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PORTLIGHT REFURBISHING
The portlights were in dire need of refurbishment. The plexiglass windows were cloudy and very
scratched and the frames were incredibly tarnished. Also, the small opening portlights had rotten
seals and would not open. The first step was to remove the portlights and this was done at the
same time I removed the hardware from the deck. They were bedded in some form of tenacious
caulk and, while this was a messy job, it wasn't all that bad. I started with the four large deadlights in
the main cabin. The are held in place with screws that pass through the inner frame and thread into
the outer one. When the screws are tightened, they draw the two frames together and hold the
window in place. Conceptually, a fine idea, in practice though it leaves a bit to be desired. A number
of Triton owners have throughbolted the frames in order to improve their integrity.
To remove the deadlights, I removed the screws from the inner frame. About one in four had the
head of the screw simply fall off. Once the screws were removed, I used a thin paint scraper and,
pulling the frame as I went, I worked around the window until the frame came off. The removal of the
outer frame and the window was accomplished at the same time. Working from the inside, I pressed
the frame out at the top. I gripped the top of the frame and, applying pressure, I worked the paint
scraper between the frame and the cabin side. In order to be sure everything fit back as it should, I
labeled each frame and each window. They are not identical. The removal of the large deadlights
took about 5 minutes each.
The smaller portlights were even easier. The portlights fit into the cabin side as a complete unit and
are held in place by a retaining ring that fits around the outside. This ring attaches to the portlight
with four screws (some Triton frames have six screws). As the rings are on the outside, I simply
unscrewed each one and laid it on the deck in front of its respective portlight. I then went inside the
boat, pulled the portlights out of the cabin side and place them on the outside deck by their rings. I
labeled each one by writing on the plexiglass and put them into large Ziplock bags for cleaning at
home.
Once all of the portlights were out, I had to clean up all of the bedding caulk on the cabin sides.
This was far and away the hardest part of the job. I used the scraper to pick up the majority of it
and the remainder was wiped up with a great deal of acetone and patience.
I brought the potlighrs home for refurbishing. The first step was to remove the plexiglass windows
and place them with the ones for the deadlight. Cleaning the portlights themselves was
straightforward - and tedious. I used a variety of wire wheels and sand paper to remove the tarnish.
Acetone and a 1" paint scraper took care of the residual bedding compound.
The deadlight frames were much easier than the complicated portlights. I removed the bedding
compound in the same fashion and ran the DA sander lightly over the frames with 400 grit. After all
of the tarnish was removed, I polished everything.
As a final step in the refurb process, I sprayed all of the frames with a spray laquer in an effort to
keep the tarnish at bay, at least for a while. (Update 12/5/2006: The spray lacquer does not last
long, at least in this climate. If keeping them bright is important, either be prepared to maintain the
lacquer or go over the frames evrey couple of months with a high number grit 3M sanding pad.)
The windows were replaced with lexan and simply cut using the old, scratched ones as templates.
Rebedding the portlights is essentially a reversal of the removal procedure, just a lot messier and
more frustrating. I replaced the portlights the day before Hurricane Katrina arrived, so there was
some urgency to the replacement. That showed - three of the four deadlights leaked badly and
were rebed in October.
I used butyl caulk to bed the portlights. It is very cheap and available in any hardware store. It's
often used when installing gutters on homes and comes in a few colors, most commonly black,
white, or grey. It's good stuff - it will maintain it's pliability and water resistance for many years.
This photo shows some of the residual butyl caulk around the portlight.
Unless your name is Sisyphus, don't think of trying to clean the stuff up
before it cures. Acetone and heavy contractor-type paper towels, like
"Rags-In-A-Box," make short work of it.
scratched and the frames were incredibly tarnished. Also, the small opening portlights had rotten
seals and would not open. The first step was to remove the portlights and this was done at the
same time I removed the hardware from the deck. They were bedded in some form of tenacious
caulk and, while this was a messy job, it wasn't all that bad. I started with the four large deadlights in
the main cabin. The are held in place with screws that pass through the inner frame and thread into
the outer one. When the screws are tightened, they draw the two frames together and hold the
window in place. Conceptually, a fine idea, in practice though it leaves a bit to be desired. A number
of Triton owners have throughbolted the frames in order to improve their integrity.
To remove the deadlights, I removed the screws from the inner frame. About one in four had the
head of the screw simply fall off. Once the screws were removed, I used a thin paint scraper and,
pulling the frame as I went, I worked around the window until the frame came off. The removal of the
outer frame and the window was accomplished at the same time. Working from the inside, I pressed
the frame out at the top. I gripped the top of the frame and, applying pressure, I worked the paint
scraper between the frame and the cabin side. In order to be sure everything fit back as it should, I
labeled each frame and each window. They are not identical. The removal of the large deadlights
took about 5 minutes each.
The smaller portlights were even easier. The portlights fit into the cabin side as a complete unit and
are held in place by a retaining ring that fits around the outside. This ring attaches to the portlight
with four screws (some Triton frames have six screws). As the rings are on the outside, I simply
unscrewed each one and laid it on the deck in front of its respective portlight. I then went inside the
boat, pulled the portlights out of the cabin side and place them on the outside deck by their rings. I
labeled each one by writing on the plexiglass and put them into large Ziplock bags for cleaning at
home.
Once all of the portlights were out, I had to clean up all of the bedding caulk on the cabin sides.
This was far and away the hardest part of the job. I used the scraper to pick up the majority of it
and the remainder was wiped up with a great deal of acetone and patience.
I brought the potlighrs home for refurbishing. The first step was to remove the plexiglass windows
and place them with the ones for the deadlight. Cleaning the portlights themselves was
straightforward - and tedious. I used a variety of wire wheels and sand paper to remove the tarnish.
Acetone and a 1" paint scraper took care of the residual bedding compound.
The deadlight frames were much easier than the complicated portlights. I removed the bedding
compound in the same fashion and ran the DA sander lightly over the frames with 400 grit. After all
of the tarnish was removed, I polished everything.
As a final step in the refurb process, I sprayed all of the frames with a spray laquer in an effort to
keep the tarnish at bay, at least for a while. (Update 12/5/2006: The spray lacquer does not last
long, at least in this climate. If keeping them bright is important, either be prepared to maintain the
lacquer or go over the frames evrey couple of months with a high number grit 3M sanding pad.)
The windows were replaced with lexan and simply cut using the old, scratched ones as templates.
Rebedding the portlights is essentially a reversal of the removal procedure, just a lot messier and
more frustrating. I replaced the portlights the day before Hurricane Katrina arrived, so there was
some urgency to the replacement. That showed - three of the four deadlights leaked badly and
were rebed in October.
I used butyl caulk to bed the portlights. It is very cheap and available in any hardware store. It's
often used when installing gutters on homes and comes in a few colors, most commonly black,
white, or grey. It's good stuff - it will maintain it's pliability and water resistance for many years.
This photo shows some of the residual butyl caulk around the portlight.
Unless your name is Sisyphus, don't think of trying to clean the stuff up
before it cures. Acetone and heavy contractor-type paper towels, like
"Rags-In-A-Box," make short work of it.
