[Public-List] Cockpit Coaming

Sat Sep 28 08:34:42 PDT 2013

Todd,
I live in Vermont and sail in Lake Champlain.
Twenty-five years ago I removed the coamings to refinish them. I had a
particularly hard and tedious time separating the coaming from the glass
because of the bedding compound (dolemite?). I used heat to soften the
compound and a broad putty knife to separate the coaming. In a few places
the gelcoat actually chunked off. That year I simply bolted the coaming
back into place and ran a bead of sealant on the top of the joint
interface. Water found it's way around the bolts an into the lockers.
Unacceptable. The following year I ran a bead of rubber sealant around each
bolt and also at the interface. This system seems to have worked since,
although the rubber sealant is harder to find. The only issue with this
method is that if the coamings are not removed at least every two years or
so the dust and dirt collects between the interfaces and if left unattended
will probably support plant life.
I find it much easier to keep the bright work bright if it is removed,
finished and reinstalled rather than sanding, striping and finishing it in
place. But that's me, others find it too much of a hassle.
As they say around here, 'you pays your nickle and takes your chances'
My experience,
Randy  MOIRAEIII #283

On Sat, Sep 28, 2013 at 10:53 AM, j t wittbold <johnnywittbold at mac.com>wrote:

> Will try to summarize what I've heard re Cockpit Coaming:
>
> There are two schools of thought that hinge upon the decision to use a
> bedding compound:
> 1. use a bedding compound and caulking strip to seal the outboard side of
> the coaming to prevent water rotting the coaming
> 2. do not use a bedding compound or any outboard side caulking of the
> joint between deck and coaming, enabling free flow of air around coaming
>
> In either approach, it is not advisable to caulk the cockpit side of
> coaming abutment. It can only trap moisture against the coaming.
>
> The majority of responses favored the 1st approach.
> Not sure how much of the decision is influenced by climate since both Jeff
> and Glenn have their A30s in cold, wet climates.
> Nobody seems to know how Whitby delivered the boats relative to sealing
> cockpit coamings.
>
> For me, either of these approaches require will require removing the
> coaming from Valhöll, which will have to wait till next season probably.
>
> Two follow-on questions:
>
> 1. For those who have removed coaming and reconditioned outboard side of
> coaming… what was the approach?
> 2. Would be grateful for opinions regarding the pros & cons of each of the
> above approach relative to ongoing periodic maintenance requirements?
>
> Thanks
>
> Todd Wittbold
> #207
> Valhöll
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Sep 25, 2013, at 8:27 PM, j t wittbold <johnnywittbold at mac.com> wrote:
>
> > Thanks for the replies gentlemen.
> >
> > To be clear, I was referring to a bead of caulking running on the
> outboard side of cockpit that is intended to prevent water on deck entering
> in the space between coaming and hull. My concern was this might make it
> very hard to evaporate whatever water does get in there… either from sea
> water while sailing or just from rain, snow or washing the deck and cockpit.
> >
> > When I did remove the caulk strip I found some rotten teak remnants
> (ughhh) and it was clearly moist back there. Which is what prompted my
> question. It really looks to me like there is about a full 1/8" tolerance
> between coaming and the hull which makes me wonder whether or not it was
> really intended to be sealed off? That is pretty clearly enough room to
> evacuate water so that the moisture can evaporate.
> >
> > My coamings were not embedded in any sort of bedding compound. Water
> flowed very freely from deck down the back of the coaming and onto cockpit
> seats when I was washing off deck and cockpit. I guess I'm inclined to
> agree with Jeff's philosophy about seawater entering cockpit through an
> un-caulked coaming… I'm already wet and cold :)
> >
> > So for this winter I will probably just let the outboard side of the
> coamings air out for a while and then reapply a strip of caulk.
> > Hopefully next fall I will have the ambition to remove and do both sides
> of coaming and possibly use a bedding compound.
> > But I am still curious about Whitby's original design and understanding
> the "right" way to preserve the longevity of these coamings.
> > I imagine it would be a very expensive and highly skilled job to replace
> these.
> >
> > -Todd
> > Valhöll #207
> >
> >
> >
> > On Sep 25, 2013, at 5:46 PM, Jeffrey <fongemie at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >> I did the opposite. I didn't bed the coaming with anything.  I know
> someone
> >> with a Triton and he does the same (no bedding) so I gave it a try.
>  I've
> >> not seen a downside yet. Water rushing down the deck does not flood the
> >> cockpit seats unless the weather & seas are real bad, then we're getting
> >> soaked anyway from the spray. I've taken my coamings off a couple of
> times
> >> in the winter to varnish and it makes it easy with no bedding compound
> to
> >> deal with. The underside of the coaming does not seem any worse for
> wear,
> >> though I bet the ability to keep underside varnished may be helping.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Jeffrey Fongemie
> >>
> >> Seagrass
> >> Alberg 30 #116
> >> Boothbay Harbor Maine
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> On Wed, Sep 25, 2013 at 4:03 PM, Glenn <brooks.glenn at comcast.net>
> wrote:
> >>
> >>> Tod,  assume you are describing the outboard side of the coaming,
> where it
> >>> T's to the deck?  (Not inside the cockpit side). Dont know about the
> >>> original installation but I bedded my coaming
> >>> Liberally with dolphite bedding compound when I refinished the
> coamings,
> >>> and also sealed the quarter round where it butts up against the
> coaming and
> >>> deck.  Personally I think its a good idea to seal it to keep water out.
> >>> if sealed, water has a harder time getting under the finish, and
> soaking
> >>> into the wood.
> >>>
> >>> Dolce is in the most miserable,  grey, wet, disgusting winter climate
> in
> >>> the US - the pacific northwest rainforest where it rains constantly and
> >>> stays wet for months at time.  Boat hasnt had any trouble with wood rot
> >>> when the coamings are bedded well.  FYI, I do leave the  bottom of the
> >>> coaming inside the cockpit open so any water that does get in  can
> drain.
> >>>
> >>> Glenn
> >>> Dolce 318
> >>>
> >>> Sent from my iPad
> >>>
> >>> On Sep 25, 2013, at 11:19 PM, j t wittbold <johnnywittbold at mac.com>
> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> Hi-
> >>>> I am applying Cetol to cockpit coaming.
> >>>> In the process I have removed the aging caulking  that was in place
> >>> between the coaming and deck.
> >>>>
> >>>> Questions:
> >>>> 1) Is this caulking a good idea in general? Does it not make it harder
> >>> for the moisture that does get in there to evaporate?
> >>>> 2) Does anyone know whether or not this space between coaming and
> >>> deck/hull was sealed in the original A30?
> >>>> 3) If it is really a good idea to seal off this space, any recommended
> >>> caulk for bonding Cetol coated coaming to deck?
> >>>>
> >>>> Thanks
> >>>>
> >>>> Todd
> >>>> Valhöll #207
> >>>> _______________________________________________
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> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> ______________
> >>
> >> Jeffrey Fongemie
> >>
> >> <http://instagram.com/jfongemie>
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> >
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