Eyebrows

[jgsharpe]

The 'eyebrows' on my '81 CP23 are loose, obviously removed and reattached incorrectly at some previous time.  The screw heads don't look original.  Can anyone tell me what the original mounting method was?  Screws or thru bolts?   If bolts, I'm guessing the nuts must be behind the interior trim panels.  This will be a rainy day project this winter, just trying to get my head around it. 

Thanks in advance! - Jeff

[Billy]

my 19 eyebrows were screwed in, they were also set in some type of adhesive/sealant, like a 5200 or something. They are not going anywhere.

[jgsharpe]

Thanks Billy!

[wes]

Wood screws, plenty of 5200, screw heads covered with teak plugs. There is wood behind the fiberglass to accept the screws. The eyebrows were in terrible shape when I bought my boat and I pretty much destroyed them getting them off. Luckily, replacements are readily available from Hutchins at a reasonable price ($42 for a pair for my 19; probably a little more for your 23). They come unfinished; Hutchins will throw in a handful of 3/8" teak plugs if you ask nicely. Warning: at least on my 19, you really need the adhesive to help the screws hold the eyebrow tight to the curve of the cabin trunk. The screws alone aren't adequate. As Billy said, if you rebed them in 5200 along the full length of the eyebrow (not just at at the screw holes) they will stay attached until Jesus comes back (as we say here in the South).

- Wes

[jgsharpe]

That's very helpful, Wes.  Thanks a bunch.  I was wondering what the screws bite into.  The screw heads are currently exposed, brass, no plugs.  I have a feeling the orig holes were stripped and someone went to oversized screws.  This information will help a lot - thanks again.
Jeff

[wes]

If you buy new eyebrows they will come undrilled, so it would probably be easier to just fill your old holes with epoxy and drill new ones. I started trying to drill my new eyebrows to match the existing holes, and it was very frustrating due to the curve of the cabin trunk and the stiffness of the eyebrow. So I filled the old holes (I used Interlux Water-Tite epoxy filler but I'm sure any good epoxy would work) and re-drilled. I re-used the original stainless screws - unfortunately I don't recall the size but I'm sure Gerry or Matt at Hutchins could tell you. Probably #10 x 1", more or less. I have seen some boats where the screw heads were exposed (no plugs) but I'm a perfectionist. It really doesn't take much extra time to recess the screw heads with a 3/8" spade bit, glue in the plugs with epoxy or Gorilla Glue, sand them off the next day. After varnishing (or Cetol-ing) the plugs are nearly invisible.

- Wes

[Billy]

I had mine replaced and there are no plugs. I wish there was plugs though. Looks much better.

[capt_nemo]

As I read this thread I'm glad I decided to have the factory OMIT the eyebrow on my new 2010 Sun Cat.

I saw what one looked like with numerous screw heads showing, and just knew it would be a source for trouble eventually.

I realy like the sleek look of the cabin top without the eyebrow and it sure is easier to keep the cabin top clean and shiney without the eyebrow in the way.

Instead of replacing shabby or leaking eyebrows, consider filling the screw holes, sanding smooth, and covering the same area with a vinyl tape eyebrow to match your canvas, hull, covestripe, or bootstripe color.

capt_nemo

[Bob23]

Jeff:
   They are a bear to get off. The first winter I owned my 1985 23, I removed all the teak for the initial teak refinishing. I discovered that the eyebrow trims were indeed put on with 5200 so the port one came off in a thousand pieces. Needless to say, the starboard one remained on.
   I have used Flagship varnish on all my teak except the eyebrow trims. For some reason, I can't get that finish to last on that location only. The rest of the teak is fine and I get good life out of my varnish. I use Cetol, the teak flavor, on the eyebrows and so far, so good. When I refinished them this spring, I contemplated painting them, but in the end, I'm a wood guy so I like to see the wood!
   Capt Nemo has an interesting idea. A stripe at the cabinsides would look cool.
Bob23

[jgsharpe]

Although we are way inland, I believe we'll be getting some breeze from Irene this weekend, which means I'll be on the boat and giving those eyebrows a closer look, armed with these new considerations.  I like the look of this trim, but I agree they are a potential snag and maintenance 'feature'.   The rest of the brightwork is on the list for this winter, as well.  Currently Cetol and I will probably continue that.  It's great to have this discussion before I get into this project instead of after - thanks to all for chiming in!

[wes]

Who would have thought eyebrows would create such as lively discussion? I love the salty traditional look of them (I use teak flavored Cetol, btw), but the damn things catch on my inner shrouds EVERY SINGLE TIME I raise the mast on my 19. They are like a shroud magnet. We have a classic love/hate relationship here. Maybe I will spray the ends with Sail-Kote, my new favorite chemical, to help the shrouds slide off . OK, I'm kidding about that.

- Wes

[brackish]

If mine were "loose" I certainly wouldn't put them back with 5200.  I would use a polysulfide or some other sealer that lets them be removed for finishing.  In fact I would seal the back side of the teak with whatever I'm using on the exposed area and only use the sealant at the screws.  On my boat they cannot be removed and they are the most difficult of all my teak to maintain.  I would like to have them so I could take them off to finish, but that would probably mean destroying the current pieces and replacing with new.

[wes]

If you limited the sealant to the screw locations only (at least on the 19), I think you'd want a screw pretty close to each end of the eyebrow - within an inch or so. The factory screw positions are farther from the ends, and without using sealant along the entire length of the eyebrow I found that the ends tend to spring away from the curved fiberglass cabin trunck, leaving an air gap that makes the Shroud Grabbing problem even worse.

I agree completely about sealing the entire rear of the eyebrow before mounting (I did), and also about the forever nature of 5200. I have been using 3M 4200 recently, and think it's a good compromise between sealing quality and ability to remove in the future without destroying the teak. I know there are lots of older threads on this site about 5200 vs. 4200 vs. Boatlife vs. whatever.

- Wes

[jgsharpe]

Here's what I found yesterday.  Looks like I'll need to get into this sooner than later.

[JParody]

As a newbie I should probably research before questioning, but I tend to jump right in sometimes.

    What is an eyebrow?

Is this it pictured above by jgsharpe?  Are they the two flat horizontal pieces of wood on either side of the companion way? Not on my 16, but there are wood pieces as I described on either side of my son's Catalina 25 companionway.