: Hello everyone. I recently purchased a used baidarka built in one
: of Corey Freedman's classes. The boat is in good condition
: except for the coaming, which is beginning to crack in the
: front. Does anyone know if it is possible to repair the coaming
: without re-skinning the boat? I am planning on reskinning the
: boat eventually, but I am just looking for a temporary fix to
: keep the coaming in one piece for the next few months. The
: coaming is made of thin laminated woodstrips with a lip made out
: of rope. It is attached to the frame at the front and back,
: without any stanchions supporting it on the sides. The crack
: isn't too big right now, but entering and exiting the boat does
: put strain on the crack.

Hi John,
One thing I'd do is fit stanchions, that will support the coaming and lessen the stress at the crack. Before that, I'd open the crack slightly and let in some epoxy. If you're going to replace the coaming, add some support at the crack, epoxy/glass or a 'butt block'.

Mike Savage
South West Cork