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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Companionway Trim Replacement

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Randolph G. Wilson
1st Mate

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USA
64 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/30/2006 : 08:26:42

The companionway trim on my 83 Catalina is broken at the top of the hatch, so I decided to replace it, ordered the replacment trim, and yesterday set about trying to remove the old trim. Apparently it is bedded with some sort of adhesive because I couldn't budge it. Rather than applying brute strength and possibly damaging the fiberglas underneath I decided to see if anyone else has had the same experience and what is the best way to remove the old trim.

HELP!!

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5902 Posts

Response Posted - 03/30/2006 : 09:01:39

I wish I could give you encouragement, but I put a 2x4 alongside it and whacked it hard with a heavy hammer, and it wouldn't budge, so I refinished it for 25 years without removing it. They must have used different caulk at different times, because some people don't have any trouble getting it off. Good luck!

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 03/30/2006 : 09:03:32

Others have struggled with this... here's a couple things you could try.

Guitar string or music wire worked with a sawing motion between the wood and fiberglass.

Careful application of heat... it softens a lot of adhesives including 5200.

There are some compounds available from vendors like West Marine that are supposed to soften/disolve most marine sealant/adhesives. (I haven't tried this myself)

I'm guessing it was bedded with 3M 5200... which is a pretty strong adhesive/sealant (too strong for this application). When you re-bed, use 3M 101, Lifeseal, Sikkaflex (or similar) and the next owner won't be cussing you.

Edited by - on

Larry
1st Mate

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USA
37 Posts

Response Posted - 03/30/2006 : 12:23:46

Make sure you have removed the interior trim because there are screws underneath. I was trying to muscle my exterior companionway trim off thinking I had removed all of the screws when I hadn't. I too had read about the strong adhesives sometimes used, but luckily I thought about it further before I broke anything. I thought the screws attaching the interior trim held the exterior also, they don't.
Good luck.

Edited by - on

ilnadi
Captain

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452 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2006 : 11:22:34

Mine has visible screws on the outside (where the snaps are) and wooden plugs. Are any of those actually holding the trim in place or is it all from the inside?

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2006 : 11:34:41

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by ilnadi
 Mine has visible screws on the outside (where the snaps are) and wooden plugs. Are any of those actually holding the trim in place or is it all from the inside?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
All C-25s that I know of have screws inside holding the outside companionway rails in place. Those screws are covered by the interior trim, which have screws on the surface. (The snaps are incidental.) So, take the inside pieces off first, and then look for all of the screws holding the outside pieces--some will be covered with brown gunk. I tapped a wide putty knife into the gunk and gently pried the pieces off.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 03/31/2006 11:37:44

Alan Clark
Captain

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406 Posts

Response Posted - 04/04/2006 : 20:52:39

Randall, We just got done doing ours and Dave & Bruce are correct, the screws are on the inside and can be removed by taking off the inside trim (Dont forget to mark on the inside of the pieces, port (p) and Starboard (S), so you will be able to place them bak. using a putty knife was VERY helpful not only to get the brown gunk off but also to pry the trim off...VERY GENTLY, after screw removal. When we put them back on -after cetoling- we used West Marine silicone sealant. That went very easily. The wire trick is a great Idea also! I tried to take off the teak piece on the front of the sliding coach roof and that didnt work out as I did not want to drill it out. I will probably sand it on the boat and cetol it that way.

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IndyJim
Navigator

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USA
130 Posts

Response Posted - 04/06/2006 : 22:24:10

Randall, I too just completed a complete Cetol job on all exterior teak. I got lucky. I went overboard and took the interior companion way trim peices off and discovered the screws holding the exterior peices on. It made my life so much easier! The hatch slides, hand rails, companionway trim, hatch boards and combing boxes all look fantastic now! They say the first step in solving a problem is admitting it exists.... so here goes... I'm a Cetol-a-holic!

Edited by - on

tinob
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 04/08/2006 : 11:11:56

Randolph,
I agree with what has been said about finding the screws under the inner molding. I found my moldings slathered ( bedded) with a brownish/blackish gook that has remained flexible all this time('83). it was easily compromized with a putty knife.

MOST IMPORTANT, IMHO, is how not to break the outer molding again and again. It seems to me that not lifting the hatch the last few inches before closure is/was what caused my moulding to break. Lesson learned.

Val on the hard DAGNABIT # 3936 Patchogue, N.Y.

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.