Wormshoe replacement

[Gregg Collins]

I am in the process of replacing my wormshoe. I can figure out, though, how to fasten it to the deadwood. Any suggestions, as it seems counter productive to sink fasteners through the protective felt barrier.

Thanks,

-Gregg

[Allen Foote]

I use plastic webbing instaed of felt. Its soloe purpose to to give the roofing cement something to cling to, and not to provide a "water barrier".

[Donn]

I just replaced the aft 4' of my worm shoe, under the guidance of a professional. We replaced the rotten rubber sheet with plain old tar paper, with roofing tar on each side, and fastened the piece with bronze screws.

As Allen said, the "stuff" between the shoe and the keel isn't for blocking water, it's for blocking marine critters.

[RGM]

I see that you are in Seattle. Where abouts are you working on your boat? I imagine that you've painted the underside of your keel with something the bugs don't like. Then perhaps slathered it with some creosote/asphalt based roof patch compound (ATCO), otherwise known in the trade as bear ****. You've then followed this with a layer of Irish Felt, secured in place with copper tacks. You've got your bug shoe all milled for thickness and width, and the downside corners are bullnosed. Are you butting the ends together square or using a short scarf with the bottom edge favoring aft? Layout for counter sunk screws or lags, miss your keelbolts and all of the other potentially nasty things that you don't want to run into with a drill bit and/or fastener. Paint the faying surface of the bug shoe with something nasty if you wish, fit the sections of bug shoe one at a time. Block and wedge or jack them securely against the underside of your keel. Don't depend solely on your fasteners and shoulders to pull/push the bug shoe up into position. Drill and drive the fasteners home once you're satisfied with the fit. Fab some bungs out of parent material, glue/epoxy the bungs into your countersunk fastener holes, flush them off and paint the whole thing with AF. Good luck.