Opening ports

[Susan Ray]

Hello all..The opening ports on the port side of my boat will no longer stay open when lifted...for some reason the starboard ones work fine. Has anyone had this problem and found out how to fix then to stay open? Thanks

[Susan Ray]

Okay you guys...all the opening ports out there stay open when lifted?
So what happened to mine? HELP!

[scotty]

Hi Susan.  Yep, I have the same problem (well one port won't stay up).  I haven't the foggiest how to fix it.  I'll look forward to seeing if someone has a cool fix too.

[Jim Hardesty]

Susan,
Don't know if mine is the same.  I would goggle the manufacture and get the instructions.  Here is how mine adjusts. First you need to very carfully remove the trim piece.  Its thin plastic and real fragile, yours is probally worse than mine due to age and sun exposure.  Then it's a simple mater of a hex head set screw on the side of the hinges.
Jim

[Susan Ray]

Thanks Jim but we must have different ports. No hex screw in side of hinge. It is solid black plastic with a grooved bar that rotates and something inside is suppose to catch in the grove and stay open. I will try the manufacture. FYI I have had the covers off and painted them to match the beigh interior. They were white before. The paint seemed to make them more pliable and a bit less brittle. Mahalo....

[Mike and Joanne Stimmler]

I have the same problem with the overhead hatch in the v-birth.

[Ron Hill]

Mike : Contact Lewmar and get a Roll Stop hinge repair kit.

Susan : Have you asked Lewmar? as your side ports are definitely Lewmar.  You could also dissect one of your hinges and tell us what's inside. 
A few thoughts  

[Susan Ray]

Ron...it sounds like I need the roll stop hinge repair kit...it that from Lewmar?
They have what is called Standard Portlight (Old) Hinge Kit (http://www.lewmar.com/products.asp?id=8725&lid=23712) and it is the port I have. There is no explanation as to what it fixes but I guess if I replace it, it will work like new.

I am working on dissecting the hinge as the pin that hold it together hits the screw that holds the port to the cabin. Not sure if I want to take those out....
Thanks for the help and I will continue to work on it. Susan

[Ron Hill]

Susan : I looked at mine now that you asked the question.  I believe they are a miniature roll stop design Like the Vberth.

That means that there is a elongated hard rubber bushing behind the hinge pushing against a roller/humped piece that fits into the notches that you can see in the hinge from the inside of the cabin.  This means the hard rubber piece is worn/softened so the piece it is pushing into the groves doesn't have enough pressure to counter the weight of the hatch - and falls down.

On the Vberth roll stop I found that I was my worst enemy!!  I would leave the hatch in a position where the roll stop was not in one of the 3 groves .  This constantly put pressure on the hard rubber bushing - killing it!!

Clear as mud?  A few thoughts. 

[Susan Ray]

Ron...I got what your saying but I am still reluctant to undo the screws in the cabin in order to get to the pin that needs to come out to replace the part. I may just live with using bamboo bbq sticks to hold them up...looks okay and works. Thanks...

[Ron Hill]

Susan : I don't think that you can rebuild hinge repair kit for the port light hinges like you can get for the roll stop Vberth.

I'd call Lewmar and see if they will sell you any port light hinges??  Worth a try as you can always get somemore bamboo!!  A thought

[Susan Ray]

Morning Ron,..Yes, they do have hinges you can buy. The problem is getting the old ones off. In order to do that you must remove a pin...which on my boat won't come out as it hits the bolt that holds the port to the cabin. In order to access the nuts  to these bolts you must take off the trim on the outside of the port.
This is becoming much too complicated and I will just use the bamboo.
Thanks for your input Ron, mahalo