Tips installing aft cabin Beckson port gaskets

[NewToTheRoad]

I spent many hours this past weekend doing this - both the wrong (3+ hrs until I quit) and right (1 hr) ways.  I thought I'd offer some tips from my experience to possibly make it easier for the next sailor. 

The wrong way
Quickly Scan the directions from Beckson and go your own route, thinking how hard could it be.  It took me 3 hours to get one seated, or so I thought.  My thumbs and forefingers still ache.  You will think you have the wrong size.  After testing with a cup of water it leaked into the aft cabin. 

The right way (follow the Beckson directions)
1.  Stretch the new gasket all around its circumference as you would a balloon, being careful at the seam area.
2.  Start by seating the legs of the gasket somewhere between 2 corners. 
3.  Once you get a bit of it seated, bend the gasket part away from the channel (where the leg is seated) so that you can get a your tool to seat the rest of the leg.  You would hear a snap but you will get some feedback that the leg was set in place.  Beckson suggest using a ruler but I used a wooden paint stir stick and it worked great.  The entire leg should go into the channel, especially around the dogs, or you will have leaks.
4.  You will likely still have to stretch along the way and the last corner won't be easy.  when you try and seat that typically another one pulls away.  By stretching and re-seating you will finally get it.
5.  Note:  Back off of the dogs before closing the windows as the new gaskets are not yet compressed.  If you don't you could break the Beckson lenses.


My second gasket took about 45 minutes, then I went back to the first and seated my work from the day before using the stir stick.  No leaks!

note:  You will know when the leg is properly seated as it goes ALL the way in, especially near the dogs and hinges which I couldn't get with my fingers.  If you see parts of it showing and you think it will be ok it will not be.  You will get leaks and the gasket may pull away when opening and closing the port.  The leg is intended to go ALL the way in. 

I was confused when I read the directions http://www.beckson.com/installgasket.html about bending the gasket 90 degrees.  I finally figured it was toward the port opening (not perpendicular to the track) and was for the purpose of getting the stir stick to seat it fully in the channel.

Here are a few pics to illustrate.  It should be 1 pic but I couldn't take and do at the same time.

Good luck!

Bryan

[DaveBMusik]

I replaced my gaskets and still had leaks in a couple. I ended up purchasing new ports after trying to clean what looked like 5200 off of the old ones.

Two big rain storms and completely dry - Yee Hah

[Field Day Skipper]

Replacing the port gaskets was one of my first projects when I got Gambit. I discovered that letting the gaskets warm up in the sun for about 15 minutes, inside the clear plastic bags, made them nicely pliable.

[Noah]

Good tips on install. Thx!

[Stu Jackson]

Added to the Beckson 101 topic links, thanks for the great info.

[scgunner]

      The problem with the Beckson port is it wasn't designed for the Catalina 34 application. Beckson states the port should be installed at a rearward angle of less than 15 degrees. The tilt on the Catalina cabin is about 40 degrees so the ports have a tendency to collect rather than shed water. Probably why we have so many threads about leaky Beckson ports. After chasing the leak gremlins for several years I finally bit the bullet and replaced the Becksons with Lewmars, one of the better upgrades to the boat, the Lewmars are virtually leak free.

[Stu Jackson]

      >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Probably why we have so many threads about leaky Beckson ports. >>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

This has not been my experience with my eight Beckson ports.  I have re-installed only the two in the V berth and have replaced the gaskets in those two and the two port side ones in the saloon because I put new screens in the saloon ones.  I have to replace the screens on the two saloon starboard side ports.  I like the Beckson ports.  I have read more horror stories about the Lewmar ports on this forum than anything else; perhaps the newer Lemars are better.

[Switchback]

NewToTheRoad,

What size gasket did you buy? What year is your vessel? I have an '86 and I need to replace all my Beckson gaskets!

-Mike

[NewToTheRoad]

I used 5" x 12" and purchased from West Marine.  Mine is a 1988.

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/beckson-marine--replacement-gaskets-screens--P024_720_003_003

[Stu Jackson]

NewToTheRoad,

What size gasket did you buy? What year is your vessel? I have an '86 and I need to replace all my Beckson gaskets!

-Mike

ALL of the Becksons are 5 x 12.  You might want to check pricing direct from Beckson.  Even with s/h it might be less expensive than WM.

[Jon W]

Confusing.

I bought from Catalina Direct and they described them as Opening Port Gasket, Beckson 7 3/4" x 14 5/8"; part number Z2469. The screens are described as Opening Port Screen, Beckson 7 3/4" x 14 5/8"; part number Z2467.

[Switchback]

Thanks everyone! Just ordered a bunch of the z2469 from Catalina Direct!

[Jon W]

To avoid me causing any confusion - the part numbers I listed are for the two Beckson opening ports in the aft cabin. If you have Beckson opening ports in the salon and V-berth those 6 may be different. That's why I said the 5" x 12" comment was confusing.

[Stu Jackson]

The only ports I've fiddled with are in the V berth and saloon.  My inventory shows:

Ports: gaskets   9-Mar-05   Beckson   GK-512   $45.15    (6) gaskets for ports 203-333-1412


Don't know if that's a phone number or a part number extension of the GK-512.

My aft cabin two are the same size.

Any reason you went to CD instead of Beckson or did you check both?

[Jon W]

Hi Stu, I was already getting a couple other items at Catalina Direct so just added the gaskets and screens to the list. I didn't check Beckson.