Group
Subject: [Passport] Plastic port light
Jeff and Jane Woodward
May 14, 2012, 9:28:05 PM5/14/12
to John Warren, mmco...@gmail.com, Passport List
John is right about TAP Plastics. That's where I bought the material for Adagio. But while shopping I learned that Lexan is a brand name and pretty pricey. We used TAP Plastic Acrylic. One side was done in 2004. The other was done in 2006. Both sides are still doing great. Take the old lens to the shop to match the tint. Also try to match the tint of the other lenses in the opening hatches. Otherwise when you are inside the boat looking out, you will have a kaleidoscope view of whatever anchorage you drop the hook in. While we were in the shop looking at the various tints the lens looked really dark. But when installed in the boat it looked just right.
While you have the lens out, make whatever repairs are needed to the bed. We had lots of cracks and bad spots in the bed and ended up doing a fairly major rebuild of the bed to make it right. Make your template for the new lens off the rebuilt bed.
One last tip. The original lens in our boat did not fit the bed for it. You want to make sure that you have enough "daylight" between the edge of the acrylic and the side of the bed for the bedding. A fat 1/16" or an 1/8" all the way around. There is a big difference in the coefficient of expansion between the acrylic and the cabin side, so it is really important to have a fat layer of bedding to expand and contract. If it is too thin it will tear and you will have leaks.
Hope this helps.
Jeff
Adagio, P-40 #109, 1986
Presently decommissioning in San Carlos, Mexico
While you have the lens out, make whatever repairs are needed to the bed. We had lots of cracks and bad spots in the bed and ended up doing a fairly major rebuild of the bed to make it right. Make your template for the new lens off the rebuilt bed.
One last tip. The original lens in our boat did not fit the bed for it. You want to make sure that you have enough "daylight" between the edge of the acrylic and the side of the bed for the bedding. A fat 1/16" or an 1/8" all the way around. There is a big difference in the coefficient of expansion between the acrylic and the cabin side, so it is really important to have a fat layer of bedding to expand and contract. If it is too thin it will tear and you will have leaks.
Hope this helps.
Jeff
Adagio, P-40 #109, 1986
Presently decommissioning in San Carlos, Mexico
robert c young
May 14, 2012, 9:40:52 PM5/14/12
to Jeff and Jane Woodward, John Warren, mmco...@gmail.com, Passport List
Never had the ambition to take out non leaking lights despite crazed condition. My gut says half inch sounds a lot more accurate than reports of one quarter or 5/16s if you think of accidently falling off a monster wave at the wrong time and place.
Perry did a nice job in the 80s so why not ask him for the proper material?
Regards
Bob
Jeff and Jane Woodward
May 14, 2012, 9:48:31 PM5/14/12
to rcy...@optonline.net, John Warren, mmco...@gmail.com, Passport List
Putting in new lenses made a huge difference in the look and feel of the boat's interior. Yes. It was a lot of work. But relatively inexpensive. And we did have leaks.
Jeff
Jeff
Subject: RE: [Passport] Plastic port light
Michael Moradzadeh
May 14, 2012, 9:59:17 PM5/14/12
to Passpor...@googlegroups.com
I replaced mine as well. Tap did a great job of matching the old
ones exactly. I think half inch is right, but take it in.
What I have has gone cloudy after a mere ten years, but can polish up with the polish stuff they sell there at tap.
I believe I went with tinted polycarbonate.
Michael
Cayenne 1984 P40
What I have has gone cloudy after a mere ten years, but can polish up with the polish stuff they sell there at tap.
I believe I went with tinted polycarbonate.
Michael
Cayenne 1984 P40
Robert Peahl
May 15, 2012, 6:57:23 AM5/15/12
to Michael Moradzadeh, Passpor...@googlegroups.com
We used Maritime Plastics in Annapolis. They did a great job, using Lexan with tint to match the ports.
