port hole removal

[furball]

I noticed a small spot of brown just under one of the SS port side port holes. I would like to re-seal it this winter. Has anyone taken these out? I wondering what can of worms I may be opening when I remove the screws on the cabin side of the port hole. Do window Mfg's make premade seals for each side that need to be replaced or is it typically some type of silicon sealer? Anyone know what brand Albin used, or do they differ each year like some of the other items.
John

[Veebyes2]

Don't know how the A28 is put together but I did redo all of the ports of my A27. Don't know what kind of calk Albin used but it was not 5200 thankfully. It took alot of carefull prying. Underneath I found that the 27 cabin is balsa cored. Albin failed to make a watertight seal so the balsa was rotted around the ports. I dug out the rot, filled with resin & microballoons & reinstalled the ports using SS bolts right through to the inner frame. 11 ports worth.

Need to do the same with my 32 this winter. Only 6 ports on this one.

[Elizabeth Ann]

I pulled one of our ports, but it wasn't SS. The outside face is a boarder that I carefully freed with a plastic putty knife type thing. That exposed a little space that was filled with silicone along the entire perimeter of the port and surrounding fiberglass / wood combo of the pilot house. I used a razor knife to carefully cut at the silicone to loosen it.

Go inside pull the screws and then you can carefully work and pull the port into you. It removes from inside the cabin.

I pretty much followed these directions as a guide since I'm pretty sure they made my ports.

http://www.beckson.com/installport.html

[furball]

Thanks, looks like this one gets figured out as we go. Good link on the port holes, I'll check this weekend to see if I can confirm the Mfg.
John