[Public-List] Cockpit Coaming

Sat Sep 28 09:29:42 PDT 2013

I have hull #134 and the removal is pretty easy. The coaming boards are
bolted on. You can reach the bolts from each locker. Mine also hav a screw
through the coach roof side inside the cabin which screw into the coaming.
And, in my case I also have two teak mounts for the larger/forward winches.
The coaming is also screwed into those blocks and is also bolted through
the smaller fiberglass winch mounts aft. On the starboard side I also have
the gas tank vent which is copper and needs to be disconnected in the aft
locker. If they have only been bedded, it is just a matter of
unbolting/screwing and applying a little pressure and they should come
right off.

Brian Zinser
#134

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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