Any woodworkers about?

[dLj]

Teak is not a bad choice and it is nature's perfect choice which has been known about by boat builders for maybe a thousand years or more it's naturally non-skid it has oils inside of it and resists the sun it has almost no movement when it's wet and dry hot or cold
You could use solid PVC Lumber but it doesn't have a lot of stability but could work as a slide guide

I did not say teak is a bad choice. I said it is not the best choice in this application. My likely choices would be: #1 Ipe, #2 Iroko, then there would be black locust, white oak and some others, but it really would depend upon what is sliding against it. If it's fiberglass, definitely I'd have Ipe as #1. If it's an acrylic, then I'd look at availability and pricing for all the above mentioned woods, and make the decision based on price, availability and if I wanted a particular look. If I wanted it to look like teak I'd use Iroko. If I didn't have a "teak look" desire, I'd use the lowest cost available option.

I personally would not use teak in this application for two reasons, the first because of price (the OP has already spent the money, so it will certainly work although I'd probably save that expensive teak and find a better place to use it) and the second reason is teak is not as good as the above mentioned woods when it come to something sliding on it. As you point out, it is also a very good non-skid surface - not something I think makes the best application here. Teak also tends to wear more than these other woods in a sliding surface...

That's just my opinion based on working with these woods for a long time... You may disagree.

dj

 

[DeniseO30]

35+ years... this is only a small example...
I don't recall quoting anybody

 

[DeniseO30]

Here's an interesting company not that most of us could afford it but it's always fun to search the internet Sliding Hatch Entry Cover
Here is a picture from Catalina Direct something like that op is trying for?

 

[MikeHoncho]

Regardless if the deck is suppose to be convexed or not (I vote for not), you aren’t going to probably fix it unless its all rotten out so the rail needs to work like the previous. I’d use mahogany and make the slot fairly generous. The boat isn’t in the water and the rig isnt turned. You don’t want to make it snug then have it bind all up when under sail. Mahogany is more flexible and softer to allow movement and release if the hatch does bind.

 

[Will Gilmore]

There is a slight camber to the coachroof. When I lay a straightedge on the roof, the center of the line is 1/4“ lower than the ends.
l‘m thinking the idea is to make the piece straight, and draw down the center with the screws? The teak is 1” x 1” x 41.5” but teak Is pretty rigid, isn’t it? Am I going to be able to bend it like that?

That is probably how the manufacturer did it. You could make it in two thinner strips and glue it in place to match the curve. Like making a limb on a recurve bow or spiral stair case. It would be just as strong, and offers you options for using different colored woods to add a decorative detail. I wouldn't bother to steam bend it, because the dado may swell out of shape, but if you're nervous, that is another option.

-Will

 

[shemandr]

I have done steam bending when I made my canoe, and a couple other projects.

It’s a good idea. I was wondering if teak‘s reputation for being invulnerable to water also makes it invulnerable to steam.

I learned from the boatbuilding course at Mystic Seaport that it is the heat that allows the wood to bend and not the moisture. I think steam is used to convey heat to the wood easily and to avoid drying the wood which can cause it to distort.

 

[john6206]

@DeniseO30

I appreciate your advice on species, but I think I'm going to stick with teak for three reasons: 1. The old ones were teak and lasted 20+ years. #2 There isn't much brightwork on the Capri 18, but it's all teak - I can sand and oil what I don't replace and really freshen up the old boat. #3 I've already bought the expensive sticks.

I love looking at your pictures - thanks for sharing! Your Passagemaker Dinghy looks better than mine - but mine turned out pretty good (If I do say so myself) It's seen about 6 years of heavy use and I think I need to put in

back in the shop this winter for some sanding and refinishing. I also built a "Cottage Cruiser" strip built canoe from plans from bear mountain boats. And just when I promise myself I'm not going to build any more boats, there are plans for a vintage looking runabout on the Chesapeake Light Craft web site that look AMAZING.

 

[john6206]

@DeniseO30

It's not just how expensive the pre-made ones are - I bet if you click on the "order" button you'll be told that you just can't order them at this time. I checked on 3 or 4 different suppliers.

 

[john6206]

I learned from the boatbuilding course at Mystic Seaport that it is the heat that allows the wood to bend and not the moisture. I think steam is used to convey heat to the wood easily and to avoid drying the wood which can cause it to distort.

Interesting! - I assumed the moisture made them less likely to snap.

 

[DeniseO30]

@DeniseO30

It's not just how expensive the pre-made ones are - I bet if you click on the "order" button you'll be told that you just can't order them at this time. I checked on 3 or 4 different suppliers.

Well I was just trying to get pictorial representation not necessarily directing anyone to buy anything

 

[Morgan donor]

Did you try Catalina/Capri to see if milled replacement wood was available?

 

[ambler]

Based on your picture you might try restoring the old rails. Clean it with an oxalic acid wood cleaner, sand down to fresh wood and varnish (or teak oil).

 

[Weasel]

Have you thought about using StarboardTM? Will not rot or degrade. Also it is salt lubricating.

 

[john6206]

@Weasel not sure what “salt lubricating” is, but my guess is it’s not so much a thing in Lake Michigan.

@ambler this was the better of the two, and I might have just refinished it if they were both like this, although there is a pretty good split that you can’t see in the pic. The other one is only about 2/3 there. It’s time.

 

[dLj]

One thing I I did notice is this end seems to have a incline that may be something you should replicate. I don't know how your hatch slides in and out but this could be some kind of stop or something of that nature - I'm pointing to what I'm talking about with the red arrow.

 

[MikeHoncho]

Interesting! - I assumed the moisture made them less likely to snap.

A significant part of successful steam bending is high moisture content in the wood prior to bending. The steam conducts heat efficiently allowing the moisture in the wood cells to heat up. Steam does add moisture to the wood but not a significant amount due to the short amount of time you tend to steam wood, unless you are doing it under pressure. Kiln dried stock is not recommended for steam bending due to the low moisture content.

 

[BigEasy]

I’m a hobbyist woodworker of modest skill.

Photos of the slider and coach roof would help.
The teak rails and routed grooves need to be parallel to each other and also, same height with respect to each other in order for the slider to function smoothly without binding. I believe that your original idea of custom milling would be better than bending. Time consuming for sure; however, once the sacrificial template is fabricated, the teak rails should be easier.

 

[john6206]

@dLj

good eye! I didn’t notice that, and I’ve been holding it in my hand.
For sure I didn’t see it in the picture!

It’s on the bow end of the guide. Hard to tell if there was a mating one on the opposite side, because the opposite side is mostly gone. My guess is it’s kind of a break, to keep you from opening the hatch too quickly and cracking the hatch on the meat step? The angle might pinch the hatch to slow it down.

On the aft end, the groove on the port slide does not go all the way to the end, but the starboard one does.

 

[LloydB]

I think that little nubbin at the end of the rail is just where the cover has not opened up the slot wider because the cover doesn't slide perfectly to the end of the rail.

 

[john6206]

I think that little nubbin at the end of the rail is just where the cover has not opened up the slot wider because the cover doesn't slide perfectly to the end of the rail.

It‘s possible.

It almost looks like someone glued a little nubbin into the end of the slot.