Coamings: cutting down for hiking, what is legal?

[Guest]

Is it class legal to cut down the coamings on a DS1 for their full length?

I just acquired a DS1. The coamings were cut down to the gunwhales for less than their full length. This allows short sections of poorly supported wood to stick up in harms way. As you may expect, they have been cracked and bandaided over a few decades of hard use.

Can I just cut these nubbins down and still be class legal? The previous owner said they had to stay to be legal.

The B Plan is to remove all coamings, glue the cracked pieces firmly in place, then fibreglass the boards and leave them "bright" under a coat of varnish.

Comments?

Gary Tabor (ratracer-at-rust.net)

[Guest]

According to theDay Sailer Association One Design Measurement Rules (available at this web site):

5.7 Wooden cockpit coamings may be cut down. Coamings may not be removed if they are intended to be used as structural support to side decking. Owners of double-hull Rebel, Spindrift and Precision models may remove the coamings.

See http://forum.daysailer.org/blmeasurement.htm

According to this, you can cut the coaming all the way to the rear deck if you desire. I believe many keep the last 3-4' in tack to help keep water out when heeling way over, and there's also no real need to cut them that far back since sailors will be sitting forward when hiking.

Kevin Clark (clark-at-aud.alcatel.com)