Teak Strip Above Portholes

[D Dorle]

I have recently restored my Cape Dory. Somewhere along the line, the previous owner(s) removed the teak strips that run above the portholes on either side of the exterior cabin.

I am being told by some of the marina crew that I should leave them off because they pose a moisture / leaking risk. Others say No, they don't and that the boat looks a little naked without them.

Does having them on really pose a moisture / leaking risk?
If so, any tips on how I should install them to best prevent leaking?

From my perspective, the boat looks fine without them, nice and clean, but then there is the matter of achieving an "authentic" restoration ...

Your input please.

David Dorle.

[Tod Mills]

Eyebrows are typically held in place with screws covered with bungs, and the screws often penetrate balsa or plywood coring, so when the sealant (if any was even used) fails, water can get into the coring and cause a soft spot. If there is no coring, the water can leak into the cabin.

If there is coring, it should be removed from around the screw (a bent nail in a drill is often used to dig out the coring) and replaced with thickened epoxy to seal the core at the screw.

[tjr818]

. . . From my perspective, the boat looks fine without them . . . . David Dorle.

That pretty well sums it up for me. Leave it as is.

[Jim Walsh]

I think they look great. The reason they exist is to fool the eye, it makes the coachroof look lower. An alternative, if you don’t wish to fabricate and install wood replacements, is to paint (or use striping tape) as a replacement. I’ve seen them the same color as the cove stripe for color continuity.

[gonesail]

i like the look of them as well. and spent a lot of time last spring maintaining the varnish there. so far so good.

[jfischgrund]

I have them on my CD 27, I don't think they leak (but now I'm going to re-check) and they look nice if maintained, I stripped and varnished them this summer -- it was a good social distancing activity on the mooring -- and it was actually a fun little job.

[John Stone]

I can’t say if they leak on your boat but I bet they do. They leaked on my boat badly. When I gutted my boat and cut the headliner out the fiberglass on the inside of the cabin top streaked with water stains. I could exactly how the water got in. No doubt about it. So I removed the eyebrows and filled all those holes before I primered and painted. As seem to recall there was 28 holes on each side. The fasteners are SS self tapping. They are screwed directly into solid fiberglass just outboard of where the balsa core in the cabin top ends. There is no balsa core in the vertical part of the cabin trunk. At least not on my boat.

I know some folks like the eyebrows. I agree with Jim they help make the cabin trunk look lower. But I don’t thing the boats need it. They look great to me without the eyebrows. And I have ruthlessly filled all holes and eliminated as many of them as I can over the years. My boat is totally dry and that did not happen by accident. I see no sense in drilling so many holes for so little value. Consider yourself fortunate.

If you like the look of eyebrow trim then, we’re it me, a painted accent stripe, would be my choice to achieve a similar visual effect without the holes.



Below is a picture of my boat without the eyebrows.

[ghockaday]

+one for no eyebrows and paint canvas and boot strop color.

No Eyebrows.jpg

[D Dorle]

Thank you all!

After reviewing your insightful comments, I've decided to leave her as she is.

David.