Lots of Tips for the East Coast Guys and Their Wood Coamings

Jim Lydon, Swahili

I have recently aquired and cut replacement coamings for my Triton Swahili (East Coast) As a test both pieces have been pressed into place but not fastened in.

Briefly for those interested 3/4" Teak stock smooth- planed was used. I had fears of bending such expensive stock into the curveature of the cock-pit sides. Heres how I did the bending process. I cut a piece of 2X4 and laid it across both cockpit seats and up against the starboard coaming leaving enough room to lay a standard car jack on its side up against the 2X4 on the portside. Pad the end of the 2x4 against the coaming you are pressing into place. A few prayers were silently stated as I began cranking the coaming into place. It worked! You may have to repeat the cranking a second time towards the forward section of the cockpit to obtain a good tight fit. I plan on using 1 1/2" Phillips flat head stainless screws countersunk and bunged in.

The coamings are now in the process of applying 5 coats of Sikkens Marine Light and 5 to seven coats of Sikkens Gloss. ( I decided on Sikkens for its longivity)

If anybody needs information on the cutting, measurements, or the templates I designed feel free to ask.

 

This past weekend I finally installed the coamings, and all of the suggestions from the group were very helpful. I adhered to Jim Baldwins advice and utilized 2 auto jacks to press the coamings into place which made for a much tighter fit.

Just a few additional items that I discovered during the process that may be very helpful to those approaching the project. I drilled several test holes through the cockpit siding and upon retracting the bit, wood was noted on the bit. I reached up as far as I could and noted what felt like a 2x6 Dont quote me on the size, running not quite the whole length of the cockpit but centered along the wall maybe leaving a foot and a half on each end of the cockpit side. This provided extra support for any bolts or screws utilized. One of the group mentioned that he could not understand why the forward section of each coaming was bolted in and not screwed in. It was probably because at this point there was no wood backing, and bolts were uitilized So at this point I wish to put the coaming question to rest.

James Baldwin, #384, Atom

Regarding the cockpit coamings I can tell you a little about how I installed my new teak coamings on Atom while in Hong Kong eight years ago.

First I dry-fit them. While the coamings were held in place with two boards/jacks I drilled through the coamings and fiberglass for 6mm (1/4-inch) flat head SS bolts. I drilled out each hole with a spade bit for the wood plugs, going only as deep as necessary so as not to weaken the wood. I also ran some masking tape along the top edges of the coaming to fiberglass joining points. I then cleaned the mating surface of the bare teak with acetone to remove surface oils and applied 5200 sealant. Then I reinstalled the boards and tightened the bolts with fender washers behind the nuts. Later I coated the teak with urethane clear coatings. About once a year I give all exterior teak a light sanding with #280 and apply another coat.

Winch bases are likewise thru-bolted with backing plates. Mine are easily accessable through the cockpit lockers.

And I use 5200 to further insure a tight bond that will prevent the teak from cracking or trying to pull out the bolt heads.

Bill Bell "Kialoa" #41

Hi there - just a note to suggest that if you secure your handsome new coamings with screws with finishing washers, you'll be able to remove the coamings easily two or three years from now to give them a complete redo much more easily than when they are on the boat. I have removed the coamings from my "Kialoa" every few years for the past 33 and the job is very simple. Also - the original EC winch was held in place with five screws through the coamings into the side of the winch block and there is also a large bronze bolt that runs right down through the winch, base and deck with a 3/4 backing block under the deck. This is all accessible through the cockpit seat access hatches. For what it is worth, the two forward most coaming fastenings are bolts, not screws. Their heads are accessible in the galley and ice box areas. I am not clear on why these were bolted and all else screwed. Good luck.

Mark Parker, #516, All Ways

I, too, just finished new coamings. Mine, however, were 6/4 Mahogany (actual thickness=1 1/4") I cut an angled rebate in the portion that overlaps the fiberglass with the result that the coaming is tilted back at a much more comfortable angle. Needless to say, bending 6/4 mahogany was no easy task, but I followed a similar route except that I chickened out and left the wood to 'set' about three different times in the process of achieving the final curve. It is now 'permanently' attached with lots of 5200 and 6 silicone bronze screws which are recessed just below flush, but left exposed. I was worried about the small amount of wood left if I counter sunk them enough to bung. The tilt is very comfortable, but I must admit it was a pain when it came time to fit the forward blocking that ties the coaming to the cabin side - lots of trial and error and cardboard templates! I also added mahogany toerail/bulwark to the molded fg one. It is 3 1/4 by 1" (actual dimensions) I spliced 2 15' lengths to get each piece and then used thru' screws (#14) every 6", bedded in lots more 5200 (I really should buy stock in 3M ;>)

(See Steve Cossman, #534, Juno, Project Showcase)

Bob, #589

My EC 589 had mahogany boards for coamings. I tried refurb, but they had enough rotten areas that it was futile. I replaced mine with 3/4 marine ply, cut and shaped using the old as templates. Then I multi-coated them with epoxy, using glass along the top edges for wear resistance, and then 3 coats of two-part epoxy paint. I thru-bolted them instead of screwing them in place. They've been on the boat for about 1-1/2 years and they're still as solid as the day I first set them. I have a photo if you're interested.