Secure Easy Ordering 203-333-1412 www.beckson.com GASKETS FOR PORTS Most reports we receive about leaking windows have turned out to involve other manufacturers' ports. There are too many reasons why other ports leak to cover here; however, you are welcome to call Beckson for advice about solving your problems with non-Beckson ports. This article covers occurrences that are relevant to Beckson ports. On a Beckson port, the Beckson name or patent number is located between the hinges on the top face of the window frame. Leaks in older ports can be caused by either a dirty gasket or deterioration of the caulking. The first step is to find exactly where the water is leaking. Signs of improper or deteriorating caulking are: the bottom front of the window frame is dry but the area below it is wet; a leak is occurring at the screw heads; or the window frame or the cabin "above" it is wet. If the trail of a leak is not readily apparent, you can use the following logic as a short-cut in finding the cause without taking apart the cabin. A hull and deck are caulked together to form a water-tight assembly. Holes are then cut into this assembly for fittings and accessories. To find the source of a leak, look for these holes in the general area above the leak. For example, leaks in deck fittings can run down the inside of the hull or behind the liner and drip off the window frame leading one to conclude that the port must be leaking. Likewise, a window caulking leak which emerges at the bottom of the window frame will cause some to swear the window gasket has failed. Only when water is "visibly" leaking between the gasket and the lens is it not a caulking problem. Over-tightened gaskets can cause compression set; effectively the gasket becomes a solid piece of rubber, losing most of its resiliency and ability to repel water. Wiping the gasket with a very light coating of petroleum jelly and leaving the port open for a few days will rejuvenate the gasket. Cam latches will help avoid that problem. If you remove the gasket and screen from the window frame, remember to re-install the screen with the smooth side of the face toward you (so it will be against the gasket.) The legs on the screen fit into the groove in the port frame. The gasket should be placed with the seam at the top of the window. Push the leg of the gasket into the groove at the two corners of one end and then slightly stretching it, do the two corners on the other end. Then press in the rest and you are finished. Make sure the gasket is placed correctly with the seam at the 12:00 position. All manufacturers use an extruded gasket which is bonded in a loop. Since the bond point could interfere with the seal, we place this at the top of the window. A person removing and re-installing the gasket may not have noticed this. The resulting leak will be a rare drip, but why have any at all? Beckson Ports are not high maintenance! Many boat owners feel compelled to do some maintenance on the ports. Resist the urge! If you find yourself using an aerosol can of CRC or WD-40 or other lubricant, don't spray the hinges! If you are cleaning the galley with a spray cleaner, don't clean the lens. If you're annointing the boat with an aerosol insect spray, don't spray the screen or lens. A good rule of thumb is, if you won't put it on your face, don't put it on the window. Get more specific information at www.beckson.com/trouble.html Summary If a Beckson opening port has been performing fine and a leak suddenly appears, it is a deterioration of the caulking or a gasket problem. With only minimal care, you will be assured of satisfactory service and long life for your Beckson opening ports. . . . 36 years . . . through many storms on the great lakes . . . the Beckson ports never leaked a single drop of water!! Cliff and Sandy Steele, Kentucky, long-time Great Lakes boaters; authors of many thoughtful, entertaining informative articles about boating. “ WHAT YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT GASKETS FOR OPENING PORTS: NEW GASKETS The gasket you take out of your port is rectangular like the gasket on the right. The round one we send you looks wrong, but actually, all gaskets start out round. It's a matter of feeding the leg of the gasket into the groove in the frame. * GASKETS MODEL# GK-310 GK-410 GK-414 GK-512 GK-714 GK-8RD GASKETS FOR BECKSON OPENING PORTS Instructions at www.beckson.com/installgasket.html The Gasket is an important part of an opening port. For years of leak-free ports, check out the helpful tips above. To order new gaskets, use Model# GK followed by the port size. Ed Gillet already had about 30,000 miles of sailing and 10,000 miles of ocean kayaking experience when he left Monterrey, California in 1987 for a long-distance paddling voyage to Hawaii, a trip of 2400 miles across the Pacific. His very well-prepared 21-foot kayak included Beckson deck plates as part of the pontoon arrangement he created to keep the craft stable when he slept. After battling severe winds and crashing waves, he then had to deal with lack of wind, which slowed his journey considerably. It took 63 days instead of the 40 he'd estimated, putting a severe strain on his food supply and leading some to believe he was lost. However, he became the first, and still the only person to successfully kayak solo from California to Hawaii. Read about his remarkable journey, based on his logs and on interviews, in the 2018 book, The Pacific Alone by Dave Shively. SHORTStories BOATING WITH BECKSON OF EXTRAORDINARY Voyages 28