Fitting The Forward Ports

I gave the wooden blanks a three  coats of white paint and then fitted the ports.

I began by purchasing a reel of 'Harbe Butyl Tape Extra long 3 mm x 25 mm x 12 meter (1/8" x 1" x 15') Premium quality rubber mastic sealant tape grey (gray)' from Creek Side Sales EU for £15.80 (US$ 20 ish). I'm told that this gives a great watertight joint and comes away easy, many years later, if you are repairing or replacing.

I found it easy to work with and clean to the hands as long as you keep it 'flat' and don't let it fold back on itself .

I placed the tape flat along the ports, covering the flanges (with the screw holes) 

I similarly covered the outside flanges (above)

Next the ports were fitted and screwed internally (above) so that the edge protruded through to the outside of the cuddy  (below)

 The outside flanges, already primed with sealant tape (below) was placed over the protruding edges.

The outside flange was then screwed in place (above)

Meanwhile .... a Happy And Healthy 2020 to everyone

(Ignore the forward port, I just placed it there for the photo, rather than leave a hole)

The Forward Ports

This is a short follow-up on the previous post. I am talking about the most forward portholes in the wheelhouse, one on either side, near the deck.

Now I have decided to abandon customising and fitting the 'windows' with rubber seals, the aperture is much too large for the rectangular port I have purchased as an alternative.

Purchased Port

To combat the difference in size and shape I have made and fitted external and internal blanks.

External Blank

Internal Blank

As you can see they were 'glued' with epoxy resin including fillets around the edge.

When the epoxy had fully set the port was offered-up. 

Internal view of the new port

There remains only for the blanks to be tidied up and painted before permanently sealing and fitting the ports.

The Best-Laid Plans of Mice and Men Often Go Awry

....or... as Robbie Burns actually wrote it, "“The best laid schemes o' mice an' men  Gang aft a-gley.”

You can see from my previous post that I researched the process of fitting windows in the wheelhouse.

I went ahead and purchased the expensive rubber seal and the polycarbonate. The seal, however was massive and spiralled like a corkscrew.

 I tried leaving it on a radiator overnight to soften but no luck. I soaked in hot water, played a hairdryer on it as I tried to fit it all without success. Finally I tried cursing it and throwing it the length of the boathouse ... but no luck. Speaking to others who have tried it, without success, I decided to take alternative methods which didn't involve rubber seals.

I have began with the two lights (windows), one on each side of the cuddy part of the wheel house.

For these I bought two opening watertight ports  which you can see below. These were remarkably cheap at £25 each (US $33). 

They don't fit neatly into the window shape that I have cut out of the bulkhead as they slightly longer, narrower and a different shape. Consequently, I'm having to devise a way of fitting them.

I've started by cutting out a blank in 1/2 inch (12mm) marine ply into which the port will fit. This will be glued to the outside of the wheelhouse. Meanwhile I have cut another blank for the inside (below).

How this all comes together will become obvious in the next post when I fit the window into the boat