making cockpit grates

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I'd appreciate any pearls on making cock pit grates for a Tartan 3700. I've already traced out a cardboard pattern and made a template. I have a table saw, crosscut saw and router. Any advice would be appreciated concerning the best way to make the grates. Thanks, Larry V

[Tim]

A good way to make the interlocking grate pieces would be to take a board of your chosen material and make a series of dados, or grooves, across the grain, at a pre-determined spacing. The depth of the dados should be exactly half the thickness of the wood, and probably around 1" wide, though this can be varied according to taste.

Once these dados are milled (you can use a router or tablesaw for this), then you can cut the board lengthwise into strips, each strip being the same width as the dados. Then, when placed at 90? to each other, these pieces will form the necessary interlocking pieces for the field of your grate.

At the edges, I would think that milling a rabbet on the edge trim pieces, and a matching one on the completed field, would be a good way to join the field with the edge trim.

In concept, this is a fairly straightforward process. In practice, I imagine it will take a bit of fine-tuning with the tools to ensure a tight and accurate fit between the pieces. Once the setup is complete, though, the actual milling should be straightforward and quick. I've not actually done this, but if/when I do, I expect that this would be the basic process I'd follow.

[dkall]

Although they look stylish, find someone that has them and ask if you can stand on them with bare feet for awhile.

Beyond that, ask if you can clean and oil the grates for them.

Then if you want grates ok. But at least know some of the PITA's about them.

Now remember I'm in FL and we sail a lot with bare feet and always need to clean them from anything spilling in the cockpit area.

If you do still want them, you can find kits on the internet for them. Although it takes some of the allure out of saying "I did it all", it will save you bunches of time and some headaches.

[Tim]

Dave brings up some very good points about the grates.

For my next boat, when I get to it, I was thinking of just installing teak strips on the cockpit sole, permanently affixed with epoxy (no screws). This provides the warm look of a teak deck without the hassles of the grate.

As always, there are several ways to approach any issue!

[CharlieJ]

Tim- I don't think you'd be happy with the teak strips permanently secured. I've used strips fastened to cross pieces so the entire thing an be lifted out, and that worked well. Amazing the dirt and crap that can get down there. Permanently secured strips would be a bear to keep clean.

The strips could also be let into the crosspieces just like a dadoed grating, for a lower profile.

[daysailor17]

My dad's cutter had teak cockpit grates and they really look beautiful in the cockpit. Are you looking for asthetics or function? For asthetics I would say they can't be beat in spite of the PITA. After having teak grates, I always left them untreated, as it was intended for non-skid. It is not hard at all to clean with teak cleaner and a scrub brush, but the worst part was trying to do the Rubucs Cube (sp?) and get them out of the cockpit around all the clutter of the wheel pedestal, low engine key and instrument panel, and engine controls. If you have a clear run of the cockpit, shouldn't be an issue. People tend to feak about cleaning teak, but I guess I love it like varnishing. Is your boat a piano or a sailboat? I always lifted the grates, flushed a bucket after use or accumulation of something nasty like spilt beer and peanut shells, and scrubbed it 4 times per year in WI. It is just a Zen thing, and you cannot convince someone that the benefits outweigh the negatives, no value judgement, just preference. There is no better non-skid then untreated teak, although it isn't asthetically pleasing to the eye as oiled (ok I just did a value judgement here). The oiled teak absorbs heat and will BURN your feet in the sun. Untreated teak is cool. I was amazed at how much heat would get in the cabin of that boat when the deck was oiled vs natural. I always sailed without shoes on the teak deck, the only problem being the occassional cracked toe. The grates do put uncomfortable pressure on the feet if standing for some time. Keep the grate space thickness narrow if you want bare feet.

I have digressed away from teak grates onto teak values and what not, I hope I have not opened a firestorm of debate.

If you are looking for function, that rubberized non-skid mats that Lobster fisherman use is nice on the feet, easy to keep clean, easy to install, but definitely can lack the pleasing asthetic flavor of wood.

my 35 cents. E

[Tim]

Sorry--I should have been more clear.

I'm thinking teak strips with polysulfide between, just like a real teak deck. This eliminates the gaps, which would be a horror show if left open.

Like this (except that this happens to be a removable hatch):

[kendall]

Looks good, but I think a nice herringbone with a king plank and bands would look sweet as a cockpit sole.

Mine has a grate, and the openings and teak are all 3/4 x 3/4, getting kind of rough now, plan to rebuild thinking of going with wider longitudenals. The small size of the grid is comfortable on bare feet, BUT not if you kneel down to work on something barefooted, they grab your toes and won't let go till you smack your chin on the locker, then you have a sore toe, a sore chin, wounded pride, and your old lady says you're being cranky.

ken.

[CharlieJ]

Ah so Tim. Now I understand. That would be much better.

I'm still going for removable duckboard type grates in mine. Had 'em in two other boats and I like the set up. I build them with a gap between the slats of about 1/8 inch, with rounded over edges.

[Jason K]

Coincidentally, I saw just what you're talking about, Tim, this evening onboard a 46' Morgan ketch. The owner, among many other things, laid his own deck planking down in a fashion similar to the hatch cover, It looked fantastic and was far more comfortable than the original molded fiberglass. I wanted to take photos as it reminded me of this thread, but that would have been a little awkward. :)

[Caution: Hijack - This was also the first sailboat I've ever been on that had a bathtub. He has a full size water heater in the engine room.]