Typhoon Advice: New portlights; gelcoat matching

[Don Craig]

I'm a new Typhoon owner ready for some lake sailing (sailed a CD28 out of LA 10 years ago), and have a couple upgrade/maintenance questions:

1) Portlights on the boat are aluminum/plexi. Weren't bronze ports standard? Know of a source for round bronze ports that wouldn't require enlarging the factory cutouts (which are 4 1/8--Spartan's ports call for 4 3/4 holes)? Guess I'll cut/file if I have to.

2) Anyone have a magic formula for a close color match on gelcoat repairs to standard CD cabin and deck white? Have some chips and holes to fill.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Don Craig
Dallas



dlaurence@msn.com

[John B]

Don,

I have a '77 Ty with the plexi port lights you mention and I believe they are original. I have read on this board where some have upgraded their port lights with brass, just watch out for the maintenance.

With newer Ty's, CD may have upgraded to brass.

John B.
"Vahevala"



johnb91536@aol.com

[Don Craig]

Came across another Typhoon at a marina this afternoon, and it appears the ports are chrome plated bronze--not aluminum...duh-- (some of the plating had worn off). So the easier solution would seem to be stripping the plating and replacing the plexi with Lexan or plate glass bedded in silicone. Anybody else done this?

[Richard Stephens]

Don,

ABI has some fixed (non-opening) ports that require enlarging the cutout by about 1/4 inch. It takes a bit of hard work and some expoxy filler to fill the gap between inner and outer skin. The overall diameter is about the same. I bought mine for about $35 each, from JSI (www.sailnet.com, they were a special order, not in the catalog).

Enjoy your Ty!

Regards,
Richard.



richard@memory-map.com

[Don Craig]

Richard,

Thanks for the advice and encouragement. I've found a couple sources for nice bronze round ports, but none is a direct replacement without filing and filling. As I second-posted, I believe the original ports are chrome-plated bronze. For $35 I can have the chrome stripped on both, then polished, and replace the lights with new Lexan bedded in silicone for another $15. If the factory ports are NOT as I suspect, then Plan B.

Thanks to all respondents.

Don,

ABI has some fixed (non-opening) ports that require enlarging the cutout by about 1/4 inch. It takes a bit of hard work and some expoxy filler to fill the gap between inner and outer skin. The overall diameter is about the same. I bought mine for about $35 each, from JSI (www.sailnet.com, they were a special order, not in the catalog).

Enjoy your Ty!

Regards,
Richard.