Be warned, this is not as straight forward as it might first appear.
Take for example the set of Hallberg Rassy 39 windows we have in at the moment via Jeremy Rogers Ltd. There are 10 opening ports, plus a curved fixed window (rear cabin).
Of the 10 openers, the acrylic panes are stamped as follows; 2 x Astar, 2 x Atlantic, 2 x Portlight and 4 with nothing.
On the face of it one might think we have a right mix of models. But no, they are in fact all Astar, a model created specifically for Hallberg Rassy (HR). So the moral of this part of the story is that we should not rely on what’s stamped on the acrylic as a reliable guide to identifying the model of frame.
Interestingly the curved window is actually an Atlantic frame (as was a similar window on an HR43 done earlier).
Identifying Frames (Openers)
Lewmar have three basic frame models;
Atlantic
Astar (HR only)
Standard (old/new)
To best identify the specific model we need to look at how the frame is constructed.
Atlantic
The frame has a welded joint. The acrylic is held (with silicone and clips) within a moving alloy frame.
The closing seal is fitted to the outer which is mounted to the boat structure. Note that over the years no less than four closing seal profiles have been used, one of which (common) is actually listed as a New Standard Mk 1 seal (!).
Atlantic frames have shiny metal latches.
Astar - HR only
The outer frame is not welded; it has a locking piece which is pressed into position. As with the Atlantic the acrylic is held in a moving alloy frame using acrylic and small clips. The acrylic edge is not straight, but has a small ridge onto which the clip sits (same for Atlantic).
Closing seals fit to the base and are generally the New Standard Mk1 seal mentioned above.
Astar frames have grey plastic latches.
Many of the Astar portlights are custom sizes for Hallberg Rassy and increasingly difficult to source (not at all from Lewmar, though HR to hold some stock).
Old/New Standard
Both have acrylic which is not mounted in a moving frame. Model size (0,1,2 etc) are the same, but the physical size varies slightly, so are often not a straight swap.
Old Standard (<1997)
The outer frame is not welded, it is riveted and has two frame joints at mid height (which incidentally are often the source of leaks).
The securing latch rotates (clockwise/anticlockwise) in use and both hinges and latches are bolted to the acrylic.
The closing seal is fitted to the outer frame and has a section which resembles a circle (chord) with an asymmetric tail. The seal is often inserted with silicone which must be removed prior to replacement.
Hinges and latches are generally black plastic.
There are two versions for both size 1 and size 4. For size 1, the variation is in the position of the hinge hole relative to the latch hole (centre). One is in line (vertically), the other (more common) has the hinge holes slightly inboard. For size 4 the variation is in the lateral position of the two outer latch holes (there are four in total).
Replacing the acrylic is very simple, but don’t forget the new O-rings too.
Lewmar do not now provide spares for these units (though Eagle Boat Windows does).
New Standard (>1997)
The outer frame is not welded and has one frame joint (riveted as above) typically on the lower edge.
The securing latches rotate up/down along an axis parallel to the acrylic. The hinges and latches are bonded (ie glued) to the acrylic.
The closing seal (of which there are three variants) fits to the outer frame, again often with traces of silicone.
Some boat manufacturers used custom versions of this model which are no longer supported by Lewmar. Lewmar does however still produce spares for their catalogue sizes.
For us, the issue is that currently only Lewmar has access to hinge/latch parts or the means to bond these to acrylic. This is fine for those with catalogue sizes where spares are available off the shelf, but for boats with custom sizes it means there is currently no access to spares either within or outside Lewmar (including Eagle Boat Windows). We are lobbying to address this but a solution is unlikely in the near term.
Atlantic, Astar and Old Standard portlights can be refurbished. If you have or are looking to buy a boat with New Standard portlights it may be prudent to determine whether these are catalogue sizes (for which spares are currently available) or custom, in which case replacement won't currently be an option.