Coamings

[Janice Collins]

My coaming needs to be replaced on my Ariel.  What type of wood was originally used for the coaming?  Teak or mahogany?

[Bill]

And #75 has teak:p Guess you can use either.

[commanderpete]

The Producers of this film regretfully acknowledge that two mahogany trees died in the making of these Commander coamings.

[painatal]

When we replaced SYMMAR's (#285) coaming several years ago we used mahogany, starting with pre-milled dimensions of 8'x12"x1.25".  We elected to taper the run aft less than the original in order to achieve additional back support at the aft end of the cockpit.  Winch pads are laminated mahogany and black walnut.  The attached photo will illustrate the results, assuming success in attaching it to this post.

All best.  David Rathbun (Painatal)

[commanderpete]

Tim Lackey's wonderful web site

//www.triton381.com

contains an explanation of how he built coamings for his Triton.

Go to the "site map" under "cockpit"

[Hull376]

Made up these new boards for Charisma last weekend-- in just a couple of hours.  Followed Tim's instructions.  One improvement-- get your kids or the neighbor kids to stand on the old boards when copying dimensions to the new wood.  A flat old coaming board is a happy coaming board. As has been noted many times before, Ariels must have been built before tape measures or  rulers were invented, so outlining the old to the new board is DEFINITELY preferable to trying to copy over dimensions.

[Hull376]

I'm a woodworking novice, but these were easy.

[Janice Collins]

I want one of those Ariel Pearson logo plates you have on that coaming.   Anyone know how or where to get it?
I've  also been trying to find out what my original coaming was, made from,  teak or mohagny.

I'm surprised that in all my literature it doesnt state what  wood the caomings are made of. It states that the interior trim  is teak, the rudder is mahogany, odd that there is no  mention of the the  material made to make the coammings.


Nice job on #376 coamings.  Looks beautiful.  Looks like you used mahogany? L ooking forward to my new one, which I'm hoping wil l get  done right after the holidays.

[Hull376]

Janice,

The Ariel Logo plate shown is the old one (one of two) that came with the boat--- on the coamings.  Looks pretty good re-chromed, doesn't it?  My original boards (the yucky ones) are definitely teak. No doubt about it. And they are the originals.  I went with Mahogany because my lumber mill stocks it in 12" widths and 7' lengths, which is needed to make the things (3/4" to 7/8" thickness).  Since I'm going to varnish them (Epiphanes) they should hold up if I put on a top coat every once in awhile.  Otherwise, Teak is more durable (more natural oils). The old teak ones have lasted since 1965 or so, with just oiling (after the original varnish came off-- remnants of which can be seen on the part of the board which was facing the fiberglass in the cockpit).  I started oiling these things when I was in High School years ago, but somewhere over the past 5 years they started to look really nasty!

[Mike Goodwin]

Spirit , #45 , has luan ( Philipine mahogany )coamings as does Commander 105 . I hope to replace #45's in the coming year.

[Theis]

My coamings are mahogany.  But I too would like to get two Ariel logos.  Anyone have a source?  Perhaps that is something the association can consider having duplicated.

[Mike Goodwin]

Did you guys know that luan is not a real mahogany , but a member of the cedar family ?
That is why it holds up so well , my coamings are 40 years old and could go longer but are getting thin & starting to split .

[Theis]

Mike:

That is very interesting.  Is all Philipine mahogany Luan?  Or is there a different wood called Philipine mahogany?  What about Honduran mahogany?  Is that real mahogany?  I have heard that it is different, and preferable for boat building, but, as I recall, it is much harder to get.  I will be interested in your comments.

[Hull376]

OK guys and gals,

Bill and I have been doing some homework without telling anyone. For you information, I contacted Bristol Bronze and asked if they'd consider making a logo pattern off of one of mine.  Haven't heard anything back from them yet.  Let you know if and when I hear something.

[Mike Goodwin]

The wood(s) called Philipine mahogany are luan , meranti and several other varieties of tropical hard cedars , there is no mahogany in the Philipines .
It varies in color from yellowish to very red/brown. It is very hard , like mahogany .
 
Honduras mahogany , often called 'true mahogany' is a very good boat building wood , one of the best and moderately pricey .It grows in Central and South America and the Caribean Islands , not just Honduras .
 African Mahogany is also good & cheaper .

I don't have any trouble getting either mahogany , but I'm in a major port where they are imported .

Instead of teak , see if you can find some Ipe .