Bow Port Light Removal

[Sadey]

Crossing the Gulf on our way north with seas on the bow we discovered every leak Benedetto had. We have spent most of the summer tracking down and correcting the leaks. All of the rain leaks have been fixed. Except for the galley windows which will be replaced over the winter with windows from Broadus. We still get water in the forward stateroom mainly on the starboard side top bunk if we have waves on the bow. Not big enough to break over the forward deck but enough to reach the port lights and rub rail. Even though the hull to deck joint on these boats are glassed we still removed the rub rail, old caulk and use dozens of tubes of Life Caulk to reseal that joint. That solved the problem of water coming in from the port side bow.
So now I’m fairly certain the water ingress is coming through the starboard side port lights.
I removed the outside trim rings which apparently are only there for looks. I do not see any screws on the outside of the hull. To remove the port lights do I just remove all of the screws from the inside of the boat then push the port light from outside to in? Which with all of the caulk is easier said than done.
I realize this is long winded way to ask one question but I wanted to give as much information as possible as to what I have done in the event somebody has other suggestions.

The previous owner must have never been in anything other than calm seas. In the beginning it didn’t take much to completely soak the forward state room all the way to the carpet.

[rsmith]

If it’s the plastic type your going to destroy it trying to get it out. I’d cut the caulk out of the joint under the trim ring and recaulk there and see what happens

[Sadey]

Damn! Sometimes it’s the obvious staring you in the face that you can’t see. That would be a far better solution than removing those port lights. I’ll give it a try. What is best to use to dig out or remove that caulk around the port lights?
Thanks Robert!

[johnjen50]

So I’ve recently discovered the joys of xylene, which you can get anywhere. That being said it may remove paint, but if there’s any silicon under there nothing will stick without dissolving and removing that first. If you protect the paint the xylene with a course plastic bristle brush just dissolves the silicone, or softens a bead so you can peal it right off. Be careful of the paint tho.

[SEVEN]

Have you changed the port light gasket to see if that’s where the water entry is?

[Sadey]

Good catch, forgot to mention that I replaced every gasket on every port light.

[scottinsydney]

On our boat had same issue of soaked bunks .... it was the portlight seals.

In the end we closed the ports permanently and putting a bead of silicon on the plastic rim where it meets the seal.

No more leaks.

[Sadey]

Well now you have me curious. I have gone in after running the boat but I can’t remember if it was immediately afterwards or if I waited long enough for things to dry. If memory serves I have gone in shortly afterwards and the area around the wing nuts and the the vinyl material that covers the hull was dry. Sounds like a perfect excuse to take the boat for a ride. I’ll go down and see for myself if in fact water is coming through the port light hatch’s. I’m fairly certain it’s not especially after replacing the gaskets but it’s water and anything is possible. Hell the water could be coming from the swim platform.

[MadHatter53]

My bow deck hatch leaks onto the forward bunks.

[Westfield 11]

My rope hawsepipe will leak into the anchor locker and seep into the top bunk. I put a rubber glove over the open pipe and put the cover on top of that. No more leaks.