Bob Peahl
Anthem P40-70
P. Sherwood
May 16, 2012, 12:26:29 AM5/16/12
to Passport List
Yeah, I think I was way off base on the 1/4" or 5/16" figures and 1/2"
is right.
Phil
s/v Cynosure
On 5/14/2012 18:40, robert c young wrote:
> Never had the ambition to take out non leaking lights despite crazed
> condition. My gut says half inch sounds a lot more accurate than reports
> of one quarter or 5/16s if you think of accidently falling off a monster
> wave at the wrong time and place.
[...]
is right.
Phil
s/v Cynosure
On 5/14/2012 18:40, robert c young wrote:
> Never had the ambition to take out non leaking lights despite crazed
> condition. My gut says half inch sounds a lot more accurate than reports
> of one quarter or 5/16s if you think of accidently falling off a monster
> wave at the wrong time and place.
jdpatton
May 14, 2012, 7:08:39 PM5/14/12
to Passport Owners
Just replaced mine last week with 1/2 inch plexiglass. Plenty stong at
that thickness and will not scratch like lexan. Second the Dow 795 for
caulking.
that thickness and will not scratch like lexan. Second the Dow 795 for
caulking.
Ian Macrae
Jul 19, 2016, 2:07:03 AM7/19/16
to Passport Owners
Apologies for reviving an old thread...
I just took out my two non-opening windows from the coach roof sides, the 3 foot long, 6 inch wide, 1/2 inch thick ones. Both were leaking and badly crazed. TAP Plastics is making new 1/2 inch acrylic ones using the old ones as templates. Smoked gray in color. The bronze was tempting....
I'm wondering how to bed the new windows in.There has to be a decent space to accommodate the difference expansion rates of the fiberglass boat and the acrylic window. Dow 795 is used for glazing and is recommended in lots of forums and on this old thread. However, butyl tape is also recommended. The window beds into an "L" shaped channel that needs bedding on both surfaces, and once in the window is flush to the side of the coach roof. When I removed the two windows I found some glazing tape like substance on both faces of the "L". It looks and acts more like tape than caulk. Glazing butyl tape would hold the proper spacing for expansion. If Dow 795 was used, how would one keep the window from sagging as the 795 cured? Shims until it cures, then pull them and inject some 795 into the space the shims were in?
Does the exterior bronze bezel window surround get caulked or bedded, or better to let water just pass under it. How do you seal the screws so they don't leak? So much to learn about keeping water out of the boat....
Any tips or advice appreciated. Many thanks.
Ian
S/V Freyja
P40 #49
Bainbridge Island, WA
It rained so infrequently in Mexico during the winter, and the boat was covered with full tarps during the summer rainy season,
I just took out my two non-opening windows from the coach roof sides, the 3 foot long, 6 inch wide, 1/2 inch thick ones. Both were leaking and badly crazed. TAP Plastics is making new 1/2 inch acrylic ones using the old ones as templates. Smoked gray in color. The bronze was tempting....
I'm wondering how to bed the new windows in.There has to be a decent space to accommodate the difference expansion rates of the fiberglass boat and the acrylic window. Dow 795 is used for glazing and is recommended in lots of forums and on this old thread. However, butyl tape is also recommended. The window beds into an "L" shaped channel that needs bedding on both surfaces, and once in the window is flush to the side of the coach roof. When I removed the two windows I found some glazing tape like substance on both faces of the "L". It looks and acts more like tape than caulk. Glazing butyl tape would hold the proper spacing for expansion. If Dow 795 was used, how would one keep the window from sagging as the 795 cured? Shims until it cures, then pull them and inject some 795 into the space the shims were in?
Does the exterior bronze bezel window surround get caulked or bedded, or better to let water just pass under it. How do you seal the screws so they don't leak? So much to learn about keeping water out of the boat....
Any tips or advice appreciated. Many thanks.
Ian
S/V Freyja
P40 #49
Bainbridge Island, WA
It rained so infrequently in Mexico during the winter, and the boat was covered with full tarps during the summer rainy season,
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