CD25 Forward Portlight broken tension knob. How to replace?

[cplantijn]

Hi everyone,

I’m a brand new owner of a 2005 C-Dory 25, and my wife and I are absolutely in love with the boat. We just had our first cruise over Labor Day weekend around Anna Maria Island in Tampa Bay, and it was a fantastic experience.

One thing that surprised us was how much fresh air came through the forward portlight. However, we quickly discovered that in even slightly rough seas, the motion of the hull would cause the portlight to close on its own. We found ourselves constantly adjusting and re-adjusting the opening angle, and eventually one of the control knobs broke (see image)

I’ve been looking online for a replacement knob, but I haven’t had any luck. I’m also open to replacing the entire arm/strur assembly with something more rugged that can hold the portlight open in choppier conditions. As long as it can fit the existing brackets. I did come across a 20 year old C-Brats post suggesting the use of an aluminum tube with a slot cut to fit over the arm/struts, but I’d prefer a solution that doesn’t require extra accessories. Ideally I’d like to keep the mechanism self-contained so the portlight can be opened and closed easily.

Has anyone here tackled this issue before? I’d love to hear your suggestions or recommendations for replacements. Thanks in advance!

[ssobol]

The strut for the forward window is a Sea Dog part.

https://sea-dog.com/groups/433-hatch-adjuster

They used to sell a repair kit with replacements for the stuff that tended to break or get lost, but I haven't seen that for a while. You need to buy the whole thing.

[cplantijn]