I've got two small scratches/gouges in the white plastic portion of the rub rail (i.e. not the stainless portion) on my new to me 2000 38'.

I hate to replace both sections as the scratches are small and not deep.

Anyone had success repairing this part of the rub rail? Can it be filled and painted to match? Or should I either live with it or get the sections replaced?

Any experience would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Brad

On my last Fountain, I sanded out a couple of good scratches with 600,1000, 1500 paper then polished. Looked like new. On my current boat just last weekend, I used a rag heavy with acetone and rubbed over a scratch until it disappeared as it was a minor surface scuff. Actually the acetone kinda softens the rubrail slightly, the acetone rag then blends the repair smoothly, but dulls it some . Then polished with rubbing compound to put the shine back on. Can't see the repair.

US1 - Thanks for the ideas. Will try them this weekend. Unfortunately one of the scraches is too deep to sand out. Any suggestions? Fill and paint?

You can also try MEK...(Methel Ehel Bad szit!) but be fast when wiping and be light with either MEK or Acetone...
And Use gloves!!!

Thanks Blownincome. I will try that as well.

You can try 3M 5200 to fill the deep spots. I have used this sucessfully on a 31 SS Sonic. Be sure that the 5200 is fully cured prior to sanding.

At 1st I was going to suggest Marine Tex, but I think it will be a poor choice as it is hard. The 5200 sounds like a great choice since it stays flexible. I didn't know it is sandable though. As long as the repair will be less noticeable than the scratch. How about plain 100% pure white silicone? Seems the easiest. No sanding, flexible, bright white.

Viper 7, US1 - Thanks so much for all the help. I will try the 3M and then the Silicone. Will let you know how it goes.

Had thought about white silicone, but that seemed too easy for a boat repair (everything seems to be more difficult on boats).

Well, if it will make you feel better, I'll sell you a tube a 5x the cost and tell you to take longer to repair than it would if it was a car.

Be carefull with the 5200, that stuff is a pain to get off the excess. Let alone the couple of days to wear off of your hands. Don't know how it would do on the rubrail. Might use tape on both sides of the scratch to keep excess to a minumum. Good luck.

Well, if it will make you feel better, I'll sell you a tube a 5x the cost and tell you to take longer to repair than it would if it was a car.

LMAO, I thought that was why we have West Marine.