Bristol Cutter Combings - Why Not ...

[SurferShane]

Originally Posted by Blue Stocking

Once again, I recommend Bruce Bingham's book, Sailors Sketchbook.

Thanks; looks good,

http://www.amazon.com/Sailors-Sketchbook-Bruce-Bingham/dp/0071550968/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1308106153&sr=1-1

[SurferShane]

Originally Posted by Hannah on 'Rita T'

Deeper toe rails hold more water and so need bigger scuppers. But they also catch more dropped screw drivers before they go swimming.

I would like to put a basic toe rail around my boat. Something of a cheaper wood I don’t mind replacing in contrast to constantly having to repaint chipped steel. It looks like the thing to do is leave a marginal gap just smaller than the average screwdriver?

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by SurferShane

I would like to put a basic toe rail around my boat. Something of a cheaper wood I don’t mind replacing in contrast to constantly having to repaint chipped steel. It looks like the thing to do is leave a marginal gap just smaller than the average screwdriver?

Shane, a nice piece of spotted gum, blackbutt, turpentine or tassie oak would be nice and strong as. Would finnish rather nice as well.

[SurferShane]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

Shane, a nice piece of spotted gum, blackbutt, turpentine or tassie oak would be nice and strong as. Would finnish rather nice as well.

Thanks – I was considering Tassie oak – cheap, available and similar colour to the teak I already have. I will have to keep a look out for the others.

Any chance of a recommendation of similar well priced and available Australian timber for a tiller?

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by SurferShane

Thanks – I was considering Tassie oak – cheap, available and similar colour to the teak I already have. I will have to keep a look out for the others.

Any chance of a recommendation of similar well priced and available Australian timber for a tiller?

Use any of the above machined to about 6mm thick x 25mm wide, and laminate with epoxy glue. When set start shaping, sanding and varnishing. You will have a great looking tiller that is extremely strong. You can form it to any shape you want when laminating and alternating types of timber look great too. Not difficult but time consuming. Cheers

[otherthan]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

Use any of the above machined to about 6mm thick x 25mm wide, and laminate with epoxy glue. When set start shaping, sanding and varnishing. You will have a great looking tiller that is extremely strong. You can form it to any shape you want when laminating and alternating types of timber look great too. Not difficult but time consuming. Cheers

thanks for the tip...now I only need to find equivalent woods in montreal???

[Simes]

Laminated Toe Rails also work very well and look great. You could use almost any hard wood cut into thin(ish) strips.

Oak bends well, as does maple, larch, and of course nearly all of the soft woods. If you are going to use soft woods then you might try using one of the water based Epoxy resins on them as a means of extending there life at sea. You would need to varnish over the Epoxy to prevent UV damage.

We spent a long time looking at the alternatives here in the UK. Hard wood is so very expensive, we eventually settled for an extruded aluminium toe rail with a Teak inset to preserve the looks (see here Interactive catalogue Navimo) then search "808 Toe Rail"

It's looking good so far.

Simes

[Talbot]

I suspect that the reason you find these on the bristol cutter, and early yachts is that they were designed (and sailed) with their lee rails under water when pushed hard close hauled. The modern boats are designed to be sailed more up-right.

With their lee rails under, there was the need for these combings in order to cope with the water flow across the deck and to try to keep as much water out of the cockpit as possible - especially as a lot of these early boats did not have self draining cockpits.

[otherthan]

Originally Posted by Talbot

I suspect that the reason you find these on the bristol cutter, and early yachts is that they were designed (and sailed) with their lee rails under water when pushed hard close hauled. The modern boats are designed to be sailed more up-right.

With their lee rails under, there was the need for these combings in order to cope with the water flow across the deck and to try to keep as much water out of the cockpit as possible - especially as a lot of these early boats did not have self draining cockpits.

what I really want to do! is totaly remouve the combings on my boat (leave the cockpit open) as on Island trader41.
I want to build similar toe rails as on the cutters, first because I love the looks and then for practicality...I can tie things like spinaker poles or feul tanks to them, and they seem like a safty feature for crew and pets...also want to rais my lazarette hatch 12in so it can be used to sit on and offer more engin room...and ad a nice teak rail all aronde the back as on my Island trader41...then its gelcoat over deck.

intterior will be next year

rgds

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by jobi

thanks for the tip...now I only need to find equivalent woods in montreal???

Seek and ye shall find.
Aussie hardwoods are much harder than those in many other parts of the world..
Good luck.

[delmarrey]

Several small scuppers thru the caprail........

[chucks]

Customizing is OK, but I caution you to keep the modifications true to the original design. Your boat has nice clean lines as is. HR28 is Swedish right? Think of their design philosophy, simple, strong, uncluttered. Having a heavy toe rail on a Bristol Channel cutter is appropriate for that boat. It has a work boat heritage and heavy construction below the deck flange that can support those large toe caps. If you do that on the HR it may not have a strong enough hull/deck join. The toe rails take a lot of abuse. People stand on them, they hit the dock, etc. I think HR had a different approach than Lyle Hess with the BCC. I would also consult a shipwright for structural advice on how and whether to do it to your boat. The compound bends of the deck and toe caps make this a complex job and get a good result.

[otherthan]

Originally Posted by chucks

Customizing is OK, but I caution you to keep the modifications true to the original design. Your boat has nice clean lines as is. HR28 is Swedish right? Think of their design philosophy, simple, strong, uncluttered. Having a heavy toe rail on a Bristol Channel cutter is appropriate for that boat. It has a work boat heritage and heavy construction below the deck flange that can support those large toe caps. If you do that on the HR it may not have a strong enough hull/deck join. The toe rails take a lot of abuse. People stand on them, they hit the dock, etc. I think HR had a different approach than Lyle Hess with the BCC. I would also consult a shipwright for structural advice on how and whether to do it to your boat. The compound bends of the deck and toe caps make this a complex job and get a good result.

This is a Hinterhoeller HR28 it has the same sailing attributs to the swedish HR28 but its a very diferent design...mine is a fin keel and skeg rudder not full keel...she has a no coar solid 1/4in glass deck not a wooden as swedish HR...the glass on mine is solid enough to bolt rail foots...if I make these foots 4in wide they should be plenty strong for my needs...those on cutters are only 2x2in and they arent part of the hull structure either...so I gues it will work

[James S]

Originally Posted by jobi

This is a Hinterhoeller HR28 it has the same sailing attributs to the swedish HR28 but its a very diferent design...mine is a fin keel and skeg rudder not full keel...she has a no coar solid 1/4in glass deck not a wooden as swedish HR...the glass on mine is solid enough to bolt rail foots...if I make these foots 4in wide they should be plenty strong for my needs...those on cutters are only 2x2in and they arent part of the hull structure either...so I gues it will work

1/4 inch doesn't seem all that thick..if you can get some decent size backing plates under the backside that would be a good thing.

[otherthan]

Originally Posted by James S

1/4 inch doesn't seem all that thick..if you can get some decent size backing plates under the backside that would be a good thing.

thats plenty if you compare to contemporary sailboats wich all have cores...dont forget that solid glass dont compress as do cored decks...but backings is nevertheless esential to spred the load.

many of the new boats have only 1/8 skin over balsa, and some arent even fiberglass??? on these boats its problematic to simply add a stanchion or a cleat.