Coamings
Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:15 pm
Northeast 38s have long (9.5’) and pretty coamings that curve and split on their forward portion:
At least they’re supposed to be pretty. #82’s were dead sounding along their lower portion, and after removing in-and-outboard quarter round base trim, it was clear the coamings were rotted and needed replacement.
Each side was secured by two rows of 25 1” oval headed bronze screws, mounted from inside cockpit lockers and the cabin out into the coamings. Before getting access to those in cockpit lockers, port and starboard 24 gallon fuel tanks had to be removed—itself a job as the plastic tanks installed to replace the leaking original in bilge are a very tight fit, and of course had been filled at last season’s end.
After removing in-row screws it was a puzzle how to remove the forward end of the coamings. Removal of cabin trunk paneling revealed a couple screws on either side of the boat, but clearly something else was affixed. Coamings were intended to be removed intact for future template use so simply sawing through the forward portion if a piece of coaming continued into the trunk was to be avoided. (Observers may question how a fellow who can’t even dissemble his boat’s intricate coamings ever hopes to install new ones…)
I put out a call for help, and Quetzalsailor and fellow NE38 owner from France Philippe very generously advised—in essence, full speed ahead. (Thanks, gentlemen!) A stiff putty knife was used to separate the coaming from the “triangular block” in between the two sides of the curved and split portion and bronze screws found (12 per side) were hacksawed through.
Fair enough, but a small mystery—how did the screws get in there?! That is, they came out from the triangular block into the coaming. But they weren’t screwed through the block; it seems they perhaps were screwed out through the exterior wall of a then empty block, and the block subsequently was filled with “something.” The block isn’t resin-like and translucent, rather white-ish and opaque. I’m sure a different method will be used for installing the new coamings (just at the moment not sure what it will be…). Here's the block (something new to bump into!):
(Readers also can note I succumbed to previous forum advice and removed the eyebrows. As advised, they were comparatively easy—screwed out through the cabin trunk ceiling—but I realized too late a smoother putty knife was in order. Pleased to report however all eyebrows were removed intact!)
A larger discovery was, ho ho!, the coamings weren’t solid, rather laminated with teak or mahogany facing. And in their current state, very unsolid:
Question: any reason why the laminated approach shouldn’t used for the new coamings? Clearly the removed ones failed, but it seems the original coamings were solid and they too failed at some point (much of course has happened since 1962…). Using plywood would be cheaper and perhaps facilitate bending the forward sections. (The removed coamings had a solid half round on top and a solid piece covering the block and curved portion.) Perhaps the removed coamings weren’t edge epoxied when installed, and doing so would yield better results. Opinions welcomed.
One lesson learned when pulling the coamings was—if a screw looks corroded, it likely is not just on the surface. Perhaps half the screws distingrated during removal.
Anyway, here's where we are now:
Regards,
Brian
At least they’re supposed to be pretty. #82’s were dead sounding along their lower portion, and after removing in-and-outboard quarter round base trim, it was clear the coamings were rotted and needed replacement.
Each side was secured by two rows of 25 1” oval headed bronze screws, mounted from inside cockpit lockers and the cabin out into the coamings. Before getting access to those in cockpit lockers, port and starboard 24 gallon fuel tanks had to be removed—itself a job as the plastic tanks installed to replace the leaking original in bilge are a very tight fit, and of course had been filled at last season’s end.
After removing in-row screws it was a puzzle how to remove the forward end of the coamings. Removal of cabin trunk paneling revealed a couple screws on either side of the boat, but clearly something else was affixed. Coamings were intended to be removed intact for future template use so simply sawing through the forward portion if a piece of coaming continued into the trunk was to be avoided. (Observers may question how a fellow who can’t even dissemble his boat’s intricate coamings ever hopes to install new ones…)
I put out a call for help, and Quetzalsailor and fellow NE38 owner from France Philippe very generously advised—in essence, full speed ahead. (Thanks, gentlemen!) A stiff putty knife was used to separate the coaming from the “triangular block” in between the two sides of the curved and split portion and bronze screws found (12 per side) were hacksawed through.
Fair enough, but a small mystery—how did the screws get in there?! That is, they came out from the triangular block into the coaming. But they weren’t screwed through the block; it seems they perhaps were screwed out through the exterior wall of a then empty block, and the block subsequently was filled with “something.” The block isn’t resin-like and translucent, rather white-ish and opaque. I’m sure a different method will be used for installing the new coamings (just at the moment not sure what it will be…). Here's the block (something new to bump into!):
(Readers also can note I succumbed to previous forum advice and removed the eyebrows. As advised, they were comparatively easy—screwed out through the cabin trunk ceiling—but I realized too late a smoother putty knife was in order. Pleased to report however all eyebrows were removed intact!)
A larger discovery was, ho ho!, the coamings weren’t solid, rather laminated with teak or mahogany facing. And in their current state, very unsolid:
Question: any reason why the laminated approach shouldn’t used for the new coamings? Clearly the removed ones failed, but it seems the original coamings were solid and they too failed at some point (much of course has happened since 1962…). Using plywood would be cheaper and perhaps facilitate bending the forward sections. (The removed coamings had a solid half round on top and a solid piece covering the block and curved portion.) Perhaps the removed coamings weren’t edge epoxied when installed, and doing so would yield better results. Opinions welcomed.
One lesson learned when pulling the coamings was—if a screw looks corroded, it likely is not just on the surface. Perhaps half the screws distingrated during removal.
Anyway, here's where we are now:
Regards,
Brian