A1 Restoration – Aft cabin companionway and cockpit coaming

Rebuilding the aft companionway

As previously mentioned, the aft bulkhead between the cockpit and aft cabin, had been replaced. This had an effect on the actual companion way. The bulkhead beneath the companion way had been renewed using a 50 mm thick piece of Sapele. This had to be substantial as it holds the whipstaff shaft and bearing. I was able to re-use the two side mouldings as well as the bottom piece, such that the two washboards did not have to be modified.

As to the coaming, this was made up of numerous small pieces of veneer, laid up to give a finished thickness of 9 mm and a depth of about 50 mm. The coaming was intricately shaped at each corner of the cockpit, from fore and aft along the sides of the cockpit, to athwartships across the boat, as well as sweeping upwards at each of the corners. All-in-all, a complex bit of veneering. Fortunately nearly all the bits were there, though not always attached to the boat or themselves. Not wanting to start all over again, it took a long time to sort out all the pieces and then glue them in place. Where one or two pieces were missing, I managed to cut small pieces of veneer as sustitutes.