Painting portlight frames

[Randy Gadikian]

The frames on my portlights are shabby looking and have a couple of bad gaskets. Atkins and Hoyle offered to redo the portlights with an anodized finish for $381 each.  Needless to say I am not entertaining that solution.  

Has anyone successfully painted the exterior portion of the portlight?

Randy Gadikian

Paisley Moon

NS 26 C #37

Buffalo, NY

[Mike Jennings]

If your problem is the same as mine where the plastic port lights are pitted. I also contacted the manufacturer and got the same response. So I polished them with a buffer and plastic polish. Brought them back to 90-95% of new. They are no longer an issue. I just had to polish the outside. I didn't try to make them perfect in case I went too far. I don't have an issue with the gaskets.

Mike Jennings.

NS005 Salt Coats. 

Port Moody, BC.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "INA Nonsuch Discussion Group" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to INA-Nonsuch-Discussi...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/INA-Nonsuch-Discussion-Group/d1720e92-75cd-4f22-9cd7-f41db7af0b44n%40googlegroups.com.

[Mariner's Cat V 26C Brentwood Bay BC]

I have seen it done in place. Masking, sanding , priming and painting.   Taking them off makes a better job. You could get them powder coated.  I got a powder quote for 4 steel MG wheels for $500. 

An alternate to Atkins is :

http://www.hhns.ca/

[Mark Powers La Reina 26C Vancouver, B.C.]

Randy,

If you look at the recent thread on "What ever happened to N36 #25" there are a series of pictures of the work Mark H did no his ports. 

I pulled the parts on La Reina (some of them were leaking) and painted them but I guess I did not clean them well enough before painting as there is oxidization and the paint is lifting.  They still look better then before. I pulled the gasket material and turned it over and glued it back in. It has stopped any leaks.  I did not have to replace any of the lens as they were in good shape.  I have replaced the plexiglass lens in the overhead hatch. The original was badly crazed.

Mark Powers

[Ernie Abugov N22 - #56 "Moustaches" Toronto]

As Thor mentioned -

An alternate to Atkins is :

http://www.hhns.ca/

These guys all worked for Atkins and Hoyle before going on their own. I believe that they do very good work and are in the business of refurbishing hatch covers, port lights, etc. They are mercifully cheaper than A and H.

Ernie A. in Toronto

[Paul Miller]

I went the quick route because I had more important things that needed my attention at the time. This was the $10 fix. Rattle can paint after a cursory cleaning. It took half a day two years ago and is showing no failure so far. I would happily do it every two years as part of my spring maintenance.

Paul M

NS30U #211, Sandpiper 

Cowichan Bay, B.C.

[Ernie Abugov N22 - #56 "Moustaches" Toronto]

Rattle can paint !!  Pretty funny, that. (But a good idea, Pauk, and you are in a "salty' environment, in more ways than one).

Did you use Tremclad or some kind of anti-rust paint ?

Ernie A. in Toronto

"Winter is the winter of my discontent" 

[Paul Miller]

To be honest Ernie, I don’t remember but I think I still have the can at the boat. I’ll try to remember to look. My guess is probably yes, Tremclad.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the Google Groups "INA Nonsuch Discussion Group" group.
To unsubscribe from this topic, visit https://groups.google.com/d/topic/INA-Nonsuch-Discussion-Group/X3C6raeoNvA/unsubscribe.
To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to INA-Nonsuch-Discussi...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/INA-Nonsuch-Discussion-Group/4be16b71-4353-48f3-b41f-dd2b7c408c9dn%40googlegroups.com.

--

Paul M
NS30U #211, Sandpiper

Cowichan Bay B.C.

[bobge...@gmail.com]

Just redid mine in October. I had been chasing a leak that was getting the port side shelf really wet. Then down to the cushion. The water would leak onto the interior headliner, then to the aft corner. I resealed all the deck hardware, to no avail. 

When I finally removed the outer plates of the port windows, I was astonished to see straight into the cavity between the fiberglass shells. The balsa core stops near here somewhere. 

I spoke to Brian Atkins and he said that the outer plates are basically decorative. It’s a trim ring, not the weather barrier. There was no sealant between the inner port windows and the outer fiberglass hull. So the water would hit the ‘sill’ of the port, and then come straight into the boat! 

Since I’ve sealed them now, the leak is gone. Been through at least 2 serious gale-wind storms, several inches of rain each one. 

The ports are just painted aluminum. Once I cleaned them up, I painted with a high-heat enamel. Some suggested Awl-Grip, but I haven’t any experience using it, and on aluminum I’d rather use something made for metals that expand and contract with temps.

Not too bad of a project one I got started. The key in my case was using Marine Formula to release the sealant that was holding the cover plates to the hull - which was actually doing nothing for water intrusion.

Good luck!

Bob Gehrman

NS30U #396 “QuickBeam”

Baltimore, Maryland

[Ernie Abugov N22 - #56 "Moustaches" Toronto]

Bob -

Thank you. Great photos and very revealing and informative.

Ernie A. in Toronto

"Winter is the winter of my discontent"

[Mark Powers La Reina 26C Vancouver, B.C.]

Nice job and photographic record Bob. How did the neighbours feel about the boom box?

Mark Powers

[Mariner's Cat V 26C Brentwood Bay BC]

Do not use Awlgrip, it can kill you the fumes are that deadly.  As are all it's cousins like Imron, Alexseal.  Seriously toxic .

I find Tremclad dulls very quickly.   Krylon works well, but the fumes are strong so lots of ventilation needed.  These parts are aluminium and require that all the oxidation be removed then primed with an aluminium primer.  Over coat times assuming 3 coats you could get all done in less than an hour.

On Wednesday, December 16, 2020 at 7:46:38 AM UTC-8 bobge...@gmail.com wrote:

[Bob Gehrman]

Haha! That boom box is fantastic. It’s a Bugani from Amazon and it allows me to have 2 of them acting in stereo via Bluetooth. Battery lasts forever and it stays on the companionway hatch enclosure even on a 20 degree heel, with no physical attachment! No speaker holes in the hull, no battery drain. It plays off of my old iPhone. Plus it sounds great!

- Bob

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/INA-Nonsuch-Discussion-Group/aa07e452-aef8-4981-ab48-16b6253489dbn%40googlegroups.com.

[Bill Howze]

Good work, Bob! Thanks. Your post appeared just as I was tracking down a similar leak on our 1988 30U. From the ports, the water ran aft on the lip of the cabin liner under the port side deck. It had been dripping into the back of the DC panel long enough to delaminate a small section of the floor. There's also a leak in the liquor cabinet from the same source.

I'm sure your solution will work for us. 

A question this raises: If ports were installed through the open gap between cabin liner and side of the coach roof on a thousand boats over more than 30 years, how many owners have experienced the same leaks as you and I?

Thanks again for the photos and clear explanation.

Bill Howze

Breezing Up 1988 30U-SD #472

Sailing on Galveston Bay

Near Houston TX

[Katmando]

None of my port lights have ever leaked, do you have springs on them?

Brian McCuaig. NS30u

Whitby, Ontario

“Having a yacht is reason for being more cheerful than most." 

You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "INA Nonsuch Discussion Group" group.

To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to INA-Nonsuch-Discussi...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/INA-Nonsuch-Discussion-Group/292c9546-d613-4c9e-833e-9a056196fb38n%40googlegroups.com.

[Bob Gehrman]

Hi Brian -

It’s not the windows that leak, its the installation between the window and the fiberglass hull.

Bill - Great question. I don’t know if ours were anomalies in the production line, but believe me I wondered the same thing as I was sealing them up. I’m not sure I even understand the design of these being installed from the inside in the first place? It seems like the wrong side to have the flange that seals to the hull. If anything the trim ring would be on the inside, like the deck hatches.

Bob Gehrman

NS30U #396 “QuickBeam”

Baltimore, Maryland

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/INA-Nonsuch-Discussion-Group/11968BAB-9D27-49D4-988C-4E8D260383BD%40rogers.com.

[Mark Powers La Reina 26C Vancouver, B.C.]

Based on discussions on this pages and with owners in our area I would say that a very large number of the boats have ports that leak at some point. Most caulking has a life expectancy of 15 years or less and a few have up to 25 years before failure. The Nonsuch fleet is no worse than other makes in this regard. As you note a different design of the ports would have helped. Also there is a gap between the cabin top and the head liner. As far as I could see on La Reina, there was nothing to fill or seal that gap. When the caulking around the port failed the water would flow into the gap and travel along the liner and come out somewhere other than below the port. Realistically, if it has not yeat been done the ports should all be pulled and resealed on our boats. I have two left to do.

Mark Powers

[Tim in STL]

Bob, that will be next on my to do list.  We have a mysterious leak that sometimes leaves a small puddle of water on top of the ice box, your post give me a pretty good idea for where that leak is coming from.  What caulk did you use?

Tim in STL

White O’morn NS26U

Harbor Point Yacht Club

West Alton, MO

[Bob Gehrman]

Hi Tim -

I used BoatLife Life Seal, which is a polyurethane/silicone mix. Just checked the boat today after the nor'easter that came through here last week, and I'm happy to report no leaks! Now I can replace the cushions finally!

- Bob

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/INA-Nonsuch-Discussion-Group/d2d45ddc-bcbd-4de3-b491-96e0012684c9n%40googlegroups.com.

[mesay...@gmail.com]

Believe it or not I just completed painting my 10 port lights. Came out beautiful. What we did was get spray Rustoleum white primer and put on two light coats after sanding the outside of the portholes with fine metal sandpaper and then putting on three light coats of spray Rustoleum white enamel. Follow directions on the can and don't try and put too much on in each coat. It required taping of the port outside and newspaper all around to catch. the spray. I also put electrical tape inside the rims of the portholes and newspaper around the screens and put the screens back in. The tape made the removal of the screens easier. The newspaper did not stick to the portholes inside.  previously I painted the port lights with a brush. No No No. Did not come out good. So before using the spray I had to sand off the brushed on paint. What a job.

The right way to do it is take the portholes out and get them powder coated. BUT if they don't leak why tempt fate. If it ain't  broke don't fix it.

Phil LeVine, MeSays, Nonsuch 36 San Pedro CA

On Tuesday, December 15, 2020 at 10:47:44 AM UTC-8 Randy Gadikian wrote: