Cockpit coaming/breakwater/companionway hatch cover

Posted by lance_ryley (lance_ryley@…>)

Have any of you older cat-ketch owners (older boats, not owners) had
the pleasure of repairing/replacing the breakwater coaming? I’m
looking at mine and it appears to be simply bedded to the molded deck
stub - the bedding compound is old and full of capillary holes, but
still has a lot of grip. Same with the fiberglass hatch cover.

On top of the breakwater coaming is the flat wood trim, which also
appears to simply be bedded down - is that correct as well?

If anyone’s attempted to remove the breakwater from their CK, I’d like
to talk to them about what’s involved. Yes, there are some leaks
involved in this request.

thanks,
Lance
Bright Star

Posted by Michel Capel (mike_c_f35ck@…>)

Lance, on my F33/35 CK this beautiful F40/F44 breakwater is not
present, so I have no clue about that. However I do have a hatch
cover. This is bedded with the same compound that is used for the
aluminum toerail. The hatch cover is also fixed with 4 (maybe 6?)
screws, of which the holes are topped off almost invisibly with gelcoat
filler. The bedding goo is brittle now after 19 years, and has lost
the viscosity I associate with the word ‘goo’. My toe rail leaked
through the bolt holes. Last year I removed all bolts one by one and
inserted new bedding compound in the holes and aroud the stems of the
bolts. Most leaks are gone now, except under
the midships cleat which is corroded tight to the toe rail. Nice combi,
aluminum and stainless bolts. I’m going to put a blowtorch on the cleat
and fix these last 4 bolts too. You can use a thin hacksaw blade to
break
the seal of the old bedding compound. If you use two sheets of thin
wood on each side of the seal, your hacksaw blade does not damage the
deck. I use this drill to remove the outer mast rings every few years.
If your hatch cover is screwd down, the hacksaw blade will find the
screws and saw them in two.

Hope this helps a wee bit.

Michel


— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, “lance_ryley”
<lance_ryley@y…> wrote:

Have any of you older cat-ketch owners (older boats, not owners) had
the pleasure of repairing/replacing the breakwater coaming? I’m
looking at mine and it appears to be simply bedded to the molded deck
stub - the bedding compound is old and full of capillary holes, but
still has a lot of grip. Same with the fiberglass hatch cover.

On top of the breakwater coaming is the flat wood trim, which also
appears to simply be bedded down - is that correct as well?

If anyone’s attempted to remove the breakwater from their CK, I’d
like
to talk to them about what’s involved. Yes, there are some leaks
involved in this request.

thanks,
Lance
Bright Star

Posted by Dave_Benjamin (dave_benjamin@…>)

Lance,
Are you referring to the seahood over the companionway hatch?
If I was trying to remove something bedded in that fashion I’d
probably use some safety wire and run it back and forth along the
length of the object to break up the bedding compound and allow for
removal without damage.


— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, “lance_ryley”
<lance_ryley@y…> wrote:

Have any of you older cat-ketch owners (older boats, not owners) had
the pleasure of repairing/replacing the breakwater coaming? I’m
looking at mine and it appears to be simply bedded to the molded deck
stub - the bedding compound is old and full of capillary holes, but
still has a lot of grip. Same with the fiberglass hatch cover.

On top of the breakwater coaming is the flat wood trim, which also
appears to simply be bedded down - is that correct as well?

If anyone’s attempted to remove the breakwater from their CK, I’d like
to talk to them about what’s involved. Yes, there are some leaks
involved in this request.

thanks,
Lance
Bright Star