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Janice Collins
01-11-2002, 03:56 PM
My coaming needs to be replaced on my Ariel. What type of wood was originally used for the coaming? Teak or mahogany?

Bill
01-12-2002, 02:01 AM
And #75 has teak:p Guess you can use either.

commanderpete
01-12-2002, 09:53 AM
The Producers of this film regretfully acknowledge that two mahogany trees died in the making of these Commander coamings.

painatal
01-14-2002, 04:50 PM
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
01-14-2002, 04:53 PM
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
11-22-2002, 08:38 PM
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
11-22-2002, 08:41 PM
I'm a woodworking novice, but these were easy.

Janice Collins
11-23-2002, 04:42 AM
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
11-23-2002, 09:27 PM
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
11-24-2002, 07:06 AM
Spirit , #45 , has luan ( Philipine mahogany )coamings as does Commander 105 . I hope to replace #45's in the coming year.

Theis
11-29-2002, 05:38 AM
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
11-29-2002, 07:36 AM
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
11-29-2002, 04:51 PM
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
11-30-2002, 03:55 PM
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
11-30-2002, 09:58 PM
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 .

Theis
12-01-2002, 05:37 AM
As for the logo, I'll take two (subject to whether it becomes the most expensive part of the boat).

Mike, thanks for the info on Mahogany. I've asked that question on several questions and never received any answer other than the mumbling and ambiguous - the "I'm not going to tell your that I don't know the answer to your stupid question", or "I'm not here to answer questions" or "next, step up to the cash register please" (categorically these are the "do you want fries with your burger" type replies).

ebb
12-01-2002, 05:50 AM
Ipe? Stuff looks fantastic. Another goody from Goodwin!

www.floorings.com/decking/ipe/ipe.shtml
www.floorings.com/decking/ipe/features.shtml

Mike Goodwin
12-01-2002, 05:26 PM
Somehow Ebb , I thought you would like that stuff . I know of several large marina's that are decked with it . Nauticus Maritme center in Norfolk , Va. has about 3 acres of deck made of ipe .

Scott Galloway
12-01-2002, 08:26 PM
Janice,

My coaming boards are teak. Since the companionway hatch trim and the original handrails on hull #330 were mahogany, I assume that the teak coaming boards are not original. I have replaced the handrails with new teak rails that I made, and I also added some other teak: companionway hatch trim, boarding steps, pin rails etc. The mahogany and teak both take Semco Teak Sealer, which I use in lieu of teak oil or varnish.

The product is easy to apply and easy to maintain, and the "Natural" shade is pleasing. The wood looks like new unfinished teak, but water beads up and runs off the wood. I tried the "Gold Tone" shade and did not find that pleasing, since it is a little too orange for my taste. However, it lasted a full year without reapplication of the product. Reapplication involves scrubbing with soap and water, and then after the wood dries, applying an additional coat or two of Semco Teak Sealer with a paintbrush.

Be careful not to spill the product on gelcoat. Cleanup on old gelcoat was a real chore the first time I applied the product. However if you don't allow the product to run, you won't spill it on the deck, and there will be no need to cleanup.

ebb
12-02-2002, 06:32 AM
Mike, you don't have to throw away the scraps on this one. Evidently, you can soak it and make a tea that'll cure everything from common colds to AIDS.:D

Taking a look at those sites above I began with lapacho and discovered it is another of a hundred names for this tree.

It's of course the inner bark that is the medicinal 'herb'. (Pau d'arco)

Have seen the lumber here (SF Bay area) as Brazillian walnut and Greenheart.

So what these flooring guys mean by having to remove the lapacho befor you can glue it or varnish? Maybe abrading for glueing, and acetone or lac thinner pre-wash for varnish?

With a durable wood as this, I wonder if resorcinol will stick it - permanently - epoxy being so woefully lacking in its ability to withstand exposure.

Mike Goodwin
12-02-2002, 06:39 AM
I have to warn you , it will eat sawblades like a cop and a box of Krispy Kremes (donuts).