CS17 #284 Coaming... FL 120 T minus 58 days

[Jim Stumpf]

Spent the day yesterday with the help of Joe getting about 1/2 way complete on the coaming project. No way on earth the 1/4 Merranti was going to yield to the curves. I had some 4 mm Okume set aside for a kayak I was going to build about 10 years ago, the ply supply keeps getting smaller but I have yet to start the kayak (1 sheet ended up in a deck lamination on PRIMROSE). We almost could get the Okume to bend on the forward radius but it was not really working well and the aft radius was out of the question. I thought about setting up the steam box or soaking the stock as some have done but we ended up kerfing the ply and it worked very well. We achieved very fair curves and the two plys will be nice and strong. The outer layer is kerfed towards the boats interior and the inner layer has the kerfs towards kerfs on the outer layer so that they are not visible and will be filled with epoxy. The stock was left very wide on the first lamination as I was not sure how much we would need to get full coverage of the deck camber. the inner layer will be cut much closer to the need size.

How tall are folks making their coaming, is yours too tall or do you wish it had been taller?

Thanks Jim

Kerfs on radial arm saw

Aft radius first layer kerf facing into cockpit

Forward radius

Second layer mocked up with kerf facing center of lamination

Interior of forward radius , plywood not trimmed to shape yet

Overview

[ecgossett]

I wrapped corner boards in towels and poured hot water then put in microwave for several minutes and that did the trick. My only mistake was letting off clamps to move board and bending back, it cracked that one.

[Gordy Hill]

Looking good!

I sailed my CS17 for nearly a year before getting around to the coaming. I soon discovered that sitting on the side deck was painful with the coaming cutting into my.

So I fashioned a teak "step" giving one a place to step on the side deck when getting in or out of the boat. The step just happened to be where I sit and was nearly as high as the coaming. I left room between the step and coaming so water wouldn't build up. Looks great and just happens to save my.

[Jim Stumpf]

Thanks Gordy,

since I have not sailed the boat yet; where did you find your favorite perch to be? I have seen several folks incorporated the oar lock pedestal into a step/seat. Is that a good location?

Thanks Jim

[MisterMoon]

I'm this close to taking a powerplane to the coaming on my boat starting about even with the thwart aft. I seldom sail with crew, so the foward coaming can stay. Unless you're going to attach a dodger to the coaming, I'm not sure that it's really any benefit otherwise. The boat is really much faster upwind when sailed flat, so it's a worthy compromise make it comfortable to sit on the coamings.

I strongly suggest building some removable fillers for the front cockpits to make a large flat for lounging and sleeping. They really make the boat much more comfortable and enjoyable.

[Hirilonde]

I don't have one, and only sailed one once, so I may be out to lunch with my thought, but what about a splash deflectore on the foredeck similar to a Blue Jay or Lightning and make the coaming very low and merely decorational?

[Gordy Hill]

Jim,

I'd sit as far forward as possible, just aft of the thwart. At that point the coaming was about 1 1/4 inch high and the 3/4 inch step was enough to work. I wanted the coaming so I'd have a place to snap my Bimini sides. It would also work with a boom tent. (sprit tent?)

[ecgossett]

We're putting cushioned foam with snaps from a throw cushion on the mid forward side. Where the oarlocks go, even with the raised wood I installed it is still uncomfortable, contemplating a couple different options to fix that.

[Jim Stumpf]

Thanks for all the great input.

John, cockpit inserts are on the todo list.

Dave I have had similar thoughts about the coaming height, I am thinking 1"- 1 1/4" forward and no more than about 3/4" around the sides and transom, I am taking a wait and see position on how much water we are going to see over the deck and possibly add a spray cover at the front of the cockpit, the raised "V" diverter forward of the coaming is also a great thought.

Gordy, I am thinking something like this for the cockpit tent, possibly using the two sets of oar lock sockets for some of the tent poles and then maybe a pad eye of some sort for the forward and aft poles. I think I need just enough coaming to divert water and a lip for the tent to skirt with out being attached. With the mizzen in the forward mast step you could hold dances in that tent. I do not know who this boat or this picture belongs to but it caught my eye.

Thanks for the feed back it is always helpful.

[hokeyhydro]

How about spray rails? Maybe half way from sheer to chine do deflect water rising up along the hull sides, and maybe 1/3 way back from the stem.

[Peter HK]

I think people have mixed/ ambivalent views on the coaming....and that is entirely appropriate. The coaming is there for 2 reasons. One is that it looks good aesthetically. The other is that it keeps drips out if you have well fitted boom tent ( and it makes a good spot to fit the tent too). The one thing that it does not do is stop spray/waves/water from entering the cockpit when sailing (except to a trivial extent). If you only want to sail/race the boat then no coaming is best (no racing dinghy has them). If you want to cruise /sleep on the boat with a tent then you have to put up with the coaming and maybe fit a seat outboard. With respect to aesthetics....that's up to you.

Cheers

Peter HK

[MisterMoon]

I don't have one, and only sailed one once, so I may be out to lunch with my thought, but what about a splash deflectore on the foredeck similar to a Blue Jay or Lightning and make the coaming very low and merely decorational?

It wouldn't make a difference. Spray on these boats is generally flying through the air about chest high. Only once during all the beating we did in this year's EC/UM did I stick the bow into a wave where water came over the deck. A dodger is the only thing that might help.

[Hirilonde]

It wouldn't make a difference. Spray on these boats is generally flying through the air about chest high.

They aren't intended to do anything about spay. A Blue Jay is at least as wet to sail as a CS. Only a dodger can do that, and in small boats the price one pays in sailing efficiency makes dodgers a price not worth paying for most people. They (splash guards) deflects water that lands on deck from entering the cockpit.