[Alberg30] Coamings

[Roger L. Kingsland]

James,

This summer I removed EVERYTHING except the mast step plate from #148
(windows, hardware, hatches, vents/fillers, toe rail, stanchions, dorades).
I also removed the base of the head dorade and the compass box and filled in
the holes w/ fiberglass.

The combings were not too difficult to take off.  If your bedding compound
is as old as mine, it acts more as filler than glue.  Mine were very grainy
and required much sanding so I will have to deal with installing thinner
material after I paint.  I will probably shim the outer surface so I don't
have to add material to the wood blocking forward that connects to the cabin
sides.  This might require moving the winch bases, which I also removed,
slightly inboard.  The resultant gap between the outboard face of the
combing and the fiberglass will hopefully give me room to install proper
caulking with a Styrofoam backer rod beneath at the joint between the
combing and deck.  I plan to shim the gap beneath that joint so the lower
outboard face of the combing will be well ventilated.

I filled all bolt and screw holes (must be 500) with Marine Tex (about $200
worth) so I don't have to fasten all hardware at the same place.  One thing
I discovered; the gel coat has delaminated (half moon, hairline cracks about
3/8" diameter) in most areas where water got under deck stuff (toe rail,
stanchion bases, combing, cleats) so removing everything gave me a chance to
fix that problem.

My toe rail was marginal and I am glad I removed it.  In some areas forward,
the vertical thru bolts were bent, probably from minor collisions.  It was a
bear to remove and, after trying to "finesse" it off, I finally resorted to
grinding thru the side of the teak to cut the bolt shafts  (if you do this,
have a spray bottle of water handy to spray each cut).  After 36 years, the
bedding compound provided no adhesion so it was simply a matter of lifting
off the toe rail.  I even got the starboard side off in one piece.

I think the toe rail design is problematic because the rail and the hull to
deck joint share the same fasteners (3/16" SS bolts 6" OC in my case).  The
teak is too soft to allow the bolt tension necessary for a good friction
connection at the hull and deck.  Also, if the rail gets bumped, the
resultant bolt movement can reduce the strength of the joint and cause
leaks.  When I replace the toe rail, the hull to deck and toe rail fasteners
will be separate.

The Gurdgon (sp?) Bros. publish a great booklet on fiberglass repair that
describes hardware "bonding" which creates a rigid bond between hardware and
deck by bedding the hardware and fasteners in epoxy.  It seems to make allot
of sense in terms of strength, longevity and water tight integrity.  West
Marine sells it for under $4.00.

Good luck with your project.  I figure it will take me three times as long
to put stuff back on as it did to take it off.  Since taking it off only
took twice as long as I thought it would, I must be six times ahead of
schedule.  Fortunately, a friend is providing a corner of his heated factory
so I can rub and scrape all winter.

Roger Kingsland


 +---------------------------------------------------------------+
 |                This Old Boat by Don Casey                     |
 | http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0071579931/alberg30-20 |
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