Leaking side windows

[dirty]

First of all, hello to everybody and greetings from the shores of the Baltic Sea and Finland!

I'm a new owner of B36 Cruiser 2003. Last weekend I noticed that some of the saloon side windows are leaking rain water. Not much, maybe few drops only, but I fear it can get worse than that. Perhaps the black rubber sealer in the windows is aged and hardened? I tried cleaning both the sealer and the window and then closing it carefully, but few drops still came in. Anybody knows a remedy to this? Anybody knows if compatible new sealers are available somewhere?
This spring I lubed all the sealers with silicone to keep them soft but it looks like it didn't help.

BR,
Harri
Finland

[njsail]

I'm not sure which model ports you have.   On our Bav 40 Ocean we have the Rutgerson ports which are well made ports but many people add do it yourself screens to them and eventually they leak.  I was having a leaking problem and just couldn't figure out how to fix it until my small dog smelled bacon one day being cooked and started pushing the screens and breaking them.  As I was removing them I realized the screen was run inside the port over the stainless edge the rubber is supposed to seal to.  Of course they were leaking...the screen created a wicking action that kept the rubber from sealing properly.  I figure it was worth mentioning. 

I'm interested in learning how to replace the rubber gasket and where to get the rubber when the seal attached to the acrylic glass wears out.  The Rutgerson design is different than most any other port I've seen.  The gasket is usually a split gasket that is easily changed and pressure fit into a groove and the port cover presses down to make a good seal.  Changing a gasket on these seems to involve removal of the rubber and gluing a new piece down.   Please post your solution if you find one and also let us know which ports you have Rutgerson or Lewmar.  Good luck.

[KAOS]

The little bolts holding the plexiglass have o rings , try and thighten them sightlty or change the o rings. Also lubricate the rubber seals with vaseline.

[dirty]

Thanks for the tips. The port model is Lewmar PortLight. I will try the lubrication first.

BR,
Harri

[dirty]

Also noticed that Lewmar has a FAQ and sells seal kits for portlights.

http://www.lewmar.com/FAQCategory.asp?Cat=102
http://www.lewmar.com/product-listing.asp?action=search&type=135

[DISTRACTED]

we clean the rubber seal with meths and then work petrolium jelly into the rubber twice a year, window are now coming up seven years and do not leak.

[Nigel]

we clean the rubber seal with meths and then work petrolium jelly into the rubber twice a year...

Using silicone grease would be better.

[Trundletruc]

We had a leaking sidewindow in our B36 2002. I got a new seal from Lewmar.

I fitted it. A messy job and there is one important point not mentioned in the fitting instructions-

After fitting the seal the window would not close! After a while I examined the old seal compared with the new one. The seal is a tube and the old one had small holes in it to let the air out when it got compressed by the window. No holes in the new one!! After making holes still a bit hard to close but will close.

Serendipity

[Odysseus]

The seals are made of extruded nitrial and the UV will take it's tole on them as the volatiles leave the rubber, so to help put a substitute back and guard against UV like petroleum jelly or silicone on them on a annual basis at least.
It will keep the surface supple.

Odysseus

[Bob Baynton]

I have a 2003 Bav 36 and no problems with the port windows. Every year, I treat the seals with a silicone spray and that seems to keep them supple and water tight.  The silicone is applied with Q-tip, thus avoiding widespread application of silicone to the surroundings.