[hiccup]

2001 38 Open...

need to remove & re-bed all 6 portlights.  2 of them have cracks in the exterior stainless bezel.  Most of them show signs of corrosion around the screws on the inside (rust).  I'm thinking that at least 2 of them will need to be replaced and potentially all 6 depending on how hard/easy it is to remove the rusted screws.

Does anyone know who made these?  The part number?  Availability?  Cost?

Anyone here done this job?  Tips etc?

Thanks

[hiccup]

OK, after reaching out to Tiara customer service and doing a bit of digging myself I found some good info. Tiara will sell them to you for $442/each and they are Tiara p/n 5393670. They list lead time as 6-8 weeks.

However, I have also learned that Tiara gets them from a company called GG Schmitt and they are GG Schmitt p/n 97002C-2 and are available direct online for $257. Tiara customer service confirmed after the fact that this is the correct manufacturer & p/n. However, they claimed that GG Schmitt will not sell direct to the public. With that said, I was able to place an order for them via the GG Schmitt website ([Only registered and activated users can see links Click here to register]) and got an order confirmation immediately after placing the order. Fingers are crossed this works out and I save almost $200/window.

I post this for other 3800 Open owners who may need to replace their portlights in the future.

[twilson0929]

This was very helpful. Was about to discuss having all 6 port lights rebedded on my 01 3800. Mine don’t look that bad but another 3800 owner I met had extensive balsa core damage around the port lights. I last had the hull checked for moisture 3 years ago. No issues then but think it’s time. May be worth changing the entire unit. Please post back of any issues once they are received.

[GeoDoc]

Just wondering....How much it would cost to toss all the opening ports and have the holes glassed in? Probably be a good time to do this and paint the hull a nice Fighting Lady Yellow.  Don't know how this would fly in parts of the country where you actually open the ports but in SW Florida we live by Air Conditioning.

[hiccup]

I will keep the board updated on how the purchase goes. I got an order confirmation but no shipping notice yet.

I ordered 3...I am going to remove and re-bed all 6 and can see that 2 of them are already cracked/damaged. I figured I would replace the 2 that are cracked plus have an extra in case I damage another during removal. Shipping was only ~$20 so if I need to order more it's not a big deal.

As for glassing them in, I don't have an idea on the cost, but you can see how it would look as the 38 Open w/Plan B interior has no portlights. I like the look of the portlights and appreciate the ventilation, but I agree they may not be worth the trouble. Keep in mind you'd have to figure out how to dress up the interior as well after removing the portlights. Seems like a significant undertaking. My plan is to seal the balsa coring with epoxy which will prevent any core issues in the future even if the portlights do leak.

[hiccup]

Portlights were shipped quickly. Clearly a drop in replacement but there are differences in the hinges--functionally equivalent but potentially important cosmetically if you want them all to match.

Also, it comes with a screen but no privacy shade, just as an FYI. Overall I'm very pleased given the reasonable cost. I will try to remember to take a picture of the old & new next to each other so others can see the differences.

[GeoDoc]

I ordered some new gaskets directly from GG Schmitt for my 2002 3800. When I tried to install them they were too fat and were of a completely different shape from the ones I had.  But I removed the old gasket and applied the silicon for the new one. I put the new gasket in and the window would not close. Sh** I said. So I cleaned up the old gasket and put it back in. I notified GG Schmitt of this and they said "Oh you must have the old style port holes". They sent me the old style gaskets and they were like the ones I had.

So I am guessing that you purchased the new style windows which fit the existing hole but are different from the ones you had.

[hiccup]

        Yes, you're 100% correct.  The main differences between the old & new portlights are the seal and then the hinges are changed so they work with the new seal.  The new seal is, as you mention, much thicker in depth so that it can compress more as the window is closed.  It also has a secondary sealing lip.  When closing the window you can clearly tell that you are compressing the seal a great deal more.  After looking at the new and old next to each other I have decided to replace all 6 to the new style.  No sense in going to the trouble of re-bedding an inferior portlight that we all know is prone to leaking.

Here are a couple pictures of old vs new

[GeoDoc]

Great information...as I expected. Thanks

My issue is that I am getting high moisture readings under the porthole (in salon) which I ordered the new gasket for. I have replaced the gasket and caulked the outside to seal it off and am still getting high readings on my meter. To isolate the problem I installed the pictured elliptical eyebrow stuck to the fiberglass above the porthole to stop rain from getting in anywhere around it. It is raining cats and dogs right now here in SW Florida. If the area under the porthole in the salon is dry when I check it tomorrow with the meter, the water is entering the boat from elsewhere and running to porthole. Doesn't seem possible but there could be no other explanation if it is still wet. But, if it is there the next step is to pressurize the salon and squirt soapy water around the windshield, rail screws, etc.

If anyone is interested in the eye brows they can be ordered from seaworthy.com. Installations on most boats are above the rub rail but in my case it is below and does not stick out far enough to get knocked off.

[hiccup]

First, I think every Tiara owner (or any cored boat) should own and understand how to use a moisture meter.  I think it is prudent to use it on a regular basis to identify moisture before it becomes a problem...maybe in the spring and again in the fall...or something like that.  It sounds like you're aligned w/that thinking.

With all that said, I've found you do have to be careful with them and never believe the meter over your lying eyes.  I had moisture showing around my portlights w/the meter.  But now that I have removed them I can see that the coring is A-OK.  The meter appears to be picking up moisture in the foam on the interior of the boat.  The portlights had been leaking through the gasket and it had been dripping down into the foam.  Also the meter will spike when close to metal, so you cannot expect meaningful readings too close to the portlight frames.  However, just because the meter is not accurate around metal does not mean it is useless.  I have put my meter on many Tiaras and other cored boats.  Many of them show coring saturation well away from any metal etc.  This is what you're trying to catch early.

My approach is to re-bed anything questionable and confirm the condition of the core when doing so.  Once everything is back together use the meter to establish baseline readings around the boat.  Then when doing periodic checks compare readings not to the absolute scale but to your baselines, and recognize that you just cannot use the meter in all locations (e.g. right up close to metal).  The known trouble spots are where water can pool around core penetrations--anchor locker drain, air intake/flower box drains, windlass area w/flat horizontal sections, etc.

If you're getting high readings immediately following a rain storm, and then it dries up, that does not sound like moisture in the coring--it takes a long time for water to travel through end-grain balsa--years.  That sounds more like you have surface moisture from the rainfall (which most meters will trigger on) or water running down into the cosmetic foam or against an interior wall.