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catalina 25 leaky ports

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Garboard
Deckhand

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USA
13 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/12/2018 : 17:27:37

I've got a 1980 c-25...all but the "potty" port are fixed...I've removed the operable port above the head since the former owner's silicon "artwork" was neither effective nor attractive...it was a sliding unit with laminated glass that had become clouded and not worth keeping...
I've decided to replace the glass with plexiglass, I'll reuse the frame, clean it up and paint it and make it a fixed unit.
The remaining ports on the boat also need attention as they leak...so I'm going to remove them one at a time and re-seal (possibly replacing the glass if I find it is also cloudy)...
Now my question: I have used Lexel caulking previously and am considering it for the ports. It is very sticky stuff and allows expansion and contraction so I think it'd be better than silicone...
Anyone have any experience re-doing their ports, any insights to share??
Thx in advance!

JLR

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1519 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2018 : 11:12:02

I suggest that you use the search function (at the top right of the Forum page) to avail yourself of a wealth of experience on replacing, re-sealing, and caulking the portlights.

Happy [dry] sailing!

JohnP
1978 C25 SR/FK "Gypsy"
Mill Creek off the Magothy River, Chesapeake Bay
Port Captain, northern Chesapeake Bay

Bladeswell
Captain

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USA
490 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2018 : 11:48:57

Hi Garboard,

Just a few thoughts to pass along about marine sealants. It has been said that Silicon has no place on a boat. I have never tried Silicon on a boat so can't say anything about it one way or the other. However, I tend to err on the side of safety so have only used those products recommended for marine use. 3M 4200 and 3M 5200 are often used and recommended. But keep in mind that 3M 5200 is intended for use with things meant to be permanently installed with no intent of a future reinstall or replacement. So for general use, 3M 4200 would be a better choice. Life Caulk is the product of my choice and seems to be the choice of the majority for most boaters. Good luck with your project.

Bladeswell

C25 TR FK Hull #973 1979 L-Dinette. So.Cal.

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3754 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2018 : 19:25:36

I use polysulfide, Lifecaulk, but a number of people are using butyl tape now. Try the kit from CD. It doesn't always include the bedding/sealant for the glass that they list, but you can buy something like RTV sealant locally. I think a DOW product is recommended. I put a thin bead in the channel before putting the gasketed glass in. The vinyl gasket, like most plastics isn't compatible with polysulfide. I know that 4200 is more removable than 5200, but it is still a polyurethane construction adhesive and I wouldn't use it.

Dave B. aboard Pearl
1982 TR/SK/Trad. #3399
Lake Erie/Florida Panhandle

jduck00
Captain

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USA
313 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2018 : 04:59:15

I use the butyl tape. Easy to apply, easy to clean up. Currently fighting a battle on mine with leaking windows. It looks like the coring is gone and now the window frames are too thick to seal to the outside of the boat. My current solution is lots of tape. I suggest dry fitting your window to see if it pulls up nicely before you get the caulk out.

Jeremy Duck
The Lucky Duck
1980 SKSR Hull # 1850

Garboard
Deckhand

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USA
13 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2018 : 13:04:15

I see that with mine...fragments of balsa (or whatever) loose around the open edges...I'm thinking I'll arrange several c-clamps around the opening and then inject some minimally expanding foam (something with use in construction around doors and windows) leaving an inch of open void to be filled after with Phenoseal....I want to seal that area and stabilize the thickness against which to "clamp" the window frame...

quote:
Originally posted by jduck00

I use the butyl tape. Easy to apply, easy to clean up. Currently fighting a battle on mine with leaking windows. It looks like the coring is gone and now the window frames are too thick to seal to the outside of the boat. My current solution is lots of tape. I suggest dry fitting your window to see if it pulls up nicely before you get the caulk out.

JLR

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3754 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2018 : 14:08:30

That is what I did with 4200 that CD shipped. There was no core between the liner and outer fiberglass layer, never had been. There were a few bits of plywood as spacers. I filled the entire perimeter with the 4200 to seal the opening from the bilge, feeling that I would rather have a leak apparent in the cabin than flowing into the bilge without my being aware.

Dave B. aboard Pearl
1982 TR/SK/Trad. #3399
Lake Erie/Florida Panhandle

stang9150
Navigator

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USA
138 Posts

Response Posted - 04/16/2018 : 09:31:24

I would say not to use the expanding foam to fill that gap. My PO did that and it was awful to remove. It absorbs water also if you do get a leak. Once I got all the foam out of my gap, I cut some plywood. I installed the plywood down into the void. I cut the pieces for the sides and the top and bottom. I then installed and clamped overnight.Once I removed the clamps I sanded down and faired it out. This made the area much stronger.

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3992 Posts

Response Posted - 04/16/2018 : 10:21:01

A guy next to me was sealing his leaking windows on a Capri. To fill the gap he used outdoor construction adhesive in a caulk gun. He filled the gap then smoothed the edge with his finger. Next day it was solid and he installed the windows. Those wood spacer blocks I believe are placed where the screws for the windows go so the screws have something to screw into.

Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound

Edited by - islander on 04/16/2018 10:23:31

jduck00
Captain

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USA
313 Posts

Response Posted - 04/16/2018 : 12:34:55

quote:
Originally posted by islander

A guy next to me was sealing his leaking windows on a Capri. To fill the gap he used outdoor construction adhesive in a caulk gun.

That sounds like a winner to me. I'm going to try it next time I pull the windows out. I'm also in the process of removing all of the seals and just gluing the window panes in the frames. If the lexan replacements weren't so expensive, I would already be done with the AL frames.

Jeremy Duck
The Lucky Duck
1980 SKSR Hull # 1850

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 04/17/2018 : 13:30:25

Several of my windows leak right through and I know that water must also be running down into the void between the inner and outer shells of the cabin. Do I need to take the whole window apart to get in behind the outer frame? Isn�t there some kind of magic goop to form a bead around the outside of the frame?, or am I dreaming. I have a waterproof white caulk I�ve used on the tub. Yep, I�m dreaming.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

BKPC25
1st Mate

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USA
74 Posts

Response Posted - 04/25/2018 : 14:23:40

Here is a link to a blog:
https://79catalina25.com/2017/08/09/portlight-project/
The kit was purchased at Catalina Direct.

1973 C22 #1803 "Baby Adalynne"
(1979 C25 #1389 "Adalynne")
Instagram: #sailingadalynne
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCQCd-egRgoAJi6fUvgEvI_A
Lake Travis, Austin, TX

yachtsea
1st Mate

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USA
73 Posts

Response Posted - 07/05/2018 : 12:11:02

Hello,

I read through this thread and some others and reviewed a couple good videos from Youtube Univ. on types of sealants and adhesives. All good stuff to have but I'm looking for shared opinion now that I have one.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/HsuBYWJCaHoneWki8
Photos of a 1985 C25, SR/SK portlight above the head. I'm a little surprised at how well the silicone, if that is indeed what the transparent strip is, is holding together that well. Due to stretch and misplacement upon closure, the seal is ineffective.

From previously-mentioned articles and videos, I don't feel that silicone was a poor choice for this application, maybe just a poor product and/or poor prep. Perhaps a marine-grade silicone would work but I want to void things like 5200 that would be very difficult to replace without destruction.

Thanks,

Carl

Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1889 Posts

Response Posted - 07/05/2018 : 16:59:08

I know various authorities on the matter criticize the adhesive properties of RTV silicone sealant. However, I used it to bed the cabin top teak handrails on my boat, making sure to form a complete gasket. When I went to remove the handrails years later for refinishing, the 'weak' silicone ripped splinters out of the teak! I ended up using hammer to drive a sharpened putty knife like a chisel to get the rails off without breaking them. By the way, that's also a good reason to form a thick gasket of silicone -- so you have a gap to drive the putty knife into.

-- Leon Sisson

� Leon Sisson

bigelowp
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1736 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2018 : 18:50:07

Ah, ignorance is bliss! My 1980 boat has tons of issues and water gets in from and around the hatch boards, however as ugly as my windows/ports may look, I have never had water enter the interior from them. I suspect that maybe water has entered between the window and glass, but I have no moisture (readings with meter) issues. As ugly as the windows look I don't want to fix what seems to be working. Call me crazy, but ignorance is . . . . .

Peter Bigelow
C-25 TR/FK #2092 Limerick
Rowayton, Ct
Port Captain: Rowayton/Norwalk/Darien CT

BKPC25
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
74 Posts

Response Posted - 07/07/2018 : 15:34:48

Here is a video of portlight removals. C22 is the same as C25 or C27s.
https://youtu.be/y-hfDWKDbBM

1973 C22 #1803 "Baby Adalynne"
(1979 C25 #1389 "Adalynne")
Instagram: #sailingadalynne
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCQCd-egRgoAJi6fUvgEvI_A
Lake Travis, Austin, TX

Akenumber
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
247 Posts

Response Posted - 07/17/2018 : 17:14:58

I bought the kit from CD and it was a waste of money. Ended up not relating and used butyl after trying their messy goo. Much better with the butyl. The orrigional lasted 30 plus years.

Ken
San Diego
84 C25 SR/FK 4116
The KRAKEN

Sailynn
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
178 Posts

Response Posted - 07/19/2018 : 12:21:57

Use butyl tape and skip the messy goo cleanup

Lynn Buchanan
1988 C25 SR/WK #5777
Sailynn
Nevada City, CA

yachtsea
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
73 Posts

Response Posted - 07/20/2018 : 05:55:18

Hi All,

Buytl tape looks like a good solution, provided you find reputable manufacturer, but this is the gasket IN the portlight that was compromised. The fixture-to-boat is sound, it's just if you open the window, the gasket was failing and now I have removed entirely, reseated temporarily, and closed which will get me by until I reapply adhesive sealant and gasket...looks like a new gasket would not be a bad idea either. It was torn in a couple places.

Carl

Erik Cornelison
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
194 Posts

Response Posted - 07/20/2018 : 07:42:17

So are you looking for new window gasket? The part that seals the window to frame, not frame to boat?

quote:
Originally posted by yachtsea

Hi All,

Buytl tape looks like a good solution, provided you find reputable manufacturer, but this is the gasket IN the portlight that was compromised. The fixture-to-boat is sound, it's just if you open the window, the gasket was failing and now I have removed entirely, reseated temporarily, and closed which will get me by until I reapply adhesive sealant and gasket...looks like a new gasket would not be a bad idea either. It was torn in a couple places.

Carl

Erik Cornelison
6th Generation Professional Sailor, First Gen Submarine Sailor.
1986 Standard Rig SW. #5234

bigelowp
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1736 Posts

Response Posted - 07/20/2018 : 20:02:37

Ah, the perils of our boats. I have no leaks with my ugly windows on a 1980 boat. Also have no idea what the previous owner did, and based on all else they did, it is suspect, but no leaks. Then again, no leaks into the cabin but I suspect leaks into the between deck -- which means eventual core rot. Each time I read about the various attempts to eliminate window/port leaks, and all the work their repair requires as well as often questionable results, I remember all the many green field manufacturing plants I have been involved with building throughout my career. ALL have had leaky roofs. Some things are just inevitable -- or require tenacity to resolve!

Peter Bigelow
C-25 TR/FK #2092 Limerick
Rowayton, Ct
Port Captain: Rowayton/Norwalk/Darien CT

Chichester
Deckhand

Members Avatar

USA
20 Posts

Response Posted - 07/25/2018 : 14:56:14

Hi Thanks BKPC I'm working on my windows right now. Shortly I'll post a link to my video. It was hard to find anything about the Catalina Direct Complete window kit so I decided to make a video using their kit and instructions. You can follow my blog here.

www.martinjlaight.com/blog

Again, thanks for pointing to this video...very very helpful.

If life is a river then mine is a lake: dammed at each end by the chores of modern-day living.

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