35 CB portlight repair update and Tampa Bay Ian update

[Rondo]

On our 2007 model CB35, we have SS portlights. I posted some while ago to inquired if anyone had removed one of these to rebed and replace. No response, so I assumed all the others were either plastc (common) or were still intact and had no need to remove.

FWIW, for a time we thought Hurricane Ian had our address programmed into its guidance system here in Tampa Bay, and spent several days preparing as we have learned to do. Having lived on the water here for nearly 40 years, we know that once once a hurricane gets going in either the Caribbean or Gulf of Mexico, it will hit land somewhere. We have also therefore learned that each time we are spared, sadly,someplace else bears the brunt. This time the storm turned inland enough south to spare us, but only a little south of us is devastation beyond imagination. We have a number of friends there, some did OK, some not so much. The price we pay for the luxury of living on the water.

Thankfully, once the storm cleared we have been blessed with mild, sunny days, with relatively low humidity, so, I tackled the removal of our leaky SS Bowmar voyager portlight.
The removal was far easier than I feared.. I removed the screws in the interior trim ring. No screws are visible outside. I went out, and tapped a flex blade putty knife into the upper corner of the exterior trim ring, and could see the movement. I gently pried the ring, and it came away easily. It was factory bedded in some type of reinforced, caulk/tape. It was obvious that the seal had failed at the top of the ring, and water could get through. I will mention that the interior trim ring is drawn into the padded lining, and remained there until I replaced the portlight from the outside. The outer trim ring is an integral part of the structure, and the whole port assembly minus the interior trim ring is a unit.

I repaired the one broken off screw, cleaned it up and went back to reinstall. I did run a tap through to clean up all the threaded holes, and used new screws. I applied a generous bead of 3M 4000 UV to the recess in the ring, put it into the hole, and my lifelong boat wench partner pressed the ring in place while I went inside and put the screws in place, and drew the two pieces together, with the hull and caulk between. I feel certain it is sealed in place.

I did leak check and had a drip, so tomorrow i will replace the rubber gasket and hope it will be as watertight as it was in 2007 thru 2021,
Rondo

[Nancy]

Hi Ron --

Very glad that you came through the hurricane unscathed. We, too, have friends from Sarasota to Naples. Most did OK, but two have terrible damage.

Thanks for the info on re-bedding the portlight. It sounds very simple and straightforward. I'm guessing you found the coring to be solid. What is it made of? (On our 28TE, it was very thin balsa - 1/4" if I remember correctly - and it was deteriorated. I hoed it out and filled it with West System.)

The portlights on our 35CB are the same as yours - Bomar Passage SS H6555.

[Rondo]

The core is foam, so no worries about water soaked balsa core.
Ron

[Rondo]

Final word on the port removal and repair. I first tried replacing the rubber gasket. I found a close design that I found online for a good price. It did not stop the leak. As previously posted above, I removed and reinstalled the port with new caulking material that I could see sealed the SS ring to the fiberglas. The port leaked much less, but no leak at all, is the desired result of this repair. Today I removed the trial rubber gasket and replaced it with the proper one from Bowmar. No leak.
Rondo

[Nancy]

Thanks for the updates, Ron.