"max camirand" wrote in message
...
Hi group,

My Gazelle is lacking portlights. The portholes are 8". I'm looking
for a source for affordable opening portlights of that dimension. Ebay
and google don't yield much. I can't afford bronze, so I'm open to all
materials (including plastic) if they're strong enough for offshore
duty.

Regards,
-Maxime

Fuller Brush company makes some very tough plastic portlights. They last
over 20 years and maybe a lot longer if protected from natural and manmade
attacks.
Last I checked a large (+/- 14") went for about $170.

On Fri, 8 Jan 2010 11:21:44 -0500, "mmc" wrote:


"max camirand" wrote in message
...
Hi group,

My Gazelle is lacking portlights. The portholes are 8". I'm looking
for a source for affordable opening portlights of that dimension. Ebay
and google don't yield much. I can't afford bronze, so I'm open to all
materials (including plastic) if they're strong enough for offshore
duty.

Regards,
-Maxime

Fuller Brush company makes some very tough plastic portlights. They last
over 20 years and maybe a lot longer if protected from natural and manmade
attacks.
Last I checked a large (+/- 14") went for about $170.


I've got Fuller ports on my boat - built in 1971.The ports are still
in first class shape.

Cheers,

Bruce
(bruceinbangkokatgmaildotcom)

On Jan 8, 3:53*pm, Bruce In Bangkok wrote:

I've got Fuller ports on my boat - built in 1971.The ports are still
in first class shape.

Bruce

My Dear Bruce:

My 1979 Freya had 7x15 (i think) Fuller Brush ports. Something to
consider. As I was ripping them out they frames shatered. After 30
years me thinks the PLASTIC reached the end of their design life. In
oter words the elements done rotted them,

Get them out or dont go to see and ex[ect to have thme withstand a
good hit. They WILL blow out. Go look at the hinge that attached the
lense to the port. The hinge is just a sliver of plastic that has
become extreamly brittle, in your case, after THRITY NINE YEARS.... my
god bruce plastic that is nearly 40 years old.... humm.
bob

On Sat, 16 Jan 2010 05:02:09 -0800 (PST), Bob
wrote:

On Jan 8, 3:53*pm, Bruce In Bangkok wrote:

I've got Fuller ports on my boat - built in 1971.The ports are still
in first class shape.

Bruce

My Dear Bruce:

My 1979 Freya had 7x15 (i think) Fuller Brush ports. Something to
consider. As I was ripping them out they frames shatered. After 30
years me thinks the PLASTIC reached the end of their design life. In
oter words the elements done rotted them,

Get them out or dont go to see and ex[ect to have thme withstand a
good hit. They WILL blow out. Go look at the hinge that attached the
lense to the port. The hinge is just a sliver of plastic that has
become extreamly brittle, in your case, after THRITY NINE YEARS.... my
god bruce plastic that is nearly 40 years old.... humm.
bob

Apparently there must be different "Fuller Ports" as from your
description of your ports you have totally different ports from what I
have installed in my boat. You state, for example, that the hinge is
"just a sliver of plastic", while my ports have four blocks,
approximately 3/4" in width and thickness, for hinge points and the
equal for the locking screws.

In addition, some months ago one of the ports started to leak a bit so
I removed it and re-bedded it. Since they were all likely to have been
installed at the same time I, with the hope of heading off future
leaks, decided to remove and re-bed all the remaining ports. None of
them shattered while I was removing, or reinstalling them,

Cheers,

Bruce
(bruceinbangkokatgmaildotcom)

"Bruce In Bangkok" wrote in message
news
On Sat, 16 Jan 2010 05:02:09 -0800 (PST), Bob
wrote:

On Jan 8, 3:53 pm, Bruce In Bangkok wrote:

I've got Fuller ports on my boat - built in 1971.The ports are still
in first class shape.

Bruce

My Dear Bruce:

My 1979 Freya had 7x15 (i think) Fuller Brush ports. Something to
consider. As I was ripping them out they frames shatered. After 30
years me thinks the PLASTIC reached the end of their design life. In
oter words the elements done rotted them,

Get them out or dont go to see and ex[ect to have thme withstand a
good hit. They WILL blow out. Go look at the hinge that attached the
lense to the port. The hinge is just a sliver of plastic that has
become extreamly brittle, in your case, after THRITY NINE YEARS.... my
god bruce plastic that is nearly 40 years old.... humm.
bob

Apparently there must be different "Fuller Ports" as from your
description of your ports you have totally different ports from what I
have installed in my boat. You state, for example, that the hinge is
"just a sliver of plastic", while my ports have four blocks,
approximately 3/4" in width and thickness, for hinge points and the
equal for the locking screws.

In addition, some months ago one of the ports started to leak a bit so
I removed it and re-bedded it. Since they were all likely to have been
installed at the same time I, with the hope of heading off future
leaks, decided to remove and re-bed all the remaining ports. None of
them shattered while I was removing, or reinstalling them,

Cheers,

Bruce
(bruceinbangkokatgmaildotcom)

Bruce,
I replaced 2 on my '73 GS 41 that were beyond hazed. After prying with a
flat bar, beating with a hammer and wood chisel, etc, etc, I ended up using
a recipricating saw to cut them apart to get them out because the plastic
was STRONG and the mfr used a bunch of bedding on each. There was no way in
hell they were going to blow out.