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Hi all,
Well, the waterlodge has been righted without a hitch, no problems at all. I'm starting the bulkhead and porch decking installs and came across a question for the group. I'm thinking of installing bulwark on both the fore and aft decks to keep small things from going over the side and naturally to keep water from entering the cabin.
My question is how should it be installed? Should I make it flush to the outside of the hull making the junction a smooth surface, then mount the railing on the inside? Or vice versa? What about the overall height? The decking itself is only 4X8 ft. and the railings will be 1 1/4" Sq aluminum tube.
What about limbers, should I make them big enough to allow dock lines to go thru them and tie to the deck cleat?
What do you think would look the best?
Anyone have suggestions they would like to share?

Thanks,
Don

The higher up on a boat you go, normally all parts are tapering in. The hull normally has the rails the widest point and takes the abuse and can also stand the abuse when built for it and several reasons past estetics too. All the parts mounted above the rails can get caught on pilings if thats applicable and ripped off since mounting all components require fasteners and dependant on bedding compounds to keep water from entering into the main structure. So place all above deck parts inside the rail areas, tapering also inward. This is easy to do on the bulwarks. Then you can secure the rails on the cap which makes it look like they belong and easy to paint and maintain.

Mount a fastening cleat flat ways on the decks and cut a very suttle angle on the outside and then fasten through the outside of what I think will be plywood and run a feature trim along the edge, bedded and secured in place with bungs too making a finish part. I also double this on the inside with a cap rail making it look like its suppose to be there. Nose each edge of the caprail. If you build this sturdy enough, then you can mount your rails on the cap with feet fastened into the faces. Make sure that you also seal the back sides really well before closing up. I also install small vents along the inside area. You can buy them or even create them out of glass on a small mould. If you need a follow up on that, let me know and I can provide a shot on how I do this.