Replacing solid aluminum rub rail
 

I am attempting to replace a solid aluminum rub rail on my Searay. Does anyone have a good write up on this? When I searched, all I found were rails with rubber inserts. I am most conserned with the bend around the bow. This will be a one pc. install, 20' long. Won't the rail kink around the bow without using some sort of forming tool?

Just looked into this myself and got an answer on fiberglass and paint section. Check out TACO supplies. I don't recall at the moment what the website was but just do a web search and it will pop right up. They have numerous different styles. I have the type you have I think with the rubber insert and am thinking about chaning over to the plastic molded type that can easily be heated to make bends etc.

Good luck and I hope I was some help.

Here you go. This is a good one to put in "my favorites"

http://www.tacomarine.com/cat--Rub-Rail--rubrail.html

Alan at http://www.rubrails.com/ is a great guy to deal with. He can walk you thru the whole job and tell you how to do the job right. His prices are better than taco also.

Good to know. Thanks for the tip!
John

Classic stainless get my vote

Does look nice. I may have to price that out. The problem with the rubber insert like I currently have is that I notice the rubber always pulling away. Perhaps the age, Not sure but regardless I do like the all stainless look especially for an older boat. Even new for that matter.

Used the plastic or rubber years ago , might look Ok on a party barge but the plastic and or rubber expands in the summer heat and becomes distorted leaving gaps and sags , been there done that and to me looks like garbage

I made the 25 ft journey from my home to my shop to get the color code , normally this take 30 seconds but we just got 25 + inches of F-ing snow and I just had enough of this crap

The yellow I choose is SIKKENS color map location page 434 location D5

Thanks very much and good luck with the snow. I know how that goes. We got a lot early on however I've been watching the news and have a good idea of where your at. LOL...

Thanks again,
John
PS I was unaware sikkens was in the auto/marine paints!
PSS Quit biting the skin around your fingernails......... LOl... you can stop now.

They don't market Boat only paint . This is straight up Urethane which can be used on anything , don't let anybody tell you any different!! We stopped using Sikkens a few years back , way over rated with crazy high pricing , infact they are F-ing criminals

Where did you get your rub rail from? I like that flat style. That said, the ones that stick out a little further are a bich to get to bend around a bow. Some azzhat stole the nose cone of the rub rail off of our 38' scarab (377) and we went through hell making a new piece.

Finding a section of rail wasn't a problem, but when you bend it that hard it wanted to buckle out. We had to cut it 6 times, beat it down, weld it, grind it, and brush finish it. What a pain...

The Rub rail is inch stainless , it is not flat it has a slight curve to it . I have installed this type many times before and hope these tips help you .

when you wrap it around try to lay out so that a holes does not fall in bend area and put cardboard behind stainless to prevent boat from being damaged .

the bend I made inside tunnel is one piece , all I did was use a 2 x 4 to exact shape of area minus what thickness of rail x 2 and used that 2 x 4 as template to hammer stainless around , again laying it out so that no holes were in bend area .


Larry

activatorf1 where did you get that stainless rub rail at? I have a 24ft thundercat that I'm in the process of painting etc and I took my rub rail off which is very similar but its alum. where did you get that and how much was it? thanks, justin

Not sure what he paid for it however look at the website listed from the other post. rubrails.com He is using the 1" SS. If i recall it is about 3.50 a ft.

This is close to what I have:

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...e/A11-0257.gif

I am most concerned with the bend around the front of the bow (tip). I already purchased this peice from Marine Max. I'm trying to make the wrap around all in one as opposed to cutting into sections. I don't want to kink or have gaps. Is it necessary to make the gradual bend from mid boat towards the front running down the side? (big radius bend). Is there a backing to prevent gouging the fiberglass where the rail edges contact the hull?

read my post

You'll more than likely kink that trying to bend it by hand. Compound surfaces don't bend w/o something stretching/compressing.

Might see if a muffler shop has small enough anvils to get the front bend real close to what you want, then work backwards. They will confine the bend to the area that's needed bent. Trying by hand will just put a large bend in as much length that you are holding on too.

You simply screw as you creep along and use a rubber mallet with cardboard behind rub- rail to prevent damage to paint/ gelcoat

3.50 a foot??? WOW, their proud of that stuff. lol looks very nice though.

I think I read it right. let me know if there is a better place to purchase it because I am in need.

Call Nuwave Marine , ask for Ken and mention you spoke to Larry about the one inch stainless Rub rail . Nuwave # 856-232-6969

Thanks for the help.
John