2015 Projects for Cal 2-25

Hi all- I own a Cal 2-25, Invincible Summer in Annapolis. I bought her 2 summers ago and have been running down my list of upgrades, maintenance. Last year with Charlie's help, we rebed the grabrails and ran main halyard and reefing lines to cockpit. This year, I will address minor leaks from portlights and jib sheet tracks. I plan to replace the Beckson 512 self drain opening ports with either Beckson rain drain ports or a Trimatrix port by New Found metals, that seems pretty hardy, but would require new holes. Any experience/thoughts on this project? The fixed ports are by Marks Plastics, and are leaking around the edge. I could buy replacements from Mark's, but my plan is to rebed and replace in a year or two (the lenses are not leaking). Any thoughts on whether I could successfully rebed 30+ year old plastic ports? Also for both port projects, I am considering either Dow 795 (silicone) or Butyl tape (Beckson recommends only silicone - the Newfound Metals would not need a bedding compound, they have gaskets). Lastly, the tracks for the jib sheet cars are attached to the toe rail, roughly (splintered fiberglass) connected by nuts/bolts. Any thoughts on removing the splintered fiberglass without unnecessary damage? Thanks in advance for your thoughts. Best, Mike

Mike, I replaced Marlyn's (1978 Cal2-39) fixed ports with Mark Plastics "oversized" safety glass ports several years ago and replaced the Bomar opening ports last year with SS ports from New Found Metals. My thoughts re your questions are below. Good luck! Duane Knize S/V Marlyn 1978 Cal2-39 #18 On 1/12/2015 8:53 AM, Michael Casillo mi… [at] yahoo.com [Cal_Boats] wrote: > > Hi all- > > I own a Cal 2-25, Invincible Summer in Annapolis. I bought her 2 > summers ago and have been running down my list of upgrades, maintenance. > > Last year with Charlie's help, we rebed the grabrails and ran main > halyard and reefing lines to cockpit. > > This year, I will address minor leaks from portlights and jib sheet > tracks. I plan to replace the Beckson 512 self drain opening ports > with either Beckson rain drain ports or a Trimatrix port by New Found > metals, that seems pretty hardy, but would require new holes. Any > experience/thoughts on this project? > Make a router template from the NFM pattern as they suggest to recut the openings using a router. No need to rent theirs. I used 1/4 inch ply. My ports required 5/8 holes to accommodate the bolts and butyl sealer. I recommend using hole saw to make clean holes. Fill all the old holes with epoxy putty as they would compromise the water seal. > > > The fixed ports are by Marks Plastics, and are leaking around the > edge. I could buy replacements from Mark's, but my plan is to rebed > and replace in a year or two (the lenses are not leaking). Any > thoughts on whether I could successfully rebed 30+ year old plastic ports? > My old ports, both fixed and opening, had become brittle and chipped and broke when removed (inserting a thin putty knife under the port flanges to cut the bedding adhesive). I don't think re-bedding is a realistic option. > > > Also for both port projects, I am considering either Dow 795 > (silicone) or Butyl tape (Beckson recommends only silicone - the > Newfound Metals would not need a bedding compound, they have gaskets). > Mark Plastics provided Dow 795 for bedding/gluing-on the fixed ports. NFM provided black butyl tape to water-proof the basically mechanical mounting. Both methods worked fine. > > > Lastly, the tracks for the jib sheet cars are attached to the toe > rail, roughly (splintered fiberglass) connected by nuts/bolts. Any > thoughts on removing the splintered fiberglass without unnecessary damage? > > Thanks in advance for your thoughts. > > Best, > > Mike > >

Duane- Thanks! I had a few follow up questions. What does oversized mean (I was just going to get a replacement that fits that hole)? Also, I take it you thought it worth it to go through the trouble (router cuts, building a mold, filling prior holes) of using a New Found Metal port, is there a reason you picked that option instead of using the same port? Did you opt for the totally SS port or the part SS (Trimatrix)? Lastly, what was the spigot size (size of the hull from outer edge of inside wall to outer edge of outside wall) for the opening port? Thank you very much! Best, Mike > On Jan 12, 2015, at 8:03 PM, "Duane Knize kn… [at] san.rr.com [Cal_Boats]" <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> wrote: > > Mike, > > I replaced Marlyn's (1978 Cal2-39) fixed ports with Mark Plastics "oversized" safety glass ports several years ago and replaced the Bomar opening ports last year with SS ports from New Found Metals. > My thoughts re your questions are below. > > Good luck! > Duane Knize > S/V Marlyn > 1978 Cal2-39 #18 > >> On 1/12/2015 8:53 AM, Michael Casillo mi… [at] yahoo.com [Cal_Boats] wrote: >> >> Hi all- >> >> I own a Cal 2-25, Invincible Summer in Annapolis. I bought her 2 summers ago and have been running down my list of upgrades, maintenance. >> >> Last year with Charlie's help, we rebed the grabrails and ran main halyard and reefing lines to cockpit. >> >> This year, I will address minor leaks from portlights and jib sheet tracks. I plan to replace the Beckson 512 self drain opening ports with either Beckson rain drain ports or a Trimatrix port by New Found metals, that seems pretty hardy, but would require new holes. Any experience/thoughts on this project? >> > Make a router template from the NFM pattern as they suggest to recut the openings using a router. No need to rent theirs. I used 1/4 inch ply. My ports required 5/8 holes to accommodate the bolts and butyl sealer. I recommend using hole saw to make clean holes. Fill all the old holes with epoxy putty as they would compromise the water seal. >> >> >> The fixed ports are by Marks Plastics, and are leaking around the edge. I could buy replacements from Mark's, but my plan is to rebed and replace in a year or two (the lenses are not leaking). Any thoughts on whether I could successfully rebed 30+ year old plastic ports? > My old ports, both fixed and opening, had become brittle and chipped and broke when removed (inserting a thin putty knife under the port flanges to cut the bedding adhesive). I don't think re-bedding is a realistic option. >> >> Also for both port projects, I am considering either Dow 795 (silicone) or Butyl tape (Beckson recommends only silicone - the Newfound Metals would not need a bedding compound, they have gaskets). > Mark Plastics provided Dow 795 for bedding/gluing-on the fixed ports. NFM provided black butyl tape to water-proof the basically mechanical mounting. Both methods worked fine. >> >> Lastly, the tracks for the jib sheet cars are attached to the toe rail, roughly (splintered fiberglass) connected by nuts/bolts. Any thoughts on removing the splintered fiberglass without unnecessary damage? >> >> Thanks in advance for your thoughts. >> >> Best, >> >> Mike >> > >

