Crazed Portlights and Hatches

[Salty]

Hi Salty and all other Bavaria-friends!
….I made 9 new portlight lenses for my Beneteau Oceanis 411. What I thought was the hardest things to figure out was the removal of the fittings and what glue to use, and here I found the answers! And other great tips.  THANK YOU!

I made a film of my project, which also included the routing of the lenses, I hope that can add some inspiration on doing this on your own:
https://youtu.be/U9taRDfnJIY

Regards,
Jakob

Well done Jakob, and thank you for your kind words.

I think you have taken this project of replacing old and crazed portlights to a whole new level with your excellent video and very clear and step by step explanation.

I have a router tool, but lack the confidence to use it and hence why I went to a local sign maker, but your video will provide inspiration for others.

Unfortunately due to health reasons I have sold my boat and only occasionally look back at this website to see how others are coping with the complexities of boat ownership.

Again, well done Jakob, and well done to those others that have also taken up the challenge to change their portlights and hatches on their boats, and without the need to empty their bank accounts in the process !!

Kind regards
Salty.

[p_schurli]

Hi Salty and all other Bavaria-friends!
Inspired by the method originally posted by Salty I made 9 new portlight lenses for my Beneteau Oceanis 411. What I thought was the hardest things to figure out was the removal of the fittings and what glue to use, and here I found the answers! And other great tips.  THANK YOU!

I made a film of my project, which also included the routing of the lenses, I hope that can add some inspiration on doing this on your own:
https://youtu.be/U9taRDfnJIY

Regards,
Jakob

Congratulations Jakob!
I am sure this is the best boat refit video I have ever seen on youtube. You have a new subscriber!
Regards, Peter

[jakobmagnusson]

Well done Jakob, and thank you for your kind words.

I think you have taken this project of replacing old and crazed portlights to a whole new level with your excellent video and very clear and step by step explanation.

I have a router tool, but lack the confidence to use it and hence why I went to a local sign maker, but your video will provide inspiration for others.

Unfortunately due to health reasons I have sold my boat and only occasionally look back at this website to see how others are coping with the complexities of boat ownership.

Again, well done Jakob, and well done to those others that have also taken up the challenge to change their portlights and hatches on their boats, and without the need to empty their bank accounts in the process !!

Kind regards
Salty.

Thank you. And all the best.
/Jakob

[ancanc]

Hi Jakob,

a fantastic video - unfortunately I do not have the equipment to make the acrylic myself....
You made it clear that it is very important to keep the thickness of the acrylic plus the handle to be 27mm. I was thinking that all the handles have the same size - it would also mean that the thickness of the acrylic must also be the same for all recesses? Did you measure the thickness of the recessed acrilyc by chance?  If I find a company which is willing to cut my acrylic - I cannot tell them to measure the size with a handle, I can only say them that the recessed area should have a thickness of 7mm - or so.

I have tried to order one from a local company - unfortunately it went wrong, they did not have the proper machinery for this task.
Is there anyone who ordered such an acrylic with success?
To be honest I do not really understand why no one is  offering such acrylics (without the hinges and handles) yet, I am sure they could sell a lot of theese...  From SVB/Lewmar it would cost me now EUR 300 plus EUR 57 for the replacement set. And this 8 times. Plus 4 times the small ones á EUR 220.

Has anyone managed to break a handle / hinge while taking it off from the old acrylic? I assume it is not easy to find one of theese...

I am a bit confused about the acrylic itself too. There are two types of acrylic glas:

Acrylic glass cast (Acrylglas gegossen or GS)

Acrylic glass extruded (Acrylglas extrudiert or XS)

What type is better to be used as a boat windows?


Thanks,
Regards:
Andras

Hi Salty and all other Bavaria-friends!
Inspired by the method originally posted by Salty I made 9 new portlight lenses for my Beneteau Oceanis 411. What I thought was the hardest things to figure out was the removal of the fittings and what glue to use, and here I found the answers! And other great tips.  THANK YOU!

I made a film of my project, which also included the routing of the lenses, I hope that can add some inspiration on doing this on your own:
https://youtu.be/U9taRDfnJIY

Regards,
Jakob

[symphony2]

I don't think 7mm is a standard size in either acrylic or polycarbonate. 6 or 8mm are standard. For local supply look for firms that make signs or shop fittings. In the UK there are many firms that deal on line and will machine (cut to size, polish drill holes) to your drawing or pattern. Pretty sure there will be similar in Hungary. Suggest you take one of each size out of the frames to use as patterns.

The reason why nobody offers them of the shelf is because it is normally easy to get them made as described.

[ancanc]

Thanks, I might have put it wrong... The acrylic itself is an 8mm acrylic, I meant the recessed area underneath the hinges and handles. I was told that the cast acrylic might have an almost 10% tolerance in the thickness and it is the ground why they are recessing the acrylic to a specified size: 27mm with the hinge glued on... But if you deduct the hinge it must be the same for all recessed areas, I think. The 7 mm was only a guess...

You wrote: "The reason why nobody offers them of the shelf is because it is normally easy to get them made as described." I find several firms offering porthole acrylics for the old style Lewmar portholes and hatches. They are also easy to make,  there must be something else too, don't you think?

Regards:
Andras

[ancanc]

Is there anyone here, who bought a new acrylic from Lewmar with the assembly kit (4mm -> 5mm)? If the old acrylic (for 4mm holes) is not needed anymore  I would happily buy them - for testing purposes and for the spare hinges/fittings, should I break one during the disassembly...
Thanks

[Ailatan]

I have done that job and I have a local supplier. I'll send you a p.m.

[Jeffatoms]

We too have this problem with our Gebo hatches and portlights on our Ocean 38 from 1998.   Recently I corresponded with Gebo and they said the only solution to fixing the portlights was full replacement.  My guess is that to replace the portlights alone, parts would exceed $2,000 USD.  My wife suggested we save the $2,000 and call them "privacy" windows.  She's the Captain.  I'm fine with that.

[Yngmar]

The Gebo panes are much easier to replace than the Lewmar, as they don't have any funky glue or recesses. You can easily cut them yourself from sheet material.

[ancanc]

Thanks, on my earlier Bavaria 34 I had Gebo portlights, they did not need to be replaced... I still see my old Bavaria 34  (1999), she is lying in the same marina and the portlight are still OK.