Drop Boards and Retainers

Starting with the retainers and following my build theme, I decided to construct the drop board retainers from Queensland hoop pine with a couple of blue gum inserts. I'm also considering glue and clamping them in place as I'm not keen on spoiling the outside finish with exposed screw heads.

I milled up two hoop pine lengths and planed them down to 9mm thickness. I routed 2mm deep grooves for the blue gum inserts and epoxied them in place.

The inserts are planed down close to the drop board face and sanded smooth. They turned out nice.

After three coats of epoxy with UV hardener and six coats of lacquer. I screwed and glued the retainers from inside the cabin (pics to come)

 I trimmed the 6mm thick marine acrylic companionway drop boards to fit and slide neatly in the groove.

As the drop boards are in two pieces to allow removal without hitting the boom and to prevent water leakage at the join, I went about making a horizontal cleat.

I cut a section of hoop pine a little wider than the companionway opening and then by moving the bench saw fence I cut grooves along the length ensuring the blade was low enough to leave a space between to form the "H" profile. 

The cleat will be permanently adhered to the upper drop board and neatly fit over the lower drop board. This pic shows the oversized cleat. Notice its "H" profile. The upper gap is 6mm wide to fit tightly on the upper board whereas the lower gap is 7mm wide to fit over the lower board.

I then routed two grooves on both sides of the cleat in preparation for the blue gum inserts.

 

The blue gum inserts are glued and clamped in place and left overnight to set.