Mike, See below. Regards, Duane Knize On 1/13/2015 7:44 AM, Michael Casillo mi… [at] yahoo.com [Cal_Boats] wrote: > Duane- > > Thanks! I had a few follow up questions. What does oversized mean (I > was just going to get a replacement that fits that hole)? Mark Heacox of Mark plastics suggested the oversize option -- that's about 1/4 inch larger to cover the gelcoat discoloration pattern due to years of sun exposure vs being behind the window trim. It also allows for some realignment of the ports -- mine are now straight and even. It took minor trimming; I used a sanding drum/ power drill to fit the fixed ports. My original ports were amber plexiglass and very crazed, 'could hardly see through them. I selected safety glass to avoid future crazing. Mark suggested gray tinted glass as these area popular option. > Also, I take it you thought it worth it to go through the trouble > (router cuts, building a mold, filling prior holes) of using a New > Found Metal port, is there a reason you picked that option instead of > using the same port? Did you opt for the totally SS port or the part > SS (Trimatrix)? I had replaced the original factory Bomar PYHI 403 ports in 1994 with nearly identical replacements. Over the years a persistent leak developed that I was unable to completely fix. PHYI ports are no longer available -- the Bomar Gray models are inferior. So I opted for a more substantial replacement. My opening ports are 4x14. Trimatrix doesn't come in this size. From the Website pictures, it appears that mounting would be very similar. Be sure to consult their on line installation instructions. There was no mold -- the template provides an easy way to get the openings and mounting holes correctly positioned and precisely cut. I used white epoxy putty from WM to patch the existing holes. It pretty much stays put when applied; I did use tape on the cabin inside. > Lastly, what was the spigot size (size of the hull from outer edge of > inside wall to outer edge of outside wall) for the opening port? > Thank you very much! My cabin side wall is about 1/4 inch so I had to make 1/4 inch thick wood trim rings to allow mounting. I also opted for a shorter (1") spigot for aesthetic reasons. > > Best, > > Mike > > On Jan 12, 2015, at 8:03 PM, "Duane Knize kn… [at] san.rr.com > <mailto:kn… [at] san.rr.com> [Cal_Boats]" <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com > <mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com>> wrote: > >> Mike, >> >> I replaced Marlyn's (1978 Cal2-39) fixed ports with Mark Plastics >> "oversized" safety glass ports several years ago and replaced the >> Bomar opening ports last year with SS ports from New Found Metals. >> My thoughts re your questions are below. >> >> Good luck! >> Duane Knize >> S/V Marlyn >> 1978 Cal2-39 #18 >> >> On 1/12/2015 8:53 AM, Michael Casillo mi… [at] yahoo.com >> [Cal_Boats] wrote: >>> >>> Hi all- >>> >>> I own a Cal 2-25, Invincible Summer in Annapolis. I bought her 2 >>> summers ago and have been running down my list of upgrades, maintenance. >>> >>> Last year with Charlie's help, we rebed the grabrails and ran main >>> halyard and reefing lines to cockpit. >>> >>> This year, I will address minor leaks from portlights and jib sheet >>> tracks. I plan to replace the Beckson 512 self drain opening ports >>> with either Beckson rain drain ports or a Trimatrix port by New >>> Found metals, that seems pretty hardy, but would require new holes. >>> Any experience/thoughts on this project? >>> >> Make a router template from the NFM pattern as they suggest to recut >> the openings using a router. No need to rent theirs. I used 1/4 inch >> ply. My ports required 5/8 holes to accommodate the bolts and butyl >> sealer. I recommend using hole saw to make clean holes. Fill all the >> old holes with epoxy putty as they would compromise the water seal. >>> >>> >>> The fixed ports are by Marks Plastics, and are leaking around the >>> edge. I could buy replacements from Mark's, but my plan is to rebed >>> and replace in a year or two (the lenses are not leaking). Any >>> thoughts on whether I could successfully rebed 30+ year old plastic >>> ports? >>> >> My old ports, both fixed and opening, had become brittle and chipped >> and broke when removed (inserting a thin putty knife under the port >> flanges to cut the bedding adhesive). I don't think re-bedding is a >> realistic option. >>> >>> >>> Also for both port projects, I am considering either Dow 795 >>> (silicone) or Butyl tape (Beckson recommends only silicone - the >>> Newfound Metals would not need a bedding compound, they have gaskets). >>> >> Mark Plastics provided Dow 795 for bedding/gluing-on the fixed ports. >> NFM provided black butyl tape to water-proof the basically mechanical >> mounting. Both methods worked fine. >>> >>> >>> Lastly, the tracks for the jib sheet cars are attached to the toe >>> rail, roughly (splintered fiberglass) connected by nuts/bolts. Any >>> thoughts on removing the splintered fiberglass without unnecessary >>> damage? >>> >>> Thanks in advance for your thoughts. >>> >>> Best, >>> >>> Mike >>> >> >