The idea of a J/80 foam deck came and went a few times, lately. And now it is done!
With Midsummer Solo Challenge coming up in two weeks and Pantaenius Bohusracet at the end of the month, final preparations are coming to a close. Among the low prio/high desirability items on the never-ending to-do list, foam deck coamings had been coming up on top several times.
WHY?
Memories of a stiff back and raw red skin, trying to fly the spinnaker in almost no wind and without moving for hours on end to keep the flow attached and the boat from rocking. No more. The foam deck is soft and comfortable to the touch, very much like a hiking mattress.
Furthermore, a lot of body warmth is lost through contact with the gelcoat. Foam is great for insulation. We are hoping to be slightly warmer at night as well as day once summer is over and we stretch the season to Xmas.
A few companies provide ready-made and ready-cut solutions for popular yachts, including the J/80. One of this, well known for its quality and finish, is Raptor Deck. However the ready-cut solution for J/80s does not include coamings and is intended as non-skid cockpit sole only.
After a few short races and trainings in all weather conditions (this is how it looks like on a J/80 between 25 and 35kts wind) we think that the sole and anti-skid patterns are great and you only skid after broaching or heeling over 50 degree. But then, you shouldn’t be there, right?
The coamings instead is where you spend you life aboard.
Last but not least, during the last race, one of the genoa cars used for cross-sheeting, exploded. I took the opportunity to get rid of the tracks, and left some ugly scars. The J/80 foam deck mat works wonder as make up and the tracks seem never to have existed!
I liked the all-white no-frills deck of the J/80. However the light grey EVA foam mats do look neat and sleek. Can we call it face lift?
THERE’S A BUT…
In the end I settled for a DIY approach.
I sourced the EVA foam mat from a local supplier, templating the deck with 2mm polyurethane film (where to get that? Ever seen those easy-to-clean transparent plastic table covers? That’s it), cutting with a sharp knife, finishing with sandpaper and a Dremel. Oh I love Dremels.
It took 2 days work and 20 degrees Celsius for the primer to dry correctly. The finish is good, but clearly a machined version would have been exceptional.
It is expected to last 3 years. Then what? I’ll think about that when the time comes. And keep the templates in my storage room.
