opinions & comments wanted

[lowufo]

whats the best material to replace our port lights with ?lexan ,acrylic,plexi etc. The non skid factory stick in stuff on deck has old repairs made to it.leaving patches filled holes etc. what can we do to .... relace this stuff,repair it ,or go over it with something that looks good and is non skid.a complete repaint will be in order this fall

[Skipper Dan]

How big are your lights? Off shore or coastal? How often do you want to replace them? I have very large lights (Triton) so I am going to start with tinted Lexan. Knowing I may have to replace them in 2 to 3 years. I really want to see how they hold up. I may even make a set out of Acrylic ready to go. It is not that hard if you have the template made already.

Sand down the areas that you have smooth everything out with a marine grade epoxy filler and repaint with non slip paint.

Dan

[mitiempo]

I'd recommend acrylic, commonly called plexiglass. While lexan is stronger it scratches easily and doesn't like uv either. All major hatch manufacturers except Bomar use acrylic and it will last a long time in a hatch or port. A neighbor at my marina has a Spencer 35 and hir acrylic fixed ports are original and look pretty good - his boat is early 60s, one boat apart from Hal Roth's Whisper. If they are larger go with a bit thicker acrylic and do it once. And choice of sealant is critical as well. Best is Dow 739 structural silicone. It is not much like what you see in a marine store - it is used for glazing on high rise buildings without fasteners.

Bomar hatches use lexan and they install bars across under the glazing because lexan can flex too much and break the seal.