Bomar Portlight

Crazed lens

Whilst we were sourcing the mirrors and the chart covers the other week, we decided to further investigate having the lenses replaced on Moonshine's Bomar portlights.  To replace 6 complete portlights would be too expensive, and since it was only the lenses that looked unsightly due to star crazing it was only these that needed replacing. Looking for 'off the shelf replacements' proved impossible as we did not know the exact catalogue code for them, along with the fact that these would most certainly have to be imported from abroad.  After months of research we contacted http://boatwindow.co.uk/  to make all 6 in a grey tint.  



Temporary blank

 

http://boatwindow.co.uk/ required we send them our lens template, so a lens was removed and promptly packaged up and sent via Royal Mail to them.  A blank was made and fixed in place as a temporary measure from white formica covered plywood.

New lenses with protective film

 

We received the new portlights via courier last Tuesday along with the template lens we had previously sent.  These cost £144 including vat and delivery.  Prior to us approaching http://boatwindow.co.uk/ we had been quoted from another firm £70 labour per lens plus the additional cost of £700 for a sheet of material.

 

New lens fitted, adjusting the dogs

 

Earlier in the week the rubber seals were removed from the stainless steel portlights, these were cleaned and bonded to the frame.  We've previously had problems with window leaks, and we found this was due to bonding failure between the seal and frame.  When Moonshine was built, these portlights came complete with external fly screens, but had been cut away roughly by a previous owner, this also gave us the opportunity to remove any remnants of the mesh. 

Once the new lenses were fitted the locking dogs were adjusted, with a spanner which had been thinned down (by grinding). 

We are really pleased with the end result and obviously the price, and would recommend this family run company to anyone wishing to renew any plastic work...next year we may commission them to make new lenses for the 2 deck hatches.

 

Moonshine is once again all fuelled up and ready for her next voyage for the forthcoming Spring Bank Holiday week.  Weather permitting we intend on going to sea, however if the weather is not favourable it will be Hull, Grimsby and the River Trent.