Fixed portlight (Lewmar 7RE) acrylic replacement

[russp]

Hi Everyone,

The fixed portlight (on the side of the hull, below the gunnel/gunwale, about midships) on Avalon has started to craze and I am wondering if it is possible to replace the acrylic in these, or does it mean just a new fixed portlight? Catalina Direct sell new units for about $300 so not too painful, but it is only about $20 worth of acrylic.

Any ideas/info welcome.

Russ Peel
Avalon #150

[Windseeker]

There was a vendor at the Annapolis Sailboat show who specialized in selling just the acrylic replacement piece. I can't remember who it was, but I did pickup a business card. The only problem is I can't remember where I put that! Getting old sucks.

[KenKrawford]

Russ, I don't know if this will work or not. http://www.hatchmasters.com/index.php?c ... b6e375d69d

[Schroeder61]

There's a company in Norwalk, CT that deals with Lewmar port lights and replacements. It's Select Plastics at: 877-847-3767. the website is selectplastics.com. I wouldn't be surprised if they were the ones at the boat show.

[KenKrawford]

There's a company in Norwalk, CT that deals with Lewmar port lights and replacements. It's Select Plastics at: 877-847-3767. the website is selectplastics.com. I wouldn't be surprised if they were the ones at the boat show.

If you click on the "SHIPS STORE" tab, it takes you to Hatchmasters.com

[russp]

Thanks for the information guys, I have contacted Select Plastics, but their website (and Hatchmasters) seems to focus on replacement lenses for opening portlights which makes sense as they are straight forward. Will see what comes of the enquiry.
Curiously, several US marine suppliers who advertise "Fixed" 7RE Lewmar portlights, go on to describe the opening version so the whole market for these is a little confusing.
It looks like whole unit replacement is pretty straight forward, buy the new one, unscrew and unseal the old one, seal in the new one, screw up and done!

Regards
Russ Peel
Avalon #150

[nybor]

Russ.
there is a plastics guy nearby that will make any size, shape, color, etc. if given the dimensions. Based on our portholes, I asked him how much and he said $50. If you want, give me the dimensions and I will have him make a couple (some for me) to see if it is a good deal. He made my acyclic table - which i love - for $250.

dave
ps I wonder if a light smoke acyclic would be nice?

[russp]

Further to discussion of last year, I contacted Select Plastics (Hatchmasters) but received no reply, so contacted Lewmar about the possibility of replacement acrylics (these are the fixed portlights below the gunwhale, either side of the cabin). On the original Lewmars, the acrylic is bonded directly to the outer frame of the portlight, so no simple prospect of acrylic replacement, and in a pretty critical situation anyway.

Lewmar advised that this frame size was 7RE so I bit the bullet and ordered two from Mauri Pro and they arrived today. TOTALLY different from originals, these have a deep seal fitted to the external frame and the acrylic screwed up against that seal. Thus the acrylic is a lot deeper into the boat than the original. I haven't tried to fit yet so keeping my fingers crossed. At least this way if I live long enough to have these lenses craze I will be able to just replace the lens.

Addendum: Catalina 350 is a CE Category A yacht (Ocean rating) and these portlights are in area 2b of the CE classification (hull side below gunwhale, higher up, high freeboard). The Lewmar 7RE portlight is NOT rated for Cat A, area 2b, whereas it is rated for Cat B (Offshore rating), all areas. So I am guessing that Lewmar used to make this portlight (fully bonded to frame) as a Cat A, area 2b rated, but do not do so any longer. A complex web, but I am not particularly worried, I won't be using Avalon over 33 knots and 4 metre seas if I can help it!! (that is the definition of Cat B rating).

Russ Peel
Avalon #150

[nybor]

Rats. I plan to sail Nybor in 34 kt winds and 4.05 meter waves!

dave

[russp]

This has become a painful process. For anyone else silly enough to be worried about crazing of this portlight, as noted above I have received two "replacement" portlights from Mauri Pro, but (not Mauri's fault) they are the wrong part. I have since finally gotten "inside" Lewmar and received the information below. Now tossing up if worth to return the Cat B portlights to Mauri and ask them to get Cat A made up.

For Catalina, we produced a fixed light which met the CAT A area 2 requirements. It was a bespoke part for the yard. The port light you received, is correct in size and style but the final design was different in the acrylic attachments. Hence the difference in CE ratings for Cat A and cat B vessels and your confusions.

The part to exactly replace yours is - 393779996, this is still available to be made up and produced. Please ask the distributor for this part number. Our description for this part is ‘SS 7RE GRY F-L WTT C39 CE 1A’

As it was bespoke to the manufacturer then you would have struggled to find the details on your original portlight but I hope the part number above gives you your answer

[russp]

Latest on Portlights in case anyone is interested. These are the cabin side 7RE sized portlights below the gunwhale, made by Lewmar. I ordered replacements from Mauri Pro because the originals on Avalon are crazing and were the "oldest" looking part of the boat.

The originals are slim/trim fittings where the acrylic is permanently bonded into the frame with Sikaflex or equivalent, the downside of this is that you can't replace just the acrylic, you have to replace the whole fitting. Lewmar advised that replacement fittings for this Cat A, area 2 location are part number SS 7RE GRY F-L WTT C39 CE 1A, and these arrived yesterday.

They are in fact nothing like the original and I am advised Catalina purchased a plethora of different configurations during the build period for the C350. The replacement units that have been sent are a fixed variation of the normal 7RE opening portlight with an acrylic compressed against a rubber seal using screws, and a metal backing plate behind the acrylic to give strength for the location.

Haven't tried fitting them yet, expect that there should not be any problem, but they will look very different with the acrylic significantly deeper set into the hull side. If I have the yacht for another 15 years at least I will be able to replace the acrylics now without having to replace the whole frame!

Russ Peel
Avalon #150

[russp]

The saga goes on, I am posting in case anyone else is thinking of doing this. From previous posts, Lewmar don't make the original 7RE portlight on the hull sides, but do have a replacement for which I have previously posted the part number. I have just finished fitting them and they look brilliant, but aren't a straight swap over. The new housing is larger in 4 small areas, requiring removal of a bit of fibreglass, but not at the external hull face.

Also, when I removed the old portlights the hull "sprung" so that inner and outer faces separated and pulled the filler material in between them apart and fractured it (or it may already have been fractured for all I know). This took a bit of mucking around with various length screws to pull the inner and outer parts of the port together, but wasn't that bad. New windows (Rated Cat A, area 2) have less perspex area, but look very flash - see photos.

AND, if I keep Avalon for another 15 years, I will be able to replace the acrylic without removing the frames, this one is bolted between a rubber gasket and SS plate.