I am getting ready to get the top half of my boat painted and was wondering if it makes since to remove my rub rails?
The first painter I talked to said that they would only paint to about a 1/4" above the rails. they do this so if you bump a pier you don’t crack up you clear coat. Other painters I have talked to paint under the rub rails for a better finish. What would you do?

It will look better if you take it off.

I agree but is it the correct way to do it? My paint stops right at the rub rail now and is caulked so it hard to tell.
Ken

I've seen it done both ways. I've even seen newer Cigs with the caulk painted
I prefer a more finished look and will be pulling mine this spring when I paint it. You do have to wait a while before you put it back on so the paint is hard. And IMO if you wack a piling hard enough it will fug it up either way.

What size boat is it? At times it can be very hard to keep 40foot or bigger boat of the rub rail around the docks. Mine is painted and I wish it was not. It does look better when its brand new but with a few dings it looks shabby. My 2 cents.

I prefer to pull the rail, at the end of the day its a much cleaner look. Although i have seen Mitcher T's technique of masking and it does look good as well as make sense if you are not pulling trim.

I would say pull the rub rail the paint wont adhear to the rail as easily as the gelcoat.