> For the cockpit coaming on my Outer Island instead of stacked plywood
> rings I used 83 little blocks of alternating ash and cherry to create the
> same effect of the Schade's method -- alternating light and dark. On top
> of these I will be installing a lip of cherry plywood. I just epoxied the
> blocks on tonight. Some are 3/4" cubes, some were cut with a 10-deg.
> angle, and some with a 25-deg. angle to fit the contour of the opening.
> Playing with blocks -- just like being a kid again, except the 'paste' we
> use isn't edible...

> My question: these blocks aren't connected, except by thickened epoxy. Is
> this sturdy enough? I was thinking if more reinforcement is necessary, I
> could screw a few of them to the underside of the deck, say every 10th one
> or so. But on the other hand, the deck seems rock-solid and the aft
> bulkhead provides support. Should I fiberglass the cherry plywood lip
> before I install it?

> Thanks in advance. I hope to set up a very basic web site with pictures in
> the next few weeks, now that the project is coming to a close and I have a
> new computer...

> Dean

Hi Dean

On my Guillemot, I installed the vertical blocks w/o the lip prior to glassing the deck and in doing so, glassed the vertical ring as well. After joining the hull and deck I added an ash combing lip w/o glassing over it. I lift the boat by the lip w/o and problems (cracking sound, etc) and lean on it when entering and exiting the boat, no problems.

Hope that helps.

Greg