Mountainsailor,

I am assuming you are referring to the inside of the cockpit/coaming and this question is about how to clean this up and make it neat.....the outside of the coaming has a lip and an overhang to allow a spray skirt to be fitted.

so assuming that is the case, i would take down the overhang first with a saw and then after i have done that i would use a router to clean it up.  i routinely use a 1/2 inch quarter round on the inside of the cockpit to give a nice, uniform edge that is easy to glass over and is comfortable and less likely to be damaged if you accidently bang it.  i have never experienced tear out when doing this.  but when i did it the first time i used some scrap wood to just get my technique and handling of the router sorted out.

while i did not have tear out, it does kick up quite a bit of saw dust......so a face mask and full goggles (glasses won't cut it) are a must.  also had to get used to my technique of how to brace/hold the tool properly as it has a lot of torque when it is turned on.....so the practice wood saved me from doing damage due to not controlling the tool properly.

all the best with your project.

h

I use a saw and/or spoke shave to get it close, then a flap wheel on a high speed drill to make it smooth.  Before starting, I use a Dremel with a grinding wheel to knock off any blobs oif glue.

A trick that I learned here which makes this much easier:  It is very difficlt to clean/smooth the outside of the spacers when they are glued to the kayak.  Put clear tape on the deck of the kayak then glue glue the combing together per directions.  Once the glue is cured, remove the combing from the deck for clean up.  if you go this route, a belt sander laying on your work bench works great for smoothing the edges.  Once you are happy with the combing, remove the tape and glue it to the deck.

   I have used a router to roundover the combing on the inside of the cockpit without too much problem.

Pictures illustrating the process that Mark N mentions (unfortunately only applicable if you think to do it before gluing the coaming on - Oh well, next boat).

Laszlo

Hspira --

Thank you for the feedback.  I use routers a lot in other applications with excellent results.  Most of the time, however, I'm working with solids, not ply.  Thus, your commentary was especially useful.  Thank you.

MountainSailor 

Mark N --

What a fantastic idea!  Unfortunately (for this boat), I've already epoxied the combing structure into place.  I did it piece at a time so I could clean up the parts as I went, but even so I would have preferred to work on the exterior sides of the spacers a bit more.  Your system, obviously, would have allowed me to do that.  I'll file away that tip.  It is a gem.

MountainSailor   

Ralph --

Thanks for your comment.  It underscores the viability of that approach.

MountainSailor 

Lazlo --

I appreciate the pictures you included.  They support the virtue of approaching this problem from that direction.  I've got another C17 on tap for the winter building season and will employ it on that build.  Thank you.

MountainSailor