DS1 Coaming reinstallation

[jnardone]

Hi:
I removed the wood coamings from my 1966 DS1 for repair and refinishing and now I need to re-install them. What are people putting between the wood and the fiberglass?
When I took them off there was a combination of 1 inch wide flat rubber weather stripping, silicone caulk, and gray epoxy glue.

I read an earlier post where someone used a vinyl "L" that he got at home depot in place of the rubber gasket but I need a better description so I can find that item. Also, is that used with some sort of glue or not?

Thanks,
Joseph

[Peter McMinn]

Joseph, I'm the guy who found the "L" stripping at Home Depot. It actually was a "U" shape which I had to modify. I've since found a product that would have worked much better, with a more secure fit. If you go to the tile section or a tile store, look for the 10' "L" strip tilers use to edge floor tile with. It has a wider section that would offer more surface area for adhesion between the coaming and the fiberglass. It comes in white, brown, or black vinyl and aluminum.

Lay a very small bead of polyurathane caulking in the inside of the "L" strip before you put in place.

Also, you might put a bead of the same caulking down the inside middle of the coaming, for a good tight fit after you screw it in.

If I had to do it again, I'd go this route.

If you're replacing the wood, what did you end up using?

Peter

[calden]

Lay a very small bead of polyurathane caulking in the inside of the "L" strip before you put in place.

Also, you might put a bead of the same caulking down the inside middle of the coaming, for a good tight fit after you screw it in.


Peter

Peter:

How does the "L" sit - against the inside of the gunwale, with the "L" foot down and towards the boat center, or down and towards the water? Or up? I can't quite visualize this - Could you possibly post a simple drawing of this procedure? Also - what kind of caulking did you use? Something very adhesive like 3M 4200?

I'm going to be reinstalling my newly refinished coamings when the weather quits dumping water all over everything.

Carlos

[mfeldman]

This is great advice. I'm actually in the process of making new coamings for my DS1. I'm using teak which I obtained from a local hardwood supplier in Connecticut (about $100). They surfaced it to 1.25" and a friend is going to resaw it to the proper width (~9/16) on a band saw. I plan to use the original coaming as a pattern and use a router to cut out the shapes. I'll post more details as I work through the project.

-Mike

[Peter McMinn]

Carlos, I positioned the "L" strip so that the long end is down, in between the glass and coaming. Had to cut out triangles in order to achieve the upward bend it takes toward the cuddy roof.

As I was screwing the coamings into place (stainless heads sunken and plugged), I was not concerned with adhesion as much as a good seal. I havn't worked with the 3M product, but I've always been impressed with Vulkem, which dries to a very flexible and tough rubber.

Don't really have the tech. for a drawing, at this point. Sorry.

Mike,
Your process mirrors mine almost exactly, except I used Philippine mahogany which is a little easier to tool.

Good luck!

Peter