Teak coaming leak underneath, Westerly

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FairweatherDave

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I have a very slight leak through one fixing point on the teak coaming over the coach roof of my Konsort. So water is making its way under the wood and then through the roof, and then a slight drip through the hole in the grp exposed by the headlinings being down. I do not want to disturb the whole coaming but obviously I want to stop the water entering and making the balsa core a mush, as well as damaging the headlining underneath.From above my plan is to scrape away all the old sealant along the base of the coaming and hope the teak is solid enough to be resealed with sikaflex. But what about the hole through the roof, which I guess had a dowl plug that is no longer doing anything. Do I drill out a bigger hole from underneath and epoxy in a bigger plug? Any advice would be welcome, I do use the Westerly forum but this is suitable for a wider audience of PBO. I would add I am not too worried about the balsa core, providing I stop the water getting into the void now. So I want to reseal the whole coaming without moving it. Is that practical? Thanks for any polite advice on this can of worms!
 
I'd even accept less polite advice:).........
Really wondering if anyone has had a similar leak from under the coaming and what they did to fix it.
Has anyone drilled out what I presume is a dowl and plugged it with a replacement?
Any advice welcome or even just confirmation I have the right idea would be good.
 
FairweatherDave said:
I'd even accept less polite advice:).........
Really wondering if anyone has had a similar leak from under the coaming and what they did to fix it.
Has anyone drilled out what I presume is a dowl and plugged it with a replacement?
Any advice welcome or even just confirmation I have the right idea would be good.
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I think the only 100% sure way of rectifying this is to remove the coaming(s) completely and refit.

Surely there are not wooden plugs in holes in the outer skin of the roof. Aren't you looking at plugs fitted inside to replace the bored out balsa core.

How are the coamings actually fastened?
With wood-screws from inside or with machine screws from outside, passing right though counterbored holes in the coaming with nuts and washers inside and hardwood plugs covering the heads outside.
 
I'm not sure what the OP means by a "teak coaming over the coach roof". A photo would help. Is this the companionway trim? If so, I doubt that there's a balsa core there.
 
VicS said:
How are the coamings actually fastened?.
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Well that is what I was hoping someone might tell me! From above there is a dowl type plug which as you say perhaps covers something else. But from underneath there is simply a hole in the grp, perhaps 7mm diameter,with a mystery filling material exposed. I will investigate but it would be nice to know what to expect! But thanks for the reply :) I've got to get the tarpaulin set up before making the hole any worse.
 
pvb said:
I'm not sure what the OP means by a "teak coaming over the coach roof". A photo would help. Is this the companionway trim? If so, I doubt that there's a balsa core there.
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I am referring to the piece of wood that fits accross the width of the boat just infront of the hatch that is abour 2 inches high and deflects water from going down the hatch. It lies just forward of halyard clutches etc. The bottom edge of the spray hood fits onto it. Apologies if it is the wrong term! It would be even better if there is no balsa there. No doubt I will be finding out but I think there might be.
 
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pvb said:
I'm not sure what the OP means by a "teak coaming over the coach roof". A photo would help. Is this the companionway trim? If so, I doubt that there's a balsa core there.
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I assume he means the two pieces one either side of the hatch garage that act as breakwaters and to which the spray hood is fixed. They may not even be original but added as part of a spray hood fitting. (That I am certain is the case with the Berwick.)

I am sure they have a proper name but dont know what it is.


Edit: Oh one piece right across , not two separate pieces

Not on this one then ?

393775_1.jpg
 
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OK, "coaming" would be the right word. I didn't realise the Konsort had those bits of wood. In view of the position, there almost certainly will be a balsa core there.
 
Well we have identified the teak coaming as the spray coaming. Thank you. Mine is probably two pieces but they do butt join above the sliding hatch garage. I would guess they are original judging by condition. So anyone know how the coaming is fitted?
 
Thanks pvb. That is my mystery. The headlining panels are down but whatever is exposed in the hole which drips there is not a washer nut and bolt. Sorry no photo to help
 
Mine has one piece that goes across the hatch garage. I think you will need to determine which plug is above the hole and remove it from the deflector, unscrew the screw underneath it, and see what is happening. It sounds like the fixing may have corroded, or it was screwed into a hole with sealant that has failed. You could just redo it with a slightly wider fixing and new sealant. You could also fill the hole with epoxy and glassfibre fibres and redrill and refit.
 
Thanks Neil. I think I'm ready to "go in" now. More confident than when I started the thread as it is about the problem attacking from above. Contributions still welcome though!
 
I feel you should be worried about the balsa core that is definitely there. If it has rotted then you will have lost strength in that area.
 
Thanks Derek. I know you are right:). You will know about it one way or another! Do you think Westerly would have used a solid plug all the way through the coaming and the roof or more likely disguised a nut and bolt?
 
Westerly's practice was to bolt the spray deflector (or coaming) through with machine screws and nuts which were fiberglassed over.The screw heads were covered by a teak plug.I know because I've removed mine on my Fulmar when I needed to remove the hatch garage.In my opinion the only effective repair is to remove the offending screw,or all of them,and reseal.
 
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