companionway hatch slide & 'toerails'

Status
Not open for further replies.

DPT

.
May 14, 2007
66
- - Ithaca NY
Hi everyone, I was wondering about the companionway hatch slides and the 'toerails' (I am assuming thats what you call them - the wooden trim along the deck - the fore 3/4 of the boat). How do you remove them? Are the screwed and glued or are they thru bolted? I do not see any access from inside (no plugs in the interior liner - as with the hand rails). I do not want to start digging out teak bung plugs without knowing what I am getting in to! Thanks.
 
Oct 21, 2005
205
Oday 26 Indian Cove, Guilford, CT LIS
They are screwed down

Under the plugs. On my O-26, 14 screws on hatch slides, 64 for the four toe rails.Bedded down with polysulfide. I had mine up over the winter. Careful work with a putty knife will work them up.
 

DPT

.
May 14, 2007
66
- - Ithaca NY
thanks

so if I am careful I can simply work out the bungs and unscrew them (prying with a puddy knife?)... I have researched and replacement rails are not that expensive - or so I thought. my only 'concern' is that if I start replacing these things - the rest of my boat will look like poo! There is nothing wrong with my rails, side rails along the companionway, or the handrails. I just thought replaceing them was the right thing to do - i.e. preventing leaks, etc.
 
Nov 20, 2006
109
- - Chapel Hill, NC
Best way to remove bungs

I have removed the toerails (and everything else) from the decks of my OD22. I read about a trick in one of Don Casey's invaluable books that detailed removing bungs that are lacquered in place. You simply drive a screw through the center of the bung and when the tip meets the screw head the bung will be pried out. This worked very well for me and limited the damage I did to the wood surrounding the plug. Good luck! Also, you shouldn't have to replace your rails to stop the leaks. Rebedding them properly should solve any leak problems. I would recommend 3M 4200 for this process, 5200 is widely viewed as "too permanent" for this type of use. I refinished the teak on my boat by sanding it starting with 80 grit and working down to 180. This was a very long and not pleasant process. Then I oiled all the wood with teak oil, about eight to ten coats (it kept soaking it up!). I do not wish to finish it in Cetol or the like, but if you desired that look you would be in a good place after all that sanding. Cheers, Josh
 
Jan 24, 2005
4,881
Oday 222 Dighton, Ma.
Removing bungs

Like DPT described from Don Casey's book, I used a similar method from Hervey Garrett Smith's book entitled, "Boat Carpentry". I took a small wood screw and cut the head off it and inserted the screw into an egg beater drill, and screwed it into the center of the bung. It may not get the bung completely out, so I used a miniature chisel that is used in crafting, to carefully remove the rest of the bung. When you're ready to install the new bungs, make sure that the wood grain of the bung is going in the same direction as the surrounding wood. After the glued bungs have dried and set up, a large sharp chisel is used to remove the excess bung just above the surface of the surrounding wood. Then sand it the rest of the way. In the old days, they used to use varnish to glue in the bungs, but I think that you can use any good grade water proof glue. Joe
 
Status
Not open for further replies.