[lpw]

I need to replace the rubbing strake between the on A65, can people recommend suitable timber/ suppliers and any tricks, ways to go about it. Drawing 24752 shows it but doesn’t detail it.

It looks like Sapele, but hasn’t survived very well. Robbins recommended Iroko, but am concerned it may be brittle?

Topic

[Dominic Dobson]

When I replaced this on A90 we used sapele which worked but was difficult to machine, when replacing the toe rails I use Accoya which machined well and comes with a long guarantee against rot.

Dom

[Mike Dixon]

When replacing the rubbing stakes on A1, I used Sapele.  Bit of background – almost all the rot and damage to the hull lamintaes was the result of water ingress behind the rubbing stakes – which also act as cover plates over the joint between the hull and topside mouldings.

Following advice from Nick (Phillips) I applied two thicknesses of Sapele.  Both were (are) 10mm thick.  The first layer was epoxy glued to the hull and topside mouldings thus almost guaranteeing a waterproof joint and mitigating against further rot.

The second layer was screwed in place, with the edges profiled as necessary.  I saw this second layer as ‘sacrificial’, in as much that if it became damaged (which it almost certainly will be), it is a relatively simple job to replace the damaged section, without having to disturb the first (inside layer).

I had no problem bending the strips to suit the curves of the hull.

Hope this helps.

 

Mike

[lpw]

Thanks for this. I should say that the hull is completely sheathed in GRP, which reduces the requirement on the wood strip. The old strip appeared to be bedded in putty – which seemed very odd- it had dried out leaving the wooden strip held on by screws only.

[Jonathan Stearn]

Great idea to split it into two pieces.

[Author]

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