Beckson Ports Trim Ring

[rnummi]

Is there any benefit obtained from mounting through the exterior trim ring? I'm through bolting all my ports per the wise counsel herein. Just wondering if there is any benefit to be had vs. the "hidden" method of covering the exterior bolt heads with the thin plastic trim ring.

[tego]

Benefits? You have about 6 more holes through your cabin wall to let that pesky water in. If you through-bolt the trim ring, you have about 6 more " exposed" holes. Granted, you can seal them with caulk but I believe the fewer holes in my boat, the less chance for a leak. If you thru-bolt the portlight flange, use flat-headed machine screws on the outside and acorn nuts on the inside.

[JT48348]

Devils advocate:
How would you cover#8, #10, or 1/4-20 bolt heads with the trim ring? And why do that?

And, if you used flat head bolts from the outside in you're relying on the tiny bit of metal and the flare of the flat head to hold the porthole?

I'm going the thru-bolt route. I'm going to run a hex head or pan head bolt from the outside in. Perhaps there will be a small washer. Thru the trim ring. I filled the holes in the trim ring. Will drill new holes to match the inner flange. Secure with nylon lock nuts or acorn nuts in interior as long as you have the right length.

Using machine screws from the outside or inside makes no sense to me. Aside from damaging the core over age, it wouldn't be very strong.

A porthole should be thru-bolted.

[rnummi]

Thanks! That's what I was looking for. I'm going to through bolt as well. Might as well make it as strong as possible.

[Tree]

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=8565&p=52268&hilit= ... ort#p52268

[JT48348]

I love that post.

What that post shows is a beckson port mounted on a 28te from the interior presumably by screws from the inside out. The trim ring they propose is glued on the outside to dress up the flange.

What the post doesn't explain is you can push in that port. It's only held in place by the screws on the inside. And the strength of those screws is based on their their thread size, depth of bulkhead and the bulkhead composition.

[Tree]

I take it that the 25's and 27's don't have the exact same fittings then?

[JT48348]

Albin 25s do not have beckson portholes. They generally have plexiglass or glass in a gasket mount.

Albin 27s have beckson portholes. And so do 28te and maybe some other Albin boats. The issue is the proper way to mount a beckson port. Lots of people including the Albin factory and a variety of other production boat yards (sail & power) use beckson portholes in their building and screwed them rather than thru-bolting.

Thru-bolting is the way a porthole is supposed to be mounted.

[rnummi]

Thanks JT, I'm using truss head bolts through the trim ring, through the fiberglass, through the ports and into Beckson truss head barrel nuts on the inside. 4200 for the gap between port and house. If that isn't solid, nothing is.