Chrysler Sailors Forum

I JUST BOUGHT 2 OPENING PORTLIGHT OFF EBAY FOR MY V BIRTH ON MY C26. HAS ANY ONE SEEN PORT LIGHTS IN THE V-BIRTH SHOULD BE AN EASY INSTALL THERE 3" X 15" OVAL JIM BLACK & ASSOCIATES INC PORTS. ANY ADVICE,DOES,DONTS I MEAN THROW ME A BONE HERE, I CHANGED THE ONES ON MY EASTERLY 31 BUT NEVER INSTALLED ANY FROM SCRATCH, I JUST WISH I COULD CHANGE ALL MY PORT LIGHTS TO OPENING ONES WITH OUT SPENDING A FORTUNE.
THANKS STEVE
HELP!!!!! IM SCARED TO CUT MY BOAT

Hi Steve,

Don't remember ever seeing a C26 with portlights added up front, and I'm too chicken to cut much on mine as well, so I can't be much help. Where in the VBerth area are you planning on adding them ? I'm guessing just under the toe rail ? Right in front of the head/cabinet bulkhead or farther forward ?

IM LOOKING AT PUTTING THEM JUST FORWARD OF THE HEAD PORTS AND SAME ON THE OTHER SIDE. MY CABIN TOP DOSNT STOP LIKE YOURS IT CONTINUES ALL THE WAY TO THE NOSE NOT SURE WHY THET CHANGED THE DESIGN BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THERES PLENTY OF ROOM TO INSTALL THEM

I forgot about that difference, plus somewhere I had it in my pea brain you meant, you know, up in the fore berth under the toe rail. I see where you are now.

As long as it is a flat, nor curved, surface to mount on there I'd bet you won't have much trouble.

How much fiberglass would be left from the top of the portlight to the deck top, and under the portlight as well ?

(not leaving enough structure to prevent walking on the deck over them causing them to flex/stress, etc might be my only concern)

NOTICE how no one else is posting, and encouraging you to cut on your boat ? must be all laying low on the thought of it, huh ?

Good Luck, take some pics !

NOT SURE ON THE EXACT LOCATION AS TO WHERE ILL PUT THEM BUT ILL TAKE ALL PRECAUTIONS AS TO STRUCTURE INTEGRITY AFTER ALL THATS THE IMPORTANT THING. BUT I THINK THELL BE PLENTY OF ROOM ILL FIND OUT FOR SURE WHEN I GET THE PORTS IN

I GOT MY PORTLIGHTS IN YESTERDAY AND THEY LOOK GREAT IM EXCITED ABOUT PUTTING THEM IN BUT A LITTLE HESATANT ON CUTTING THE HOLE . LOOKS LIKE IT WILL BE A EASY INSTALL HAS ABOUT 2" ABOVE AND BELOW THE CUT OUT ,AND ON A FLAT SURFACE TO WORK WITH. JUST NOT SURE WHEN ILL START THE PROJECT IM GOING TO REMOVE ALL THE WINDOWS AND HAVE SOME NEW ONES MADE . I HAVE A WATER JET AT WORK WHICH MAKES IT NICE FOR REPLACEMENTS TO BE MADE .

one thing that its recommended to do when you replace portlights: in this Chryslers, there's usually a gap in between the cabin liner and the outside skin. Fill that gap with ticked epoxy to prevent water to leak and rot the core (usually honeycomb, at least in my boat)

Gus

p/s post pictures if you can!

I ALREADY HAVE A LEAKING PROBLEM ON THE AFT STARBOARD SIDE . I HAVE A SOFT SPOT IN THE DECK UNDER THE LAST WINDOW. IM HOPING THAT WHEN I TAKE OUT THE WINDOW ,I CAN CORRECT THE PROBLEM W/ THE THICKENED EPOXY AND FILL THE VOID TO GIVE THE DECK ITS STRENGTH BACK. ANY SUGESTIONS ARE APRECIATED.

Steve: I had 5 soft spots on deck (lifelines stanchions) To fix it I had to cut the liner, remove the rotten core, and replace with new wood and epoxy, took me forever! I still have a soft spot on the starboard chainplate, but the bulkhead haven't ripped thru the deck, so I'm taking it easy on that one.

Gus

The top of my c-26 was a huge softspot. Since I redid the whole boat I just drilled a bunch of small holes and fill them and the surrounding area with epoxy. Looking back at this process it took much longer that way then it would have if I would have simply removed the skin, replaced the rotten core and then glued the skin back down. The problem with drilling hole method is you have to drill ALOT of holes to get good penatration. Once the holes are drilled you have to seal and fair them. Just a pain.

I wanted to cut the skin all around the anti-skid areas and replace the core, but I went the other way and cut the liner inside the cabin, cant barely see it unless u are looking at the repairs.

Gus I think cutting from the underside is a pretty good idea. It would cut down on the work you would need to do on the topside. I guess you just have to put everything back together in reverse order.