Krogen 42 Inner Gunwale Boards, yay or nay?

[UpwiththeDownside]

Hi all,
I'm going to be doing some glasswork which will require the removal of the horizontal inner gunwale boards...for lack of a better term. I'll be grinding, glassing, painting, and filling in areas where water was seeping in below. Luckily, I caught this before too much damage was done.

The question is: Have you ever seen a Krogen 42 without these boards?

I'm seriously considering not putting them back since A) it will be a hassle B) It frees up space to hang lines and fenders and C) Has that "clean" slightly more modern look.

Thoughts?

 

[Larry M]

I believe they add stiffness and are structural. I would reinstall them. We had a KK42 and spent time around a lot of Krogen’s. I never saw or heard of one where the boards were removed.

 

[Mac2]

I've seen more Krogen 42s without the boards than with them. The vertical stringers would suggest a structural purpose as stated above. From memory, I don't recall the vertical stringers on the 42s without the boards. I'm guessing they have an outer shell glassed over them.

 

[UpwiththeDownside]

I believe they add stiffness and are structural. I would reinstall them. We had a KK42 and spent time around a lot of Krogen’s. I never saw or heard of one where the boards were removed.

Thanks!
Whether they are structural is the biggest question I have...probably a question for Kadey-Krogen design team. The only reason I believe they aren't structural is the size of the screws I've pulled out so far. They are a very small (maybe a #10 or #12) bronze with hardly any thread. But then maybe I'm just looking for an excuse to be lazy

 

[UpwiththeDownside]

I've seen more Krogen 42s without the boards than with them. The vertical stringers would suggest a structural purpose as stated above. From memory, I don't recall the vertical stringers on the 42s without the boards. I'm guessing they have an outer shell glassed over

Agreed, the vertical stringers are definitely structural. To be clear, "I've seen more Krogen 42s without the boards than with them," was a typo?

 

[Mac2]

Agreed, the vertical stringers are definitely structural. To be clear, "I've seen more Krogen 42s without the boards than with them," was a typo?

Look at the 1981 Krogen 42 for sale in St. Mary's Georgia-No wood planks anywhere on the gunwale. Maybe this was an aftermarket modification? If so, maybe a call could verify this, along with how it was done, or who did the work.

 

[NWboater2]

I think he meant the boats without the boards also don’t have visible stringers, so they probably used fiberglass over the stringers for the structure, instead of using the boards

 

[UpwiththeDownside]

I think he meant the boats without the boards also don’t have visible stringers, so they probably used fiberglass over the stringers for the structure, instead of using the boards

Ah, yep, that makes sense.

 

[JDCAVE]

Our KK 42 does not have the planks on the gunwales on the side decks. I suspect the vertical “stringers” have a FRP skin over top. We do have teak planks on gunwales in the cockpit, but those are right overtop a FRP skin.

Jim

 

[UpwiththeDownside]

Thanks! I found your blog and saw your gunwales. Great pics!

 

[Dougcole]

The less exterior teak the better, in my book.

 

[Mako]

I would definitely repair your cracked frames (verticals), fair them and give a nice paint or gel coat job.

Lose the boards - they really give a dated look.

 

[UpwiththeDownside]

Update: For anyone interested...or at least curious, I was told by the current KK naval architect that based on the drawings and word around the office, the horizontal planks are just cosmetic.

I will repair the vertical stringers and paint. If I want to add a skin that covers the stringers in the future I'll at least have that option.

Thanks all!

 

[JDCAVE]

UpDown: that does not surprise me. There was a fellow still with KK up until a few years ago. He was with the original build team. I’ve forgotten his name now. He used to answer these questions. KK42’s were overbuilt to begin with.

Jim

 

[Comodave]

I would think that with the small screws that attach them that they are not structural.

 

[Bmarler]

A clean look might be to fill the area between the uprights with something like coosa and glass over the whole thing. A bit of work, but a clean look.

 

[Mako]

I will repair the vertical stringers and paint. If I want to add a skin that covers the stringers in the future I'll at least have that option.

Hi OP, I would not cover up the stringers. If you clean them up and paint they will look fine, but that gap in between them provides a wonderful recess for openly storing things so they don’t bump your legs.