Replacing Screens

[WChapelle]

I have a 1997 330 Sundancer and all of the screens need to be replaced. Does anyone have any hints about doing this. Should I try to get to them from the inside or outside? I tried to remove one and found it much more difficult than I expected. The old ones were so bad I just pulled out the screen material by hand and it almost looks worse. Help!

 

[Alegria]

I have a 1997 330 Sundancer and all of the screens need to be replaced. Does anyone have any hints about doing this. Should I try to get to them from the inside or outside? I tried to remove one and found it much more difficult than I expected. The old ones were so bad I just pulled out the screen material by hand and it almost looks worse. Help!

Sorry can't give you sound advice on how to proceed on this one. But I will be lurking on the thread as my previous owner (PO) did exactly that and the screens need to be replaced properly.

I know from reading several posts that some screens are held in with similar black ribbing that household screens are, but they are seated in with some silicone to really hold it in there... Folks have posted they have had success with prying out the black part and then putting some pliers to it and pulling and working it out with a small flat screwdriver... The remnants of the old screen frame might be there too hiding the black ribbing?

Good Luck!!!!

 

[tdschafer]

I have heard the same. I also need to replace mine. Do a search because I remember a thread on this topic a few months ago. I believe this is the Mfg that you can order the screen assy's from: http://www.pompanette.com/home

Others have stated using screen from HD and cutting it to fit , then putting a little silicone on the old gasket and reusing it. One tip I do recall was that not only do you pry the gasket out from the inside with the porthole open, but that it was much easier when it's hot outside as this loosens the factory adhesive. Another tip of note was that to expect the porthole to be hard to close initially as the new gasket needs to compress. Good Luck! Todd
Note: I just called to order mine while I was thinking of it and was told that I needed to provide the outer dimensions of the outside of porthole and possibly the inside too. They do not have a cross reference there. I will head down to the boat later for the measurements.

 

[Lazy Daze]

When I replaced mine a couple of years ago, the screens were the style that was glued in under the seal. Our parts department had the plastic frame-style in stock so I just carefully cut the old screen out (without removing the seal) and popped in the frames.

Ultimately, if your seals are in good shape, it'd be less expensive to simply glue in some new screens that you get from a home store. I was feeling lazy so I went the easy route.

 

[rumrunner]

I purchased the Seal with the Plastic Frame Style Screen. The new Seal had a channel for the placement of the screen. Purchased them from a local dealer at the same time my brother-in-law purchased his 28 (Got a deal).

 

[WChapelle]

Thanks for the information. I'll take another look this weekend. Given where they are located and since they are easy to damage I would have thought you could just replace them like you would a window screen on your house...not to be.

The first phillips head screw I tried to remove almost stripped, I thought "this is not going to be easy". I was right.

 

[tdschafer]

Thanks for the information. I'll take another look this weekend. Given where they are located and since they are easy to damage I would have thought you could just replace them like you would a window screen on your house...not to be.

The first phillips head screw I tried to remove almost stripped, I thought "this is not going to be easy". I was right.

DO NOT REMOVE THE SCREWS!!!!! From everything I read it is NOT the way to do it. Just pry out the seal from inside the boat! I think this is even easier than removing the screws and resealing with boatlife, silicone etc..... Here, check out this thread. I found it helpful when I started looking for this over the winter.

http://clubsearay.com/forum/showthread.php?p=288531&highlight=screens#post288531

 

[tdschafer]

Hey WChapelle,
I just ordered my replacements today from Pompette/Bomar. They are the kind that you change the seal then pop the screen in. it's a "Retro" kit as the woman called it. This way the screens are replacable in the future. My portholes are elliptical ( shaped like a football) with a rough cut out approx 6 3/4 " high X 16" wide. She said the port holes are Model # 616. The screen/seal kits were $23.00 each plus whatever UPS charges to ship from Fl. Good Luck whichever way you go!!:thumbsup: Todd

 

[Lazy Daze]

Chapelle,

Just to be clear about my post above... if your seals are in good shape, you DO NOT need to replace them with the special seals in order to use the snap-in screens. The snap-in screens will work just fine with the non-channeled seals.