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Author Topic:   Two-piece Teak Gunwales
gchop750 posted 12-23-2008 01:02 PM ET (US)   Profile for gchop750   Send Email to gchop750  
Why is the teak gunwale made in two pieces? Is it [to allow] for expansion and contraction? I will be replacing them on an Outrage 18 project and could redo them in one piece. Thanks in advance for your help.
jimh posted 12-23-2008 01:42 PM ET (US)     Profile for jimh  Send Email to jimh     
The reason for fabricating the teak gunwale board in two pieces was likely to reduce the cost by permitting shorter planks to be used. But that is just a guess.
Buckda posted 12-23-2008 02:00 PM ET (US)     Profile for Buckda  Send Email to Buckda     
What JimH said, and I also think it reduces the replacement cost/effort if you split a gunwale cap in one particular spot.

I'm considering re-doing my gunwales next summer, with a single piece of beautiful teak.

gchop750 posted 12-23-2008 02:17 PM ET (US)     Profile for gchop750  Send Email to gchop750     
Ok, sounds logical. I could see it being a cost issue. Because of all the different models they were making they probably were able to use pieces that would otherwise be scrap. If that was the reason and not the potential movement of the wood than I will go with one piece replacements.

What a great Website, thanks for the help

George

Dave Thomas posted 12-24-2008 03:41 PM ET (US)     Profile for Dave Thomas  Send Email to Dave Thomas     
My 1981 Outrage 18 had single piece caps and I'll go along with Jimh after that they went cheap.
hauptjm posted 12-24-2008 11:38 PM ET (US)     Profile for hauptjm    
Every one I've ever seen has been built with those boards divided in two. I'd bet the cost to purchase a single board in that dimension versus the two smaller boards is 4 times the cost. Imagine the look on the shop foreman face when "Joe Joinery" accidentally screws it up.
prj posted 12-28-2008 10:35 PM ET (US)     Profile for prj  Send Email to prj     
My 1990 Outrage-18 has both a two piece teak gunnel (port) and a one piece teak gunnel (starboard), and no evidence that one is not original.

MattInSanDiego posted 12-29-2008 01:27 PM ET (US)     Profile for MattInSanDiego  Send Email to MattInSanDiego     
A few years ago I replaced my two part teak gunnels with singles. It was a fun, but expensive, project. I think the wood was about $500. It sure looked nice when I was finished.

http://s279.photobucket.com/albums/kk129/MattInSanDiego/

lizard posted 01-01-2009 11:59 AM ET (US)     Profile for lizard  Send Email to lizard     
Another consideration in wood is that the longer a piece, the greater the likelihood for cupping, warping, splitting and all of the other things a natural product like wood does. Especially those used in outdoor applications.

If you look around an older home, often the expensive stain-grade, base boards and picture moldings, are in multiple pieces, joined at 45 degree angles, even if they were readily supplied in longer dimensions.

Wasatch Whaler posted 01-02-2009 09:40 AM ET (US)     Profile for Wasatch Whaler  Send Email to Wasatch Whaler     
My 18' Outrage came with the fiberglass gunwales.

I prefer the look of the Teak gunwales and depending on cost and difficulty, I would be interested in changing to the Teak gunwales.

Does anyone have a dimensional drawing of the original Teak gunwales?